Happiness is a Warm Hand Pie: Crust Pie Co.

The display case at Crust Pie Co. in the South Wedge neighborhood in Rochester, New York.

The shop at 133 Gregory Street in the South Wedge has endured many transformations over the years. Misfits Donuts and Treats once called the small shop home until they shut down their operations in late 2021. Next came Anyone’s Cafe & Bakery, a worker-owned cafe specializing in plant-based baked goods for breakfast and lunch that shuttered in early 2024. Their final words, written in a slightly smudged hot pink chalk, “It’s been fun, but now it’s done,” linger on Instagram to this day.

The building is in a predominantly residential area that uniquely stands across the road from an eccentric space, Marie Daley Park. A mostly quiet park, some nights it becomes a fascinating spectacle where hippie hula-hoop girls can be seen twirling the ancient hoops around their arms, legs, and hips while dancing and swaying in the emerald green sea of grass at the park. Often, cyclists ride through for meetups, and other times, dogs can be seen running across the field, enjoying an exhilarating game of fetch. It is a part of town that undeniably evokes the spirit of Rochester; a hidden oasis in a tight-knit community.

Trays of baked goods sitting in the display case at Crust Pie Co.

For over a year, the storefront remained closed. Months went by, seasons changed, and nothing seemed to fill the empty retail void in the neighborhood. But, as they say, “good things come to those who wait”. Sure enough, the light of a new dawn shone favorably upon the corner of Gregory and Ashland Street with the opening of a new bakery and pie shop.

A line quickly formed on opening day at Crust Pie Co. — a petite gourmet pie shop that specializes in rich, flaky, and buttery hand pies, sweet and savory Japanese and Southeast Asian-inspired pastries, zesty and flavorful scones, jam-filled sweet buns, moist loaf cakes, and rotating desserts that capture the essence of the season through the unification of local farm fresh fruits and vegetables with culturally rich recipes, and over a decade of experience.

The Banh Mi Hand Pie from Crust Pie Co. is filled with carrots, slices of cucumber, cilantro, and other delicious ingredients found in a traditional Banh Mi.

The Crust Pie Co. origin story is another tale as sweet as pie, involving Rebecca Vang’s leap from the marketing world to embarking on the dream of owning a small business. It is a labor of love that involves early morning baking, positive growth, overcoming challenges, and the pursuit of joy through freshly baked goods offered to the community. With every recipe created by Crust Pie Co., bliss permeates through the threshold of a flaky crust. It is a place where happiness can be gently held in a savory and warm Banh Mi hand pie.