Ikeda’s California Country Market, the family-run pie shop with outposts in Auburn and Davis, just snagged a national crown: it was named the country’s top pie shop yesterday. The USA Today Readers’ Choice honor has pushed the orchard-turned-bakery into the national spotlight, and locals say the win simply recognizes decades of turning bruised fruit into the market’s most famous offering.
Ikeda’s was voted the number one pie shop in the United States in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards after weeks of public voting, according to CBS Sacramento. Once the results were announced yesterday, the small market’s two locations suddenly found themselves at the center of national attention. Owners had already mounted an energetic grassroots campaign to rally support and drum up votes, with daily reminders and media outreach, per The Sacramento Bee.
The story stretches back to a simple fruit stand that opened in 1950. Ikeda’s now markets its pies with fruit from its own orchards and offers more than 20 varieties, from marionberry to Dutch apple. The family-run business touts an “orchard to fork” approach and lists pies and cobblers as signature menu items, according to Ikeda’s website. Its online ordering and holiday menus often sell out during peak season.
“What’s amazed me and our family is the support, the way that the community really came together,” co-owner Derek Ikeda told The Sacramento Bee. He described a full-court press of daily reminders and local media appearances to gather votes. Ikeda framed the nomination as a point of pride that stretches back generations and credited his parents and grandparents for growing the market. That grassroots push, he said, made the difference once the public voting opened.
For customers, the award likely means one obvious thing: more attention. Ikeda’s has long sold whole pies both in-store and through online orders, and the added exposure is expected to boost demand during the summer fruit season. The market’s online shop lists pie prices and shipping options, per Ikeda’s website, and staff at both locations often warn that popular flavors can disappear fast. Owners said they will adjust baking schedules to meet any surge in orders.
About the award
USA Today’s 10Best program compiles nominees selected by editors and experts, then opens up a final public vote to determine the winners, according to USA Today 10Best. Because the rankings are reader-driven, local turnout can be crucial, and small operations with loyal followings can rise quickly. For Ikeda’s, that mix of expert nomination and community voting combined to deliver the top spot this year.
Longtime customers told local outlets they were not surprised by the ranking and expect weekend lines to grow. Ikeda’s is especially known for its fruit pies, including marionberry and Dutch apple, and the family says it plans to stick with what got them here: baking from the orchard and keeping the crust flaky.
