LOCAL Houston | The City Guide November 2016 | Page 16

FOOD

THE FLYING SAUCER
49 Years of Out of This World Pies

If you’ve been in Houston over the Thanksgiving/Christmas/Hanukkah holidays, you’re
probably familiar with The Flying Saucer Pie Company. It’s the place that’s always featured
on the local news with a line of hundreds of customers waiting for hours for it to open – some
even camping out overnight with tents, barbecue grills, etc.
Why? Well, first of all, Flying Saucer doesn’t take orders over the phone or web. You’ve got to
actually get in line to get your pie. Second of all, they don’t use preservatives, so if you want a
fresh cream pie for your holiday table, you’ve got to get it at the last minute possible…which
means camping out the night before, 12–14 hours before the store opens. “The real line starts
about 4:30 in the morning,” says general manager TANIA IMHOF. “We see some of the same
people every year; there’s a hardcore group of about 20–30 people.”
The most popular pie? You’d be surprised. I would have put my money on apple, pumpkin or
pecan, but it turns out the year-round favorite is strawberry cream. It’s just one of the 14
varieties baked daily (with an additional five seasonal pies)
For November and December, Flying Saucer is open from 7am–7:00pm. Get your tent and grill ready.
www.flyingsaucerpieshop.com

By Tim Moloney
Photography by Rebekah Flores

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L O C A L

| november 16