The Rebirth of a Legendary Handpie
Hubig's Pies are a New Orleans tradition—and a great comeback story.
PIE? A HAND-HELD SNACK? Sure, your standard wedge is crumbly and needs a fork, but not Hubig’s Pies. From a crisp, wax-paper envelope—stamped with the likeness of mascot Savory Simon—slides a glaze-lacquered half-moon that fits snugly in your hand. Fillings (unlike Simon) are sweet: year-round staples are chocolate, lemon, peach, apple, pineapple and coconut. Fans fiercely defend their faves.
The real Simon Hubig opened his Dauphine Street pie factory in 1921. It survived the Depression, Hurricane Betsy in ’65 and Katrina in ’05—in the latter’s aftermath, the company handed out pies to emergency workers. Then, in July of 2012, a fire destroyed the factory, and New Orleanians mourned.
WHERE TO FIND THEM:
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CANSECO'S CARROLLTON MARKET, a block from the site of the Oak Street PoBoy Festival, where the first pies dropped upon Hubig's return.
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WINN-DIXIE in West Riverside, where the restaurant Patois stood in on HBO's Treme for one called Desautel's, whose desperate chef once served a Hubig's from her purse. Acknowledging the bakery was closed during the show's post-Katrina timeline, series creator David Simon wrote the Times-Picayune to explain it was a "magic Hubig's."
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In a sense, ETSY, where Hubig's paraphernalia on offer includes ceramic replica pies and plaster- and-resin Hubig's-pouch Christmas ornaments.
But wait! In 2022, the original lard-crust recipe was revived when the company’s third-generation owners announced a new factory. The buzz hit the internet, where Hubig’s fandom thrives: Redditors pine for beloved seasonal flavors the company has been reintroducing slowly and debate heating pies cold versus eating them from the package (Hubig’s recommends 25 seconds in the microwave). The “Hubig’s Pie Tracking!” Facebook group comprises 24,000 members who alert one another to well-stocked shelves.
Pies are made fresh five days a week, says co-owner and brand manager Kathleen Ramsey, who estimates they’re in 400 gas stations and groceries around the bayou: “As far north as Franklinton, as far south as Houma, as far west as Lafayette and as far east as Ocean Springs, Mississippi.” The company launched a Pie Mail newsletter to alert fans to upcoming seasonal releases. Blueberry, banana, sweet potato: someday we’ll hold you in our hand once more.
