The Hands-Down Best Pie In Denver Comes From This Family-Owned Colorado Hotspot

Whether you're visiting Colorado in the winter to ski or in the summer to hit up some long hiking trails surrounded by stunning scenery, passing through Denver is almost always a must. Luckily, Denver has plenty to do, making it a worthy stop on your Colorado itinerary. The city is America's craft beer capital, with almost 70 craft breweries, making the city not just a place to pass through but also a tasty destination on its own. Whether you've already skied or you're on your way to summit a 14er, you can fill up on pie — both savory and sweet — at Legacy Pie Co.

Foodie publication Chowhound ranks Legacy Pie Co.'s Tart Cherry delicacy as the "hands-down best pie" in Colorado, but both the sweet and savory pies receive praise. Its shop on Tennyson Street holds a 4.8-star rating on Google, with over 1,000 reviews. The Wash Park location, close to one of Denver's best parks, also boasts high ratings. 

Online, the shop is well regarded. In r/Denverfood, the shop was a popular suggestion for places to get pie in the city. Another Reddit thread was started just to show appreciation for the bakery, with one user writing, "walking out of Legacy Pie Co with a cheap and delicious coffee and a pork green chile hand pie for $10 is just so clutch."

Elias and Rachel Lehnert opened Legacy Pie Co. in 2020, but the family's history with pie goes back nearly a century. In 1929, Elias's great-grandparents, Katherine and Oswald, opened a pie stand on the side of the road in Wisconsin. The next generation moved to Colorado and opened the Colorado Cherry Company in 1960, selling cherry pie, cider, and preserves off Highway 34 on the way to Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. The family used the cherries grown in nearby Loveland, and the original shop still stands today (along with three other Colorado Cherry Company locations). 

Legacy Pie Co. is a Denver offshoot of the family business, and the Tennyson location still has the old Colorado Cherry Company sign painted on its brick facade. It serves sweet and savory bites, including mini pies, 10-inch desserts, hand pies, quiches, and pot pies. Of course, cherry is on the menu, but other flavors include classics like apple, mixed berry, French silk, and key lime. The savory menu features ingredients like bison, green chile, and buffalo chicken. Once you're fueled up, you'll be ready to explore places like the scenic Clear Creek Canyon Park near Denver.