Christine’s Upper Crust Pies

Love their gluten-​free rhubarb-​strawberry pie! Local grocery store carries it occasionally. I usually have to «special order» it. When are they going to offer a gluten-​free pie sweetened with natural sweetener like stevia?

I think these pies have an acquired taste. I am used to a sweeter pie, and it’s the first time I have had a pie crust without Crisco in it, so it had a different consistency than what I am used to. But, as I get older I can’t really eat the really sweet stuff that I’m used to. We got the bing cherry pie and I think it went well with my coffee. I could enjoy a piece without a splitting headache after.

I do not understand the rave for these pies. I bought one at Whole Foods in Berkeley and the crust was dry and crumbly (like others have noted) and the filling inside (cherry pie, my favorite!) was so dry and gummy I figured the pie was old and returned it to Whole Foods for a refund. Two days ago, I went to find a delicious pie by another baker (I won’t name names but if you inbox me I will tell you) but told it was a specialty item not available throughout the year. I saw an Upper Crust pie and decided to take a chance on the smaller one (9.99 investment) because a sign said it was baked that day. Are you kiddin ‘me?!! Crust — DRY! drier than I remembered; inside gummy, gummy, gummy. And (as someone else also noted) I saw butter on the label but tasted none in the one small bit I could stomach. Will be throwing it out don’t have the nerve to ask for money back again! Just came here to bear my sorrowful soul. A SHAME!

I had the Wheat free, Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie. I get horrible migraines with any pie but decided to try this one as I also have many food allergies. Wow! The taste was excellent! I ended up eating two big slices and prepared myself for a migraine but I DIDN’T GET A MIGRAiNE! I loved loved loved it but will only buy for a special occasion. I didn’t look at the price until it was rung up at the register… very expensive. If it was lower in price I would buy more often! Oh well, it was very good!

How often do we find a perfect pie? Rarely, in my experience. Well, I found one recently. It was a strawberry rhubarb pie from Christine ‘s Upper Crust Pies that a friend brought to a dinner party. And the crust was even gluten free, which I don’t particularly care about but someone else in our group did. The pie was delicious from top to bottom. Very impressive, Christine!

If you want the homemade type of delicious assortment of pies, choose the best — Christine’s Upper Crust Pies. The crust is flaky, and the inside is loaded with fruit. I buy them often to bring to parties, as they are always a favorite, and not a crumb left in sight.

Bought a little 6″ apple pie at our local Bianchini’s for a BIG $ 9.99. As mentioned in other reviews, the crumbly dusty crust just falls apart and the filling is likewise dry and lackluster. Plus, as I was eating a piece, I noticed a strange texture – I found two thin shards (1/​8″ and ¼″) of what looks like plastic – definitely NOT eggshell. Then, silly me, I ate another bite and nearly choked on the stuff. Proceed with extreme caution if you are foolhardy enough to consume this WAY overpriced dessert.

We LOVE these pies. They have the cozy homemade vibe with decadent crusts and heavenly fillings. So far my family has tried the peach pie and the strawberry rhubarb pie. I recommend both highly. So glad to have found these delicious desserts.

I bought their gluten free pumpkin pie from Bryan’s market in San Francisco. Seriously the best pumpkin pie my husband and I have ever tasted– GF or not. We keep getting disappointed whenever we eat other pumpkin pies. Qualifier: I have long been a foodie and pumpkin pie connoisseur.
Inspired by the pie, I picked up chickpea flour from the market IMMEDIATELY… intend to bake all GF goods this way. So tasty.

I’m going to have to give Upper Crust’s pumpkin pie only two stars, even though I liked the flavor of the pumpkin filling a lot. The reason is because 1) the price is too high for such a small pie, 2) the crust tastes funny (as if some strange ingredient is in the crust that homemade crust doesn’t have), and 3) I had at least three bites that went «crunch!» I think the crunch must have been from egg shells that due to carelessness got into the eggs/​batter.

over priced and just not that good…
costco 3 times bigger, ½ the price and a better pumpkin pie

This is my first review on Unilocal for any business establishment. But after many years of buying Upper Crust pies off and on, thinking one bad pie was just an «off day,» I just had to speak out about their product. I’ve never found any of their various fruit pies outstanding and certainly not justifying their high price. Ok. So after passing them up for some time, I recently purchased one of their apple pies carried by my local market. Maybe, I thought, they’re not a bad as I remember. After all, I told myself, it has been a while since you last tasted one. But in this case my memory served me well. That apple pie was as I’d remembered in every detail: the apple filling was dry and sour, the crust was so dry, it couldn’t be cut into proper slices. I really don’t understand the long life of this bakery and the enthusiastic clientele! This is probably one of the worst apple pies I’ve ever tasted. And I’ve eaten many over the years.

Time: 3:47pm/64° cloudy
Purpose: Hear about this place before so I needed to compare it to three babes.
Set-​up: Not a retail space or a place to grab and go. Strictly sells to local markets and grocers throughout Marin and beyond. Equipments are your standard bakery machinery and utensils. All seems to be private no advertising, I guess business is that good to keep it a secret from the public.
Staff: Talk to a girl explain to me that I shall have no pies, not even a slice. I don’t blame her it’s the way the policy goes, only wholesales. PRETTY PLEASE ONE SLICE? NO!
Cleanliness: Clean and sustainable your usual bakery mess.
Eats/​Drinks: Can’t tell you got denied but I had it before so this would be just an update. Their forestberry pie is a must I had it before an a company party, almost sneak the whole pie home.
Products: GF products, pies, cookies, pudding, seasonal goods, custom orders, gift boxes, pies for all occasion, delivery is possible too but must wait til they’re closed.
Punch Lines: Commercial/​industrial area, specialty shops nearby, motels, home depot, car dealership, tire shop, spa/​sauna, frame shop, car wash, gas station, freeway, post office, San Quentin.
Tradeoffs: You come here to get pies that cost 5 times as much as premade store bought but it’s made with love and wholesome ingredients.
Final Thoughts: Going out of town family visits last minute notice. Then this place is as closed as homemade you can get. The pie crust are hand bind together none of that commercial out of assembly line with each bend the same width and design. I can say I’m baffle between three babes and Christine’s.

I just love these pies. I walked into their actual warehouse/​baking location on Friday before Labor Day as I was in the neighborhood. I figured there wouldn’t be any pies on the rack but it was worth a shot. There was one left – Gluten Free Apple. Not my first choice. In fact, probably the absolute LAST choice I would make in selecting a pie. But, I figured how could it be bad? It’s a Christine’s Upper Crust pie, after all.
Of course, it was amazing and perfect. They use garbanzo bean flour for the crust which really made for a delicate, buttery tasty crust. Delicious.
The staff was so friendly and nice and I was so grateful for that pie for the holiday weekend!

I had never heard of upper crust until today when one of my book club gals brought the most delicious rhubarb/​strawberry pie I’ve ever had. I have a job in San Rafael next week and I am going to go see what other pie trouble I can get in to. Loved the bee-​bop-​a-​rhubarb pie!

Upper Crust makes incredibly delicious dessert pies. These pies are some of the best I have ever had! I ate their «Berry Supreme» (made with marionberries, blueberries, and raspberries) — incredibly delicious!
The other pie I have is their «Apple Streusel» — with a delicious streusel topping. YUMM! Incredibly delicious!
The crusts are perfect — tasty and flaky.
These pies also stay fresh for a long time, which allows me to savor them, and not to have to gobble them up in a short time (even though I would love to do that). They are sold fresh, not refrigerated, but I keep them in the refrigerator, and advise you to do the same.
Please note: both these pies were from the sale table at my favorite grocery store — Piazza’s in Palo Alto, so there had to be some reason they were marked down. I have no idea why either of these pies were marked down„ as they taste divine — fresh and yummy!
The pies are also reasonable in price.
Highest recommendation!

Amaretto pumpkin pie is to die for. Highly recommend.

Please stop filtering my reviews, Unilocal.I am a real person.
New favorite pies: Apricot & Key Lime!

The price for a 5 inch pie is absolutely ridiculous. It is $ 12.99. I was informed at my local supermarket that it is the most ‘put back’ item in the whole place. They ring it up, the customer says, «12.99? Nevermind».
I’m sorry, but the price of organic apples, brown sugar, and pie crust just isn’t $ 12.99 no matter how you swing it. Even with a 250% mark-​up on the cost of ingredients, it still doesn’t make any sense. Also, here’s the big finish. the pies aren’t even that great! The apple pie has about as much flavor as plain apple sauce, and the crust is usually dry. I mean, I could almost accept the ridiculous price tag if the pie was at all delicious. Alas, it is not.
You could buy a pie from anywhere else and it would be cheaper, and better.

Practically one perfect pie!!! An indulgence, to be sure…
Now $ 9−10/pie when the diameter of said item is only about 4−5″ *is* a steep price to pay for sating the sweet tooth in all of us (at least in my humble opinion), but it’s not everyday that one can just pick one of these puppies up, and I was at the Tokyo Fish Market recently, trying to get my greedy hands on some more gyokuro, where I spotted it.
And to complement the medium NY steak that I grilled up on the Cuisinart for din-​din, along with some grilled red onions, parboiled greens, and ciabatta slices, I felt a Danko-​esque experience was warranted after a particularly long week at the hospital.
And so… I broke open the wrapper stating Homemade since 1988, ascertained that this awesome bakery was across the SR Br. from me, and plopped my luscious apple streusel pie in to be baked.
This experience had me at first bite… the ingredients are what sold me, because of the perfectly buttery and light crust and freshly sliced apples, as well as the rich brown sugar, buttery chunks alighting on the top. Very, very good stuff. My only serious critique is that there should have been a bit more pie juice emitted from the apples when baked. I do get, however, that she distributes her pies throughout the BA fine markets, and they need to keep from getting sogged up, but still… overall, the experience is a tad dry to the tongue.
I will say, though, that i wouldn’t hesitate at all to get another one of their products, and they are sold at:
Point Richmond market, whose inventory holds fine food products and labels (turn right after entering, in the rectangular waist-​high freezers)
Tokyo Fish Market (in front next to the Musashi products)
I had my eye on that blueberry peach, and even now, as I think of my indecision around the two flavors, I take a swallow and shake off the cascade reaction of that vice called «mouth-​water».
PS Monterey Market has been selling high volumes of their pies!!!