The Lemon Meringue Pie At This Beloved Florida Bakery Might Be The Best You’ll Ever Taste
Hidden in Orlando’s bustling streets sits Sister Honey’s, a bakery adored by locals and visitors. Their lemon meringue pie isn’t merely dessert—it’s an experience that turns ordinary moments into celebrations.
I stumbled upon this gem during a weekend getaway and returned three days in a row, each time more certain I’d uncovered Florida’s sweetest secret.
The crust is flaky and buttery, the lemon custard bright and balanced, the meringue cloudlike with caramelized peaks. Friendly staff slide boxes across the counter like gifts, and every slice tastes handcrafted, heartfelt, unforgettable. If you love pie pilgrimages, start here; consider this your invitation.
Championship-Worthy Credentials
The proof is literally in the pudding – or in this case, the pie! Owner Evette Rahman isn’t just any baker; she’s a three-time World Dessert Champion with a trophy case that would make professional athletes jealous.
When I first visited Sister Honey’s, I watched a regular customer explain to his out-of-town friends, “This isn’t just good for Orlando – it’s good for anywhere.”
Southern Living magazine agrees, having named this humble bakeshop among the best pie destinations in the entire South. When culinary experts and everyday customers reach the same conclusion, you know you’re onto something special.
Perfect Flavor Balance
My taste buds did a happy dance with the first forkful. The filling strikes that magical sweet-tart equilibrium that’s nearly impossible to achieve – bright enough to make you pucker slightly, yet sweet enough to crave another bite immediately.
Unlike mass-produced versions that taste artificially lemony, Sister Honey’s uses real citrus that gives it an authentic sunshine flavor. You can actually see tiny lemon zest flecks throughout the filling!
I’ve tried countless lemon desserts across the country, but this one captures Florida’s citrus heritage in a way that makes you understand why people once drove hours just for genuine sunshine state fruit.
Cloud-Like Meringue Topping
Forget everything you thought you knew about meringue. This isn’t the sad, weepy topping that separates from the filling after a day in the refrigerator.
“How do they get it so high without it collapsing?” I whispered to my husband as our slices arrived. The meringue stands proudly at least three inches tall, with delicately browned peaks that remind me of a miniature mountain range.
The texture hits that perfect sweet spot – marshmallowy soft inside while maintaining just enough structure to hold its shape when cut. Each bite melts instantly on your tongue, leaving behind just a whisper of vanilla sweetness that complements the lemon rather than competing with it.
Buttery Crust That Defies Sogginess
The foundation of any great pie is its crust, and Sister Honey’s has solved the eternal lemon meringue dilemma: the dreaded soggy bottom.
Running my fork through the golden pastry produced a satisfying crackle sound that pie enthusiasts live for. The secret appears to be a thin barrier between filling and crust – perhaps a brush of egg white? – that keeps everything perfectly crisp even hours after serving.
Flaky layers shatter delicately with each bite, revealing a rich, buttery flavor that tastes homemade in the best possible way. This isn’t commercial shortening territory; it’s the kind of crust your grandmother would make if she had decades of professional baking experience.
Made-From-Scratch Daily Freshness
“We don’t do shortcuts here,” the friendly woman behind the counter told me when I asked about their production schedule. Every component – from the hand-rolled crust to the freshly squeezed lemon juice – is made daily in small batches.
This commitment to freshness means sometimes they sell out before closing time. I learned this lesson the hard way on my second visit when arriving at 4pm only to find the lemon meringue completely gone!
The silver lining? Nothing sits around for days. Your slice was likely completed just hours before it reached your plate, creating a noticeable difference in flavor and texture that mass-produced pies simply cannot match.
Neighborhood Bakery Charm
Sister Honey’s sits unassumingly at 247 E Michigan St, a refreshing contrast to Orlando’s theme park glitz. Walking in feels like entering a friend’s kitchen – if your friend happened to be a world-class pastry chef.
The cozy space features handwritten menus and staff who remember regular customers by name and order. “The usual today?” they asked the gentleman ahead of me, already reaching for his lemon meringue slice.
This neighborhood treasure embodies something increasingly rare in our chain-dominated world: authentic local flavor. While you might find decent pie elsewhere, you won’t find the genuine warmth that makes eating here feel like coming home, even if you’re just passing through.
Pie That Creates Memories
Great food creates moments that stick with us. During my third visit, I watched a young couple celebrating their anniversary share a slice, their expressions transforming with that first bite.
“This tastes exactly like the one my grandmother made,” the woman exclaimed, eyes closed in nostalgic bliss. Her partner, initially skeptical about the detour, nodded in silent agreement as he eagerly took another forkful.
That’s the magic of Sister Honey’s lemon meringue – it somehow connects to personal memories while creating new ones. My own family now measures all lemon desserts against this standard, and we’re planning our Orlando itinerary around their Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-6pm hours for our next Florida trip.