The Strawberry Rhubarb Pies At This Unfussy Arizona Cafe Are Out-Of-This-World Delicious
Some places in Arizona are worth the detour, and Pied Piper Bakery is absolutely one of them. From the moment you step inside, the smell of fresh-baked pies wraps around you like a warm hug.
That first glimpse of the strawberry rhubarb pie made me grin like a kid in a candy store.
It’s not just good, it’s the kind of pie that makes you want to linger, savoring every bite while plotting your next visit. Sweet, tart, and flaky all at once, it’s proof that Arizona has a few hidden gems that can make even a regular day feel special.
A Hidden Gem On Gilbert Road
Finding Pied Piper Bakery feels like stumbling upon a secret your best friend forgot to mention. Located at 1356 South Gilbert Road in Mesa, this pie shop sits quietly in a strip mall, unassuming and easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.
But once you step inside, the pink and lovely decor instantly signals you’ve arrived somewhere special. The space radiates warmth and charm, with neon lights and a comfy couch that practically begs you to sit down with a slice and stay awhile.
Open Tuesday through Saturday with extended hours on weekends, the bakery has quickly become a neighborhood favorite since opening its doors. Locals rave about having a dessert destination that keeps later hours than typical bakeries, making it perfect for evening sweet tooth emergencies.
The mom-and-pop vibe shines through every detail, from the welcoming smiles behind the counter to the care put into every single pie. You can tell immediately that this is not some corporate chain churning out mass-produced sweets.
Instead, you’re walking into a place where recipes have been perfected with love and every customer genuinely matters.
That Legendary Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Let me tell you about the pie that started all the buzz. The strawberry rhubarb at Pied Piper Bakery is not your average fruit pie, and one bite makes that crystal clear.
Sweet strawberries dance perfectly with tart rhubarb in a filling that somehow tastes both refreshing and comforting at the same time. The balance is spot-on, never too sweet or too sour, just right in that magical middle zone that makes you close your eyes and savor every forkful.
What really sets this pie apart is the crust, flaky and golden with that buttery richness that only comes from scratch baking. No shortcuts here, no store-bought dough trying to pass itself off as homemade.
Customers who had never even tried rhubarb before found themselves converted after sampling this beauty. The bakery happily offers tastes if you’re curious, and trust me, one sample will have you ordering a whole slice.
During my last visit, I watched someone pick up their third strawberry rhubarb pie in a week, and honestly, I completely understood the obsession.
Everything Made From Scratch Daily
Walking into Pied Piper means walking into a real bakery where actual baking happens every single day. The owner stands behind that counter as the baker, crafting each pie with recipes perfected over time and genuine passion for the craft.
Fresh ingredients make all the difference, and you can absolutely taste it in every bite. No canned cherry filling here, no artificial flavors trying to mimic the real thing.
When strawberries are in season, they use fresh strawberries. When peaches are at their peak, those peach pies sing with flavor.
The extensive selection rotates based on what’s available and what’s freshest, meaning you might discover something new on each visit. They even offer no sugar added options for full pies, accommodating different dietary needs without sacrificing quality.
Watching the care that goes into each creation reminds you what baking used to be before everything became mass-produced and shortcuts became standard. Time and attention go into every crust, every filling, every crumble topping.
This commitment to scratch-made quality has earned Pied Piper Bakery an impressive rating and a loyal following that keeps growing.
Cheesecakes That Make You Cry Happy Tears
Apparently Pied Piper doesn’t just do regular pies, they also create cheesecakes that hit you right in the feelings. One customer almost cried on her birthday because the cheesecake tasted exactly like her mom’s recipe, complete with cherry topping made from actual cherries instead of canned goop.
That kind of nostalgic perfection is rare and precious. The cheesecake selection includes several different varieties, from classic to creative flavor combinations that keep things interesting.
Boysenberry cheesecake can be special ordered if you give enough notice, and apparently it’s worth the six-month wait one customer endured for her birthday. The texture hits that perfect creamy-yet-firm balance that defines great cheesecake.
Rich without being heavy, sweet without being cloying, these cheesecakes disappear fast at gatherings. One reviewer mentioned having multiple dessert options available at a party, but the Pied Piper cheesecake vanished first while everything else sat untouched.
The bakery happily takes custom orders and works with customers to create exactly what they’re dreaming of, whether that’s a standard flavor or something more unique to fit a special occasion.
Silk Pies Piled High With Chocolate Dreams
French silk pie at Pied Piper deserves its own standing ovation. Picture chocolate mousse piled ridiculously high, rich and velvety smooth, sitting in a perfectly baked crust that adds just the right amount of crunch.
This is not a wimpy slice with a thin layer of filling. No, this pie comes loaded with generous amounts of silky chocolate that make every bite feel indulgent.
One customer described it as rich, velvety, and absolutely flawless, which feels like an accurate assessment. The chocolate flavor hits deep and satisfying without that artificial sweetness some chocolate desserts suffer from.
Real ingredients and quality chocolate make all the difference between a good silk pie and a transcendent one. Pied Piper clearly falls into the latter category.
Customers return specifically for this pie, sometimes trying other flavors but always coming back to that chocolate silk like a favorite song you never get tired of hearing. Paired with one of their chocolate chip cookies, which apparently rank as the best cookies ever according to multiple reviewers, you’ve got yourself a chocolate lover’s paradise right there in Mesa.
Service That Actually Feels Like Hospitality
Good pie matters, but good people make a place truly special. The folks working at Pied Piper Bakery understand this on a fundamental level.
Friendly and welcoming from the moment you walk in, the team treats customers like valued guests rather than transactions to process. They offer samples when you’re curious about a new flavor, patiently name off available options when you call close to closing time, and genuinely seem excited to share what they’ve created.
When mistakes happen, they make things right without hassle or making customers feel like they’re asking too much. One customer experienced a mix-up with a special order, and the owner immediately insisted on fixing it the same day, no questions asked.
That kind of customer service creates loyalty that lasts. The staff goes out of their way to be helpful, even retrieving pies from the back if what you want isn’t currently in the display case.
They’re accommodating with special requests and custom orders, working with customers to bring dessert dreams to life. This warmth and genuine care transform a simple pie purchase into an experience worth repeating and telling friends about.
Savory Pies Because Dinner Deserves Crust Too
Sweet pies get most of the glory, but Pied Piper also bakes savory options that deserve serious attention. Chicken pot pie and shepherd’s pie make regular appearances, giving you legitimate dinner options wrapped in that same flaky, buttery crust the dessert pies boast.
These are not sad frozen dinners masquerading as homemade food. These are actual meat pies filled with quality ingredients and seasoned properly, the kind of comfort food that warms you from the inside out.
Customers mention grabbing savory pies along with their sweet selections, creating a full meal situation that covers all the bases. The same care and scratch-made philosophy applies whether the filling is fruit or chicken.
Having savory options sets Pied Piper apart from dessert-only bakeries and gives you more reasons to visit throughout the week. Pick up a shepherd’s pie for dinner and a slice of peach for dessert, and suddenly you’ve solved your evening without resorting to sad takeout.
The variety keeps things interesting and proves the bakers know their way around all kinds of fillings, not just the sugary ones that typically steal the spotlight.
A Sweet Addition To The Mesa Community
Mesa’s Gilbert and Southern area got a serious upgrade when Pied Piper Bakery opened its doors. Locals express genuine excitement about having a quality dessert spot in the neighborhood that brings small-town charm to their little slice of the city.
The bakery quickly became a regular stop for families, a place where you can bring kids for a treat or pick up dessert for special occasions. Birthday cakes, holiday pies, random Tuesday pick-me-ups, Pied Piper handles it all with equal enthusiasm.
Their reward program already saves regular customers money, encouraging repeat visits and building that sense of community connection that makes local businesses thrive.
During Thanksgiving, they handled the holiday rush smoothly with no draining lines, just efficient and happy pie pickup that kept customers smiling.
Custom orders for special occasions get handled with care and creativity, like the Grinch-themed Christmas pie one family ordered for a birthday. Having a spot that stays open later than typical bakeries but isn’t just an ice cream shop fills a real need in the community.
Pied Piper has become more than just a place to buy pie. It has become a neighborhood gathering spot where sweetness and genuine hospitality create something special.