Florence Pie Bar in Northampton named one of New England’s top pie shops

The Florence Pie Bar, a favorite of Northampton locals, has earned distinction as one of the region’s best places for a slice of pie.

Yankee Magazine, the New Hampshire-based publication covering all things New England travel and culture, named the pie shop one of the region’s best.

The magazine’s “Best 5 New England Pie Shops” article was featured in its November edition, in which it called the Florence Pie Bar “the perfect place to come in out of the cold, sidle up to the bar, and stay awhile.”

Owner Maura Glennon and her staff serve up a variety of sweet and savory pies, quiches, galettes, cookies, rolls and other delicacies from a petite building at the corner of Main and Chestnut streets in the Florence section of Northampton, a former general store and barbershop.

Faith Deering and Joe Ambessi, Florence neighbors enjoying pie, pastries and coffee on a recent Friday morning, said the line out front is quick to develop when the pie bar opens.

“It’s a wonderful meeting place for people,” Deering said.

A pair of preschoolers in search of a bite to eat also had glowing, frenzied reviews. Ellie, 3-and-a-half, enjoys a blueberry or strawberry pie. Tola, 3, prefers the ham and cheese roll, or perhaps a chocolate chip cookie.

The shop opened to a hearty welcome from the local community in the fall of 2015, quickly selling out of its stock in the initial days.

Glennon, formerly a professor of music at Keene State College in New Hampshire, runs the shop with her husband, Justin Kimball, according to a 2015 MassLive article.

The pie bar building previously housed the Frayer General store until the mid-1900s, when a barbershop took its place until 2014.

The Florence Pie Bar was the only Massachusetts pie business featured on Yankee Magazine’s list. Also earning recognition were Ceres Bakery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Michele’s Pies in Norwalk, Connecticut; Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown, Rhode Island; and Two Fat Cats in Portland, Maine.