9 South Dakota Pie Shops That Turn Highway Rest Breaks Into Dessert Runs
Road trips through South Dakota offer breathtaking views of Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, and endless prairies, but the sweetest discoveries await in the state’s charming pie shops.
I’ve spent years crisscrossing these highways, and my waistline can testify to the delicious detours I’ve made.
These nine pie havens have transformed my ordinary rest stops into mouthwatering adventures that make the journey as memorable as the destination.
1. Pietz’s Kuchen Kitchen (Scotland)
Germans from Russia brought kuchen—a custard-filled pie that’s practically South Dakota’s official dessert—to this region, and nobody does it better than Pietz’s. My first bite of their peach kuchen literally made me pull over just to savor it without distraction.
Family-owned for three generations, this bakery sits in a converted farmhouse with checkered curtains and the constant aroma of cinnamon and vanilla. Their signature kuchen varieties include rhubarb, apple, and prune (trust me, it’s better than it sounds).
Pro tip: They sell frozen kuchens you can take home. I’ve driven four hours out of my way just to stock my freezer with these treats that taste like South Dakota sunshine in pastry form.
2. Wall Drug Café (Wall)
You’ve seen the billboards—hundreds of them—advertising free ice water at Wall Drug. What they should advertise is their homemade pie! After exploring the Badlands under the scorching sun, nothing revived me like a slice of their legendary buffalo berry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The café itself feels like stepping into a Western movie set. Wooden booths, cowboy memorabilia, and friendly servers in frontier-style aprons create an atmosphere as authentic as their flaky crusts.
During summer tourist season, they sell over 500 slices daily. I watched pie bakers arrive at 4 AM to start the day’s baking when I stayed at the nearby motel. Worth a detour even if you weren’t planning to stop!
3. Purple Pie Place (Custer)
You can’t miss this bright purple building in Custer—it’s as vibrant as the flavors inside! My motorcycle gang (okay, just me and two friends on Harleys) stumbled upon this gem after a rainy ride through the Black Hills. The bumbleberry pie—a mix of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries—warmed us right up.
Seasonal operation (May-September) creates lines out the door, but the wait becomes part of the experience. Everyone swaps travel stories while anticipating their sweet reward. Their cream pies feature mile-high meringue that defies gravity.
What makes this place special? The outdoor seating area overlooks a bubbling creek where chipmunks occasionally beg for crumbs. I’ve spent hours here, ordering second slices while planning the next leg of my Black Hills adventure.
4. Queen City Bakery (Sioux Falls)
Urban sophistication meets homestyle baking at this downtown Sioux Falls gem. While technically a bakery, their pies deserve a category of their own. I discovered Queen City during a business trip and ended up canceling my dinner reservation to sample more of their desserts!
Housed in a renovated warehouse with exposed brick walls and industrial lighting, this bakery brings big-city vibes to South Dakota’s largest city. The sea salt caramel apple pie combines sweet, tart, and salty notes in perfect harmony.
Unlike traditional diners, Queen City pairs their pies with locally roasted coffee or craft beer from nearby breweries. My favorite combination? Their bourbon pecan pie with a dark stout—a pairing that’s worth the inevitable food coma that follows.
5. Brandon Bakery (Brandon)
Just outside Sioux Falls sits this unassuming strip mall bakery that locals try to keep secret. My car practically steers itself here whenever I’m within 50 miles. Their sour cream raisin pie—a Midwestern classic that sounds strange but tastes divine—converted me from a skeptic to an evangelist in one bite.
The elderly couple who founded this bakery 40 years ago still work alongside their grandchildren most mornings. They start baking at 3 AM using recipes passed down through generations without measurements—just practiced hands that know when the dough feels right.
Seasonal specialties include chokecherry pie made from wild berries harvested from the banks of Split Rock Creek. Call ahead if you want a whole pie; they regularly sell out by noon, especially on Fridays when locals stock up for weekend gatherings.
6. Minnehaha County Pie Stop (Sioux Falls Area)
Follow the hand-painted signs along rural routes outside Sioux Falls to discover this seasonal roadside stand operated by Amish families from the nearby settlement. My first visit happened by accident when I got lost looking for Falls Park, but now I deliberately “get lost” whenever I’m in the area.
No electricity means everything’s made by hand in wood-burning ovens. The stand itself is simple—just a wooden structure with a counter and honor-system payment box when owners step away. Their shoofly pie (molasses-based) and transparent pie (similar to pecan pie without nuts) showcase authentic Pennsylvania Dutch traditions.
Hours vary based on weather and availability, adding to the treasure-hunt feeling when you find them open. Bring cash and your own containers if you want to take pies home—they don’t provide boxes or accept cards.
7. Black Hills Bakery (Rapid City)
Mountain berry pies reach their pinnacle at this Rapid City institution where I once detoured 200 miles just to satisfy a craving. Their signature huckleberry pie features berries foraged from high-elevation slopes of the Black Hills—a flavor you simply can’t find in supermarkets.
Founded by a former park ranger who spent decades exploring hidden berry patches, this bakery combines wilderness knowledge with culinary expertise. The rustic interior features pine furniture and historic photos of berry pickers from the early 1900s.
Beyond huckleberry, don’t miss their chokecherry-apple combination that balances tartness perfectly. During my last visit, I chatted with a 92-year-old regular who’s been eating pie here weekly since 1965. His recommendation? “Always get the à la mode—life’s too short for naked pie!”
8. Spearfish Pie & Sweet Shop (Spearfish)
Motorcycle riders heading to Sturgis make this pie shop a mandatory pit stop, creating an unlikely mix of leather-clad bikers and local families all united by sugar cravings. I stumbled upon it while seeking shelter from a sudden Black Hills thunderstorm and ended up staying for three hours and four different pie samples.
Located in a converted 1920s gas station with original vintage pumps out front, this shop embraces its quirky setting. The owner—a former chemistry teacher—approaches baking with scientific precision, resulting in perfectly balanced flavors like their signature Spearfish Canyon apple pie with maple bourbon sauce.
They serve pie flights—four mini slices on a wooden paddle—perfect for indecisive types like me. Their savory options, including a bison pot pie, make this a legitimate meal stop rather than just a dessert destination.
9. Chamberlain Riverside Pie Stand (Chamberlain)
Perched on bluffs overlooking the Missouri River, this seasonal pie stand offers the most spectacular views of any eatery in South Dakota. I discovered it by following a hand-painted sign while driving across the state on I-90, and now I plan my cross-country timing around their operating hours.
Run by three sisters who inherited their grandmother’s pie recipes and riverside property, this open-air pavilion serves pie Thursday through Sunday, May to October. Their signature creation—Missouri River Mud Pie—combines chocolate, coffee, and local pecans in a graham cracker crust.
Watching the sunset over the river while savoring their kuchen (a nod to the area’s German heritage) ranks among my favorite South Dakota memories. They don’t advertise beyond their weathered roadside sign, relying instead on word-of-mouth and the occasional lucky traveler who follows their curiosity down a winding gravel road.