MomSkoop
Missouri has a special tradition that makes mornings extra sweet. Across the Show-Me State, family-owned restaurants and cozy bakeries start their days by pulling fresh pies from ovens before most people finish their first cup of coffee. These beloved spots understand that nothing beats a warm slice of homemade pie with your morning meal. From flaky crusts filled with seasonal fruit to rich cream pies that melt in your mouth, these Missouri gems serve up comfort food that keeps locals coming back for decades.
1. Blue Owl Restaurant & Bakery
Kimmswick’s most famous breakfast spot has been serving legendary pies since 1985. Owner Mary Hostetter arrives at 4 AM daily to prepare fresh batches of apple, cherry, and seasonal fruit pies.
Located in this historic riverfront town, Blue Owl attracts visitors from across the Midwest who drive hours just for a slice. The restaurant’s signature levee-high apple pie stands nearly six inches tall and requires two hands to eat properly.
Weekend mornings bring long lines of eager customers, but the wait rewards you with flaky crusts and perfectly spiced fillings that taste exactly like grandma’s recipe.
2. Peggy Jean’s Pies
Columbia’s beloved pie shop opens at 7 AM with display cases full of twenty different varieties. Baker Peggy Jean Goodwin learned her craft from her grandmother and still uses the same rolling pin passed down through three generations.
Each morning brings fresh strawberry rhubarb, coconut cream, and chocolate silk pies made from scratch using local ingredients whenever possible. The shop’s breakfast special pairs any slice with fresh coffee and scrambled eggs.
Regular customers know to call ahead for whole pies, especially during berry season when Peggy Jean creates limited-edition flavors using Missouri-grown fruit from nearby farms.
3. A Slice of Pie
Rolla’s hidden gem specializes exclusively in pie, offering both sweet and savory options for breakfast lovers. Owner Sarah Mitchell bakes everything from 5 AM until opening, ensuring customers receive warm slices straight from the oven.
The breakfast menu features unique combinations like bacon apple pie and sausage quiche pie alongside traditional favorites. Mitchell sources apples from Missouri orchards and makes her own lard-based crusts for authentic flavor.
College students from nearby Missouri S&T often stop by before classes, making this tiny shop buzzy with young energy every morning. The chocolate chess pie has become legendary among locals.
4. Sugarfire Pie
St. Louis barbecue restaurant Sugarfire surprised everyone when they added a morning pie program to their menu. Head baker Amanda Chen arrives at dawn to prepare fruit pies that complement their famous smoked meats perfectly.
The breakfast combo featuring pulled pork with a slice of sweet potato pie has become unexpectedly popular among adventurous diners. Chen’s background in French pastry techniques elevates these pies beyond typical diner fare.
Multiple locations across the metro area now serve fresh morning pies, but the original Olive Boulevard spot maintains the most extensive selection. Peach cobbler pie sells out fastest during summer months.
5. Ashleigh’s Bake Shop
Springfield’s premier bakery transforms into a breakfast destination every morning when owner Ashleigh Parker unveils her daily pie selection. Parker studied pastry arts in France but returned home to create Missouri comfort food with European techniques.
The shop’s morning glory pie combines seasonal fruits with a delicate custard base that melts smoothly on your tongue. Fresh berry pies change weekly based on what’s available from local Ozark farms.
Early birds arriving before 8 AM often find Parker still decorating pies, and she’s always happy to explain her process while customers enjoy coffee and warm slices at the counter.
6. Pint Size Bakery
Kansas City’s tiniest bakery packs enormous flavor into every morning pie they serve. Despite limited space, owner Jake Morrison manages to create twelve different varieties daily using a single convection oven.
Morrison’s mini pies allow customers to sample multiple flavors during one breakfast visit. The key lime and lemon meringue varieties showcase his talent for balancing tart and sweet flavors perfectly.
Located in the Crossroads Arts District, this bakery attracts artists and office workers who appreciate Morrison’s creative approach to traditional recipes. His maple bacon pie has gained cult status among Kansas City food enthusiasts.
7. Big R’s Pies
Branson’s Big R’s serves truck-stop sized portions with homestyle love that keeps tourists and locals equally satisfied. Owner Robert “Big R” Johnson weighs over 300 pounds and jokes that he taste-tests everything personally.
Johnson’s pies feature crusts thick enough to hold massive amounts of filling, and his apple pie contains nearly two pounds of Missouri apples per slice. The restaurant opens at 6 AM specifically for fishermen heading to nearby lakes.
During tourist season, Big R’s sells over 100 pies daily, but Johnson maintains quality by limiting varieties to six perfected recipes passed down from his mother’s Tennessee mountain cooking.
8. Sugar Momma’s
Joplin’s sweetest morning spot earns its name through owner Patricia “Sugar” Williams’ incredible dessert breakfast combinations. Williams believes pie makes the perfect morning meal when paired with strong coffee and good company.
Her signature breakfast banana cream pie features fresh bananas from her own recipe that took fifteen years to perfect. Williams adds a hint of rum extract that gives the filling unexpected depth and complexity.
Rebuilt after the devastating 2011 tornado, Sugar Momma’s represents Joplin’s resilient spirit through comfort food that brings the community together every morning. The chess pie recipe survived the storm in Williams’ memory.
9. Loosies
Cape Girardeau’s most unusual breakfast spot combines vintage arcade games with fresh morning pies in an atmosphere that feels like your cool aunt’s basement. Owner Louise “Loosie” Chen creates pies inspired by classic video game themes.
Chen’s Pac-Man pie features bright yellow custard filling with cherry “ghosts” scattered throughout the creamy base. The morning crowd includes Mississippi River workers and Southeast Missouri State University students seeking unique breakfast experiences.
Retro gaming sounds mix with the aroma of fresh-baked crusts, creating an oddly perfect combination that keeps customers coming back. Chen’s Mario mushroom chocolate pie has become her most requested variety.
10. Mo Pie
Jefferson City’s government district gets its morning fuel from Mo Pie, where owner Missouri “Mo” Thompson serves state workers and politicians alike. Thompson named both herself and her restaurant after the state she loves.
Her Missouri mud pie combines chocolate, pecans, and a secret ingredient she claims represents the state’s agricultural heritage. Thompson opens at 5:30 AM to serve early-shift government employees before legislative sessions begin.
During budget season, Mo Pie stays extra busy as lawmakers grab quick breakfast slices between meetings. Thompson’s pecan pie uses nuts exclusively from Missouri farms, supporting local agriculture while creating incredible flavor combinations.