Will pie be the cupcake of 2011? Photo
courtesy WildBlueberries.com.

Pies, both sweet and savory, will be the top restaurant trend in 2011, predicts restaurant consultant Andrew Freeman & Co.

“If I had one trend—one trend—of the year that I could predict, [it] would be the trend for pie,” said Freeman. “I think that we’re going to make room for pie shops in the next year. This is not just sweet pies, this is savory pies, bite-sized pies. I’ll eat pie if I don’t get this one right….” (Hey, is that a punishment?)

While some restaurants are known for their pies—for example, upscale chicken restos like Pies & Thighs and Hill Country Chicken in New York City—we haven’t seen any pie bakeries yet. But they would be a welcome alternative to the still-mushrooming number of cupcake shops.

Read the full article in Nation’s Restaurant News, which suggests additional food trends.

• Find many types of pies in our gorgeous Pie & Pastry Glossary.
• See our favorite pies and pie recipes in our Pie & Pastry Section.