Arkansas has a secret weapon for road trippers, and it comes with a flaky crust. Across the Ozarks, the Ouachitas, and the busy corridors of the northwest, bakers and cooks are rolling out pies that people happily drive hours to taste.
Some are baked in century-old country stores. Others come from small bakeries where the menu changes daily and the whiteboard is the only guide you need.
You will find tall meringues, fried pies you can eat with one hand, and a layered chocolate classic that is the state’s official pie. Opening hours matter here, because a few of these stops close early or skip entire days of the week.
This list gives you the facts you need to plan your route, from what to order to when to show up. Grab a map, bring a fork, and keep a little room in your schedule for dessert.
Your first stop is a tiny town on a Main Street that punches far above its size.
1. Charlotte’s, Keo, Arkansas
Tiny Keo does not have a stoplight problem, but it does have a pie line. Charlotte’s Eats and Sweets draws crowds who wait outside before the doors open at 11 AM.
The building once housed Leake’s Pharmacy, and some of the original fixtures are still on display. Hours run Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM, plus After Dark evenings on the second Saturday of each month from 5:30 PM to 8 PM.
The coconut meringue pie is the headliner, famous for its impressive height. The pie case also includes chocolate, caramel, pecan, and lemon, with cherry, apple, and lemon icebox showing up too.
Crusts are thin and buttery, and the fillings get steady praise.
Lunch is no sidekick. The Keo Klassic sandwich stacks smoked turkey, Monterey Jack, tomato, onion, and avocado on sourdough dipped in Parmesan garlic cream.
Burgers and salads round things out.
Daily quantities are limited, so order your pie early. Cash, cards, Apple Pay, and tap-to-pay are all accepted.
2. Oark General Store, Oark, Arkansas
Few dessert trips require a mountain road quiz, but this one does. Oark General Store sits at 10360 CR-5241, deep in the Ozark National Forest, and getting there means winding along roads like Highway 215.
The store has operated since 1890 and is the oldest continuously operating general store in the state. It joined the Arkansas Register of Historic Places in 1995, and the original floors, walls, and ceiling remain.
About 20 years ago it added a full restaurant, and the homemade pies became a main attraction. The menu often lists Arkansas’ official Possum Pie, plus Oreo, pecan, coconut cream, blueberry, buttermilk, apple, cherry, and caramel apple crumb.
Fried pies are available too.
Hours are Wednesday through Monday from 8 AM to 4 PM, and the store is closed Tuesdays. Bikers, classic car clubs, hikers, and off-road fans all stop here.
Burgers and country cooking fill the lunch menu. The shelves still hold groceries, camping supplies, and hunting and fishing licenses.
3. Hollis Country Store, Plainview, Arkansas
Here is a trivia nugget to carry along Highway 7: the Crain family has run this store since 1940. Now in its fourth generation, Hollis Country Store sits at 2125 Highway 7 S in the Ouachita National Forest.
The store was established in 1930, and its stone core was built in 1931 and 1932. It earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
Gena Crain, a current owner and former competitive baker, handles the baked goods. Fruit pies are common, and apple pie is a regular suggestion.
Flavors change from day to day, so ask what is fresh.
Whole pies can be ordered with two days’ notice. That helps if you want one waiting for a picnic.
Hours are short and specific. The store opens Thursday and Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM, and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Beyond pie, the fried bologna sandwich is a local favorite, made with Petit Jean Meats bologna. Shelves carry candies, sodas, groceries, and fishing and hunting gear.
4. Piehouse Bakery, Bentonville, Arkansas
A farm kid from rural Nebraska now bakes pies in Bentonville. Owner Lisa grew up on a dairy farm, and many recipes at Piehouse Bakery reflect those early years.
The shop opened in October 2023 at 310 S. Walton Blvd. It won first place overall at the Arkansas Pie Festival in 2026, which says plenty for a young bakery.
Doors open at 7 AM, Tuesday through Saturday, and close at 3 PM. Sundays and Mondays are off.
The pie lineup includes coconut cream, chocolate cream, strawberry rhubarb, blackberry custard, pumpkin, pecan, cranberry cheesecake, apple, cherry, very berry, and key lime. Savory fans can choose chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie, or quiche.
Not everything is a pie. Croissants, scones, Texas almond sheet cake, German chocolate cake, Italian cream cake, cobblers, tarts, bars, and brownies fill the cases, and coffee is served.
The interior is cozy, and there is a patio. A drive-through makes it easy to grab a slice without leaving the car.
5. Gooseberry Handmade Pies, Bentonville, Arkansas
Only one Arkansas restaurant is reported to serve a gooseberry and blueberry pie, and this is it. Gooseberry Handmade Pies opened in October 2014, started by Jerry Leding and his daughter, Sarah.
The shop sits at 2210 S Walton Blvd, Suite 12. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Sunday and Monday are closed.
The menu is sorted into Traditional Custard, Traditional Cream, Specialty, Fruit, and Nut. Dutch Apple is the top seller, while egg custard, chocolate chess, sweet potato, lemon chess, and buttermilk are popular too.
Cream choices include French vanilla, banana, coconut, and lemon meringue. Specialty pies include Mississippi Mud, Key Lime, and a possum pie with a pecan crust, cream cheese, and chocolate cream layers.
Mini pies make sampling easy. Gluten-free and reduced-sugar options are offered.
Quiches, cheesecakes, savory pot pies, and homemade ice cream in pie flavors round out the list.
6. Rymolene’s Pies, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Ryan, Morgan, and Ailene walk into a bakery name. That is how Rymolene’s came to be, since owner Margaret Burris combined her three children’s nicknames.
Burris learned from her ex-husband’s grandmother and attended culinary school before opening the shop at 955 N Shiloh Drive. She has created nearly a thousand pie flavors over her career.
A large whiteboard lists the day’s offerings, and they change often. Past choices include butterscotch, lemon chiffon, chocolate, pecan, and egg custard.
The key lime uses real juice from Key West, and the strawberry rhubarb has won awards.
Odd flavors turn up too, such as Butterbeer, spicy chocolate cherry, jackfruit, and Dirt-and-Worms. Savory options include quiches, pot pies, and Arkansas-shaped pocket pies.
This shop keeps the longest hours on the list. It opens daily, with Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday from noon to 5 PM.
Soups, sandwiches, and coffee are also on the menu.
7. Home Plate Cafe & Bakery, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Save room, because the bakery case here is serious. Home Plate Cafe & Bakery at 5110 North Highway 7 has served the community since 2000.
Martin and Tonya Porterfield took over in 2022. Martin previously owned Mueller’s Bakery in Hot Springs, which explains the European-style pastries and artisan breads like sourdough and brioche.
Possum pie is the number-one seller. It layers cream cheese, chocolate and vanilla pudding, whipped cream, sauces, and pecans over a graham cracker crust.
The pie list also includes fruit pies, chocolate, coconut, key lime, lemon icebox, peanut butter, and pecan. Snickerdoodle pie is an Amish-inspired sweet cream pie that tastes like the cookie.
The cafe is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dinner theme nights include Breakfast for Dinner on Tuesdays, Southern Classics on Wednesdays, Barbecue Night on Thursdays, and Prime Rib on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 4 PM.
Hand-cut steaks, seafood, burgers, and cakes like Italian cream and carrot are available too.
8. Stoby’s, Conway, Arkansas
Most people come for the cheese dip, then stay for the pie. Stoby’s has been a Conway fixture since David Stobaugh founded it in 1980, and the dip is sold in local grocery stores too.
The restaurant is at 805 Donaghey Avenue and runs Monday through Saturday. Breakfast is served from 6 AM to 11 AM on weekdays and until noon on Saturdays.
The grill runs from 11 AM to 9 PM.
The dessert menu lists homemade pies in chocolate cream, coconut cream, peanut butter, Butterfinger, and possum. Possum pie is the regional specialty, with layers of chocolate and cream.
Breakfast fans can try The Stoby Breakfast or an omelet. Later in the day, the Stoby sandwich, club, Philly cheesesteak, and burgers all get orders.
Weekend mornings can bring a wait, so plan for a little patience. Online ordering and delivery are available for several meal times.
The mood is casual and welcoming, and pie is simply part of the routine.
9. The Original Fried Pie Shop, Jacksonville, Arkansas
Forks are optional here. The Original Fried Pie Shop at 1321 T.P.
White Drive serves handheld pies based on a concept more than 120 years old, tied to Oklahoma’s Arbuckle Mountains.
The shop is family owned, and everything is prepared to order. Fillings are made from scratch inside a flaky crust.
Fruit choices include apricot, apple, blackberry, cherry, peach, pineapple, and pecan, all available in sugar-free versions. Cream fillings cover chocolate, coconut, lemon, and vanilla, with pumpkin and sweet potato showing up seasonally.
Savory pies work for any hour. Breakfast options include sausage egg and cheese or bacon egg and cheese, while later choices cover chicken and vegetables, beef and vegetables, Tex Mex, pizza style, and pulled pork.
Any pie can also become a custard shake, which is a fun twist.
Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 9 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 9 AM to 9 PM. Burgers, hand-cut fries, smoked meats, and malts fill out a popular lunch menu.
10. Wagon Wheel Country Cafe, Springdale, Arkansas
Chocolate gravy on biscuits is a real thing here, and it sets the tone. Wagon Wheel Country Cafe at 4080 N Thompson Street is a family-owned, no-frills stop with rustic decor.
Tall meringue pies are a highlight. The pie list often includes strawberry in season, buttermilk, pecan, chocolate, apple, possum, and coconut, and sugar-free options appear regularly.
Cake is sold by the slice too.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, opening at 7 AM. Closing time is 8 PM Monday through Thursday, 8:30 PM on Friday, and 2:30 PM on Saturday.
Sundays are closed.
Breakfast is served until 1:40 PM on open days, which suits a late start. Biscuits and gravy, country fried steak, catfish, meatloaf, burgers, and sandwiches fill the menu.
Staff are known for treating customers like family. Locals and travelers share the room comfortably.
Plan on a real meal first, then pick your pie. The slices are tall enough to need a plan.
11. Kopper Kettle Smokehouse, Van Buren, Arkansas
A log cabin that was moved once now serves pie for a living. Kopper Kettle Smokehouse opened in 1981 along US Highway 64 between Alma and Van Buren.
It sits next to Kopper Kettle Candies, and the Greer family runs both. Their candy-making legacy dates back to 1925.
The Van Buren Chamber of Commerce specifically points to the homemade pies. Flavors rotate and may include chocolate peanut butter, coconut, pecan, buttermilk coconut, lemon icebox, sweet potato, and pumpkin.
Bolder picks have appeared as well, such as Millionaire, German chocolate, and Japanese fruit pie, which has notes of plum, orange zest, and dried apples.
Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Sunday and Monday are closed.
The smokehouse is known for smoked sandwiches, burgers, and chicken. The one pound BLT uses Petit Jean bacon on a homemade bun.
Breakfast brings eggs benedict, crepes, waffles, and biscuits with gravy.
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