Ikeda’s, a favorite stop of generations of Northern California roadtrippers, has just been named the best pie shop in America.
“Today my grandma cried tears of joy because of the journey her and my late grandfather had all the way to now,” third generation owner Derek Ikeda wrote on Instagram. “Wish he could have seen this.”
USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards picked the Auburn staple as the nation’s best pie shop earlier this week. “What began as a simple fruit stand has evolved into a must-visit destination where the country charm remains authentic and the pie selection vast,” USA Today wrote.
Ikeda’s was founded in 1970 by farmers Sam and Sally Ikeda. From their farm stand, they sold fruit to passing drivers. The business was already a hit when their sons thought of an idea that would utilize less-than-perfect produce that couldn’t be sold at the stand: pies. Their marionberry pies and Dutch apple cobblers, finished with delicious butter crumb topping, have become roadtrip must-haves for I-80 drivers between the Bay Area and Tahoe.
Derek Ikeda called the award the “first step in making our mark on our family business.”
“Legacy really is a powerful thing and we promise to continue and improve what our family started!” Ikeda wrote on Instagram.