10 Pie Stops Along the California Coast With Stunning Ocean Views
Few things pair better with a slice of pie than the salty breeze and crashing waves of the California coast.
From crumbly crusts to fruity fillings, these pie spots offer more than just dessert. They serve up scenery that makes every bite feel like a seaside escape.
Whether you’re road-tripping down Highway 1 or chasing sunsets with fork in hand, these sweet coastal gems prove that pie tastes even better with a view worth savoring.
1. Linn’s Easy As Pie Café – Cambria
Tucked between towering pines and the sparkling Pacific, Linn’s has been a Cambria institution since 1977. Their olallieberry pie – a blackberry-raspberry hybrid, is legendary among locals and travelers alike.
The café’s rustic wood interior complements the natural beauty visible through panoramic windows. While savoring a warm slice, you’ll spot harbor seals playing in the distance and feel right at home.
2. High‑Pie at the Top Gun House – Oceanside
Movie buffs, rejoice! The famous cottage from ‘Top Gun’ now houses a charming pie shop where you can channel your inner Maverick while devouring hand pies with a view.
Perched right on the Oceanside strand, this Victorian-style cottage serves sweet and savory treats.
The apple crumble hand pie pairs perfectly with their signature lemonade as you watch surfers tackle waves just yards away.
3. Nepenthe’s Café Kevah – Big Sur
Clinging to the cliffs 800 feet above the Pacific, Café Kevah offers pie with a side of vertigo! This legendary Big Sur spot serves slices of heaven on one of California’s most dramatic coastal perches.
Their berry pies showcase local fruits, but it’s the banana cream that steals hearts.
Hummingbirds might join your table as fog rolls dramatically beneath your feet, creating a mystical dining experience unlike any other.
4. Pie Ranch Farmstand – Pescadero
Farm-to-fork gets real at this working farm where everything in your pie was likely harvested just steps away! The roadside stand sits on a bluff overlooking pocket beaches and migrating whales.
Students learn sustainable farming here before creating seasonal masterpieces.
Their pumpkin pie in fall features squash grown on-site, while summer brings strawberry-rhubarb confections that burst with sunshine flavor as pelicans soar past.
5. Jeannine’s Bakery At the Shore – Santa Barbara
Morning fog parts to reveal Jeannine’s sunny patio, where the city’s movers and shakers discuss deals over pie and coffee. Their key lime pie delivers tropical zing just steps from the harbor.
Family-owned since 1984, this Santa Barbara institution balances sophistication with beachy vibes. Grab a slice to go and stroll across the street to the beach, where sailboats create a postcard backdrop for your impromptu picnic.
6. Avila Valley Barn – Avila Beach
Goats and chickens might greet you at this working farm before you discover their bakery’s treasures! Just inland from Avila Beach, this country-chic spot balances rustic charm with ocean proximity.
Kids love feeding farm animals before devouring slices of caramel apple pie.
Take your treat to-go and drive three minutes to the beach, where palm trees frame your ocean picnic spot perfectly and the historic pier stretches into the blue.
7. Sun N Buns Bakery – Morro Bay
Iconic Morro Rock looms large through the windows of this unassuming bakery where fishermen grab breakfast before dawn.
Their marionberry pie is a Pacific Northwest specialty that tastes even better with the rock’s silhouette as your dining companion.
Morning fog creates a mystical atmosphere as sea otters play in the bay. The bakery’s cozy interior features local art and weathered wood that tells tales of coastal storms and sunny days.
8. Buttercup Bakery & Cafe – Morro Bay
Yellow umbrellas dot the sidewalk outside this cheerful spot where regulars swap fishing stories over coffee and pie.
Unlike its neighbor down the street, Buttercup specializes in cream pies that complement the salty sea air. Their coconut cream pie wins awards and hearts with its mile-high meringue.
Sailboats bob in the harbor as you savor each bite, and friendly staff might share tips on which beach coves to explore after your sugar fix.
9. Sage Bakehouse – Montara
Surfers fresh from riding waves stumble into this hidden gem, still dripping as they order slices of heaven. Sage Bakehouse sits on a quiet stretch of Highway 1 where coastal fog plays peek-a-boo with sunshine.
Their signature sage-honey apple pie reflects the wild herbs growing on nearby cliffs.
The tiny shop offers just three sidewalk tables, but what they lack in seating they make up for in flavor and the uninterrupted ocean panorama.
10. Moonside Bakery and Cafe – Half Moon Bay
German precision meets California casual at this European-style bakery where Black Forest traditions influence their cherry pie.
Historic Half Moon Bay’s main street provides a charming setting just blocks from crashing waves. Morning pastries sell out fast, but afternoon brings fresh-baked pies worth waiting for.
After indulging, walk off those calories on nearby Poplar Beach, where your pie memories will mingle with the sound of seagulls and pounding surf.