Do I need to order a pie, or can I just come in and pick one up?
We try to have a good selection of fruit and cream pies on hand on a daily basis, and since we bake in-house, we are able to bake a special one just for you! If you know what kind of pie you’d like, and when you’d like it, it’s a good idea to order ahead so that we can make it especially for you and you’ll get exactly what you want. If you just want to stop by to peruse the selection, feel free to do that too, but no guarantees! We never know how much people will buy!
Do you have food, or just pie?
In 2013, we moved to a larger location and added a full Diner Restaurant menu. We now have great items for breakfast like Flapjacks (our own buttermilk recipe), 3-Egg Fresh Cracked Scrambles, Biscuits and Gravy, Quiche, and many more house specialties. Be sure to try our signature Diner Hash Brown Bake, which is like a cheesy creamy potato dish. We are open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with hearty American classics like Chicken Fried Steak, Meatloaf, Chicken Pot Pie and a variety of soups and sandwiches as well!
Do you use local ingredients?
Yes! Whenever possible, we use local ingredients. We’re big believers in the concept of ‘Best Ingredients = Best Food’! Our bacon and eggs both come from a local farm in Larimer County.We use a local meat producer for the brisket for our Corned Beef Reuben, and for our Ham & Turkey as well. When in season, we get our fruit locally too. Front Range Peaches are the best! Our items are made from scratch in-house, and we do not use processed frozen foods. You even get to pick the potato that will become your french fries as we fresh cut them in-house!
Do you have vegetarian dishes?
Yes! We have many vegetarian offerings at the Diner. We have several veggie sandwiches and wraps, quiches, and many of our soups are vegetarian as well (ask your server to be sure). We also have salads and vegetarian chili every day.
Is breakfast served all day?
Yes it is! We serve the entire menu from open-close, so you can get a burger at 7am, or flapjacks in the evening. Nothing better than breakfast for dinner!
Do you have vegan items?
We do! We have many salads and vegetable options, and guess what – the fruit PIE IS VEGAN!
Do you have Gluten Free items?
Yes! We have a gluten free menu, and gluten free bread options. We offer a few items that are gluten free from our bakery as well. Please keep in mind that this is not a gluten free environment, it’s a bakery! So, if eating gluten free is a dietary choice, we can happily accommodate you. If you have severe celiac disease, we cannot guarantee that there is not a speck of gluten, although we make every effort.
What are your hours?
Hours change from the Summer months (high season) to the Winter months (low season). Check the Hours page on this website for the latest!
What’s on the breakfast menu?
We have an extensive breakfast menu and it is served all day! Egg Scrambles, Flapjacks, Quiche, French Toast, Biscuits & Gravy, Build-Your-Own Breakfast Burrito, and many specialties. We also have bakery items like Cinnamon Rolls, Sticky Buns, Muffins & Scones.
What’s on the lunch/dinner menu?
We have a variety of homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches as well as a few hot dishes! Things like the Ruben, Club or Mac & Cheesy sandwiches are favorites, or try our 4-cheese grilled cheese with bacon and tomato. We have a soup option and vegetarian chili every day! For heartier appetites, we offer larger meals like Meatloaf Dinner, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Fried Steak, Stuffed Baked Potatoes, Entree Salads and more!
Is your pie made from scratch?
Yes – our bakery goods and our Diner offerings are family recipes that have been handed down through the generations. The cinnamon rolls are our great grandmother’s recipe, the pie crust is made from scratch from an old recipe of our mother’s. Filling is our recipe, as is the signature crumb topping. We put it all together and viola! Yummy pie!
How long have you been a Diner/Restaurant?
We opened the Pie Shop on East Elkhorn in 2006, and moved to the larger location we are in now, and added a full Diner/Restaurant menu in 2013. We are still the same You Need Pie! people you may remember from downtown Estes Park!
Do you use canned fruit in the pie?
Heavens no! All of our fruit is fresh fruit that is sourced locally or imported when need be (seasonality).
Is there lard in the pie crust?
No. Our pie crust is made with 100% no trans fat all vegetable shortening.
Is this business a franchise?
Great News! We ARE franchising! We offer two versions of the business – first is the full restaurant, just like you have visited in Estes Park. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and the Pie & Bakery portion – called You Need Pie! Diner & Bakery. We are also offering a smaller version which is just the Pie & Bakery portion called You Need Pie! Express. Visit the franchising page for more info. We hope to spread the love of pie to a location near you!