A shop famous for New Zealand-style meat pies also bakes a sweet potato pecan pie. I love that twist, because sweet potato pie usually gets treated like pumpkin’s quieter cousin.
Virginia bakers clearly never got that memo. One spot folds the filling into hand pies you can eat while walking to your car.
Another bakery is better known for oversized biscuits, yet its sweet potato pies have been known to sell out fast.
The variety is the best part. Some pies come by the slice, some come whole, and one source of roasted sweet potatoes even sits on a fruit farm across the state line.
So I went hunting for bakeries keeping this Southern classic in steady rotation. The list runs from the coast to the foothills, with plenty of flaky crust along the way.
Honestly, which one would you visit first?
1. Proper Pie Co.
Leave it to a New Zealand-style pie shop to give sweet potato pie a glow-up. Proper Pie Co. in Richmond turns out a Sweet Potato Pecan that puts a fresh spin on a dessert people often overlook.
Around Thanksgiving, the shop lists a Sweet Potato Pecan Streusel among its holiday pies. That crumbly streusel topping means you get the creamy filling, the nutty crunch, and a sweet crumb finish in one bite.
The menu rotates, so the lineup shifts from visit to visit. That’s frustrating for planners but great news for anyone who likes surprises with a flaky crust.
Sweet potato doesn’t stay in the dessert lane here, either. One savory pie pairs lamb with sweet potato and leek, which sounds like a cozy dinner wrapped in pastry.
Other savory options have included chili bean and cheese, chicken with leek and mushroom, and mince and cheese.
Sweet pies come by the slice or whole, and the shop stresses that its pies are made fresh daily. You’ll also spot sausage rolls and key lime pie on the menu, plus coffee to round things out.
Plan on takeout, since this is a grab-and-go shop with no dine-in seating. Hours run Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 PM, and weekend afternoons tend to be the busiest.
Street parking is available nearby, so a quick stop is easy. Just maybe grab two pies, because one rarely survives the drive home.
Address: 2505 E Broad St #100, Richmond, VA 23223
2. TaylorMade Sweetz
Banana pudding, cobbler, and sweet potato pie under one roof? That sounds like a Southern family reunion dessert table, minus the folding chairs.
TaylorMade Sweetz is a locally owned bakery in the Chesterfield area, with a Richmond mailing address. The case stays stocked with fresh treats while they last, and that last part matters more than you’d think.
Sweet potato pie earns a spot among the bakery’s pies, and it’s a big reason people make return trips. The banana pudding and cinnamon rolls have their own loyal fans too, so choosing just one may test your willpower.
The menu is wonderfully wide. You’ll find cupcakes, cakes by the slice, cheesecakes, cookies, rice pudding, bread pudding, and cobblers.
Then things get a little unexpected. Açaí bowls and water ice also show up, which makes this a handy stop on a hot Virginia afternoon.
Timing is the key here. The storefront keeps weekend-focused hours, with Friday and Saturday from noon to 6 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM.
Since treats are sold while they last, an earlier arrival gives you better odds at the pie. Coffee is available, and you can grab your goodies for takeout or eat on site.
Got a big event coming up? The bakery also makes custom cakes for birthdays, weddings, and other special occasions, and a free parking lot keeps pickup simple.
Address: 6525 Iron Bridge Pl, Richmond, VA 23234
3. Crave Bakery + Coffee Bar
Sweet potato pie for breakfast sounds like a rule worth breaking. At Crave Bakery + Coffee Bar in Norfolk, the sweet potato hand pie makes that rule very easy to ignore.
A hand pie is basically pie with the plate removed. You get a folded pocket of crust with filling sealed inside, so it travels well and doesn’t need a fork.
The bakery focuses on made-from-scratch pastries, which gives that little pie some serious backup. Breakfast sandwiches, quiche, and housemade chicken salad on a croissant round out the savory side.
Want a full morning lineup? Pair a sausage cheddar quiche with your hand pie, then add an iced matcha or a regular coffee.
The early hours help a lot. Tuesday through Saturday, doors open at 7:30 AM, while Sunday and Monday open at 8 AM.
Closing times shift through the week, so check before heading over. Monday wraps up at noon, Sunday at 2 PM, and Friday and Saturday stretch until 5 PM.
Sundays bring the biggest crowds, from morning into the afternoon. If you’d rather skip the rush, weekday mornings tend to be calmer.
Free wi-fi makes this a handy spot for laptop work with a snack nearby. You can dine in, grab takeout, or use curbside pickup, and free street parking is available.
Address: 200 College Pl, Norfolk, VA 23510
4. Livin’ the Pie Life
Some sweet potato pies start with a can. The Old Fashioned Sweet Potato at Livin’ the Pie Life in Arlington starts with roasted sweet potatoes from Twin Springs Fruit Farm in Orrtanna, Pennsylvania.
Roasting matters because it deepens the natural sweetness before the filling even gets mixed. It’s a small step that shows how seriously this bakery treats its pies.
The shop calls itself “Born and Baked in Arlington,” and it works in small batches from scratch. Locally sourced ingredients show up across its sweet and savory pies.
Newsweek readers named it a 2026 winner in the America’s Best Pie Readers’ Choice Awards. The bakery has also been featured by Southern Living and The Washington Post, which is quite a résumé for a neighborhood pie shop.
Sweet potato has good company on the menu. Apple, pecan, chocolate chess, mixed berry, and key lime pies appear, along with a chicken pot pie for dinner duty.
Artisanal cookies and bars give you something to nibble on the drive home. Coffee is on hand too, if you want to make breakfast out of it.
Hours run Wednesday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM, with earlier closing times on weekends. Saturday mornings get busy, so Sunday morning can be a calmer bet.
Thanksgiving pies are a big deal here, so order ahead when the holidays roll around. Free parking makes pickup a breeze.
Address: 2166 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22207
5. Pour Baker
Biscuits might be the headliner, but the sweet potato pie keeps stealing the show. At Pour Baker in Charlottesville, those pies have been known to sell out in a flash.
That’s a strong hint to show up early. The bakery opens at 7 AM and closes at 2 PM, so this is a morning mission.
Pour Baker calls itself a neighborhood bakery, and its specialty is oversized homemade biscuits. The blueberry biscuit leans sweet, while the fried chicken biscuit could easily become your new breakfast plan.
Pies are a core part of the lineup too. The small-sized pies come generously filled, which makes them great for sharing or for keeping to yourself.
Fresh-baked cookies round out the case. Add a coffee, and you’ve got a complete morning in a paper bag.
Here’s a scheduling note to save you a disappointing drive. The bakery is open Thursday through Sunday only, so Monday through Wednesday visits won’t work.
Getting there is simple, thanks to a free on-site parking lot. That’s a real perk in Charlottesville, where parking can feel like a competitive sport.
A smart plan is to grab a biscuit to eat now and a sweet potato pie for later. Your future self will be grateful, especially around dessert time.
Address: 920 9 1/2 St NE, Charlottesville, VA 22902
6. The Pie Guy
Three inches wide and about an inch and a quarter tall. Those are the tidy measurements of the hand pies at The Pie Guy in Charlottesville, and they fit right in your palm.
The shop focuses on to-go savory and sweet hand pies. It also runs a mobile catering company, so these pies get around town.
Sweet potato pie is part of the lineup, and it sits alongside some very tempting savory choices. That makes it easy to build a full meal and still save room for dessert.
On the savory side, a beef tenderloin pie is a standout. A veggie chili pie and a mac pie add more variety for different appetites.
Don’t skip the sausage rolls either. They come three to an order, each about two inches long, and a spicy version is on offer.
Apple pie with a flaky crust gives the sweet side another strong option. A sweet potato and apple combo order might be the most Virginia autumn move possible.
Since the shop is built around takeout and delivery, think of these pies as portable. They’re perfect for a picnic, a road trip, or a lunch break that needs a lift.
Catering is worth remembering for parties too. A tray of mini pies beats a sad veggie platter any day.
Address: 1110 E Market St Suite 6-O, Charlottesville, VA 22902
7. Scratch Bakery
Cupcakes may be the claim to fame, but the name tells you how things get made. Scratch Bakery in Newport News is known for moist cakes and a big variety of cupcakes, and whole sweet potato pies are part of the story too.
A full pie makes this a smart stop before a family dinner or holiday table. It saves you the peeling, mashing, and crust drama at home.
The cupcake lineup is where things get playful. Oversized cupcakes come in mixed dozens, and the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor sounds like dessert inside dessert.
Wedding cupcakes show up on the menu as well. That’s a fun alternative if a tall tiered cake feels like too much pressure.
Slices and cups give you smaller treats to enjoy right away. Pineapple upside-down cake by the slice and strawberry shortcake cups are both on offer.
Hours are generous on weekdays, running from 10 AM to 7 PM Monday through Friday. Saturday wraps up at 4 PM, and the shop is closed on Sundays.
Saturday afternoons draw the biggest crowd. Weekday mornings tend to be quieter if you want an easy browse.
For a whole pie, ask ahead about availability, especially around the holidays in Virginia. Free parking, coffee, and delivery options make the trip simple either way.
Address: 4181 William Styron Square N, Newport News, VA 23606
