When the moon hits the sky like a big piece of pie, that’s Milwaukee. On Pi Day, the day that we celebrate the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, it all circles back to pie—that big, beautiful, perfectly round food group that we all too often take for granted.


Today, that broad culinary category takes a starring role. Sweet and savory pies, pizza pies and quiche (maybe). We cut out a slice of eight different pies for you to celebrate Pi Day around the clock in Milwaukee.

Overhead view of four freshly baked pizzas on a wooden table, including round and oval pies topped with melted cheese, tomatoes, herbs and bacon, with cups of dark soda placed between them.

Meat Lover’s Breakfast Pizza

Cranky Al’s

You can’t pie all day if you don’t start in the morning. Usually known for their inventive donuts and piping hot coffee, if you look past the sugar rush on the Cranky Al’s menu, you’ll find a hearty 8” personal-sized pizza, perfect to start your day the pie way. Pi Day only comes once a year, so load up your handmade crust with their signature Meat Lovers toppings with cheese, scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon, then try to eat it in 3.14 minutes to get the day started off right.

Slices of caramel-covered apple pie served on a white plate next to a whole pie in a paper bag, surrounded by fresh red apples and rustic wooden baskets.

Caramel Apple Pie

Elegant Farmer

It’s as decadent as it sounds, and it tastes even better when it's baked in a paper bag. Over the past 26+ years, Elegant Farmer has turned pie baking into an art form, creating such a clamor for the round pastries that their goods now appear at supermarkets throughout the area. This slice takes the all-American concept of an apple pie and drizzles just enough of a layer of caramel to remind you of fall in the dead of winter.

Close up of a wood fired pizza topped with sliced leeks, red onions, herbs and melted cheese on a browned crust.

Allium

Transfer Pizzeria Café

Named after a fluffy purple perennial flower also known as the ornamental onion, this Clock Tower Acres pizzeria’s creation could not have been more fitting. Available in both 10” and 14” sizes, the colorful green and purple handcrafted pie starts with a black garlic sauce, covered with cheese, red onions, leeks and chives. It’s bold and flavorful and the perfect bite for an adventurous vegetarian (or omnivore).

Cozy pub seating area at County Clare Irish Pub with small round tables, wooden stools, stained glass windows and a glowing fireplace.

Shepherd’s Pie

County Clare

Inside the quaint dining space of County Clare, you’ll find a menu of Irish staples. There’s a Reuben, corned beef and cabbage, a Guinness pot roast, and for the pie-minded, a bevy of different savory pies to choose from. The shepherd’s pie, though, is a classic. It may not have the traditional crust, but don’t be fooled, a pie is a pie. Underneath the ornately laid coat of homemade mashed potatoes, you’ll find seared lamb, carrots, celery, onion and green peas in a delicious broth that makes for the ultimate comfort food when it’s all mixed together.

Whole pie with a golden brown filling topped with piped whipped cream and coarse sugar crystals in a flaky crust on a metal tray.

Salted Wisconsin Honeypie

Honeypie Cafe

More than a term of endearment, Honeypie Café keeps their eyes on the pies. Since 2009, the Bay View staple has served delicious dishes to the community for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a popular brunch on the weekends for staples like the Hopple Popple skillet, the Honeypie Benedict and a Midwest-style breakfast casserole. But the one constant throughout their rotating menus is fittingly Honeypie’s pie menu. There’s no shortage to choose from, but why stray from the pie that is emblazoned on the restaurant’s marquee? The sweet and just the right amount of salty, the salted Wisconsin honeypie starts with handmade pie dough, and then packs it with a honey-custard filling, decorated with real whipped cream and dashed with salt.

Half of a peanut butter pie with a crumb topping inside a clear plastic takeout container.

The Carver

Mr. Dye’s Pies

Wander the bustling 3rd Street Market Hall to find a vendor dedicated to pies. Amidst the games of shuffleboard, Mario Kart, the plentiful TVs tuned to the day’s sports action and the many stalls serving culinary delights from around the world, you’ll find Mr. Dye’s Pies. Serving slices and whole pies inside the food hall daily, here you can snag a slice of The Carver, a thick and creamy peanut butter pie and a tribute to the father of the peanut industry himself, George Washington Carver.  

Golden brown pot pie with a flaky, crimped crust baked in a round metal pie tin and resting on a dark countertop.

Brat Pot Pie

Kelly’s Pot Pies & More

For a slice of comfort food so undeniably Milwaukee, look no further than Kelly’s Pot Pies & More. We’ve had slices of classic pie, pizza pie and a dollop of shepherd’s pie. Now it’s time to take a bite out of one of the last pies standing: pot pie. And we’re not talking about just any pot pie here, we’re talking about the almighty brat pot pie. Available in both the 5” and 9” variety, this pot pie has bona fide Wisconsin brats, rich Guinness beer, carrots, potatoes, chopped onions and sauerkraut all in a take-and-bake package that’s perfect for the tailgate or a cozy night in.

Slice of bourbon pecan pie with a glossy pecan topping and flaky crust served on a plate.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Blue’s Egg + Bakery

This popular breakfast spot is known for its legendary hollandaise sauce, stuffed hash browns and all-around bold take on breakfast food, but its bakery churns out world-class bites, with a menu that’s every bit as stacked as its brunch lineup. There are cookies, macarons, and, of course, breakfast pastries, but the restaurant also offers more than half a dozen pies, made in-house. For a slice of decadence on this most Pi-ous of days, order the bourbon pecan pie with its rich butterscotch custard filling, a splash of bourbon, and crunchy toasted pecans. It might not be the traditional breakfast treat, but it’s worth it.

Interior of Flour Girl & Flame with wooden tables, metal chairs, hanging copper pots and a decorative wall with a bright “PIZZA” sign.

The Baddie

Flour Girl & Flame

Everyone wants the baddie, and you can find yours at Flour Girl & Flame over in West Allis. The artisanal pizza purveyors make 12” wood-fired sourdough pies with clever names and toppings ranging from the classic cheese and pepperoni to the Baddie itself, all in a cozy dining room. The pizza is more than enough to satisfy your hunger, with a red sauce base, mozzarella and wood-roasted tomatoes, drizzled with pesto and finished with a balsamic glaze.

 

Find 31.4 more (probably) pies at Milwaukee’s bakeries and pizza shops and bring your Pi Day full circle.