KnowRealityPie — The Most Awarded Pies in LA (Eagle Rock)

Last year, I started writing an article that is still in the works about the best pie shops in the city. After compiling the list and trying a few places, I think LA’s pie scene is incredibly underrated! One of the places I visited was KnowRealityPie. 

The first time I came across this pie shop was at the end of 2020. I was driving around Eagle Rock, trying to find a street lined with palm trees that I could photograph against the fiery winter sunset. I pulled over on Townsend Avenue and waited for the sky to do its magic. As I sat in my car, a quaint storefront that read “pies” on a neon sign briefly caught my attention. I thought it was very cute, but didn’t make too much of it. 

At the end of last year, KnowRealityPie moved to a bigger space on Colorado Blvd, right across from their former location on Townsend Avenue. I did not what I was going to walk into, and certainly, I did not expect to find such delicious pies made by the pie queen of Los Angeles, Tracy Ann DeVore. KnowRealityPie is a wondrous celebration of this quintessential and beloved American dessert that symbolizes love, comfort and family. The new space is cozy with a feminine touch: photos of Marilyn Monroe, pie signs, awards, framed newspaper / magazine articles, and even merchandise. It’s a pie wonderland!

That night, I wrote extensively about KnowRealityPie’s fascinating backstory and the delicious pies I’d had that day. I couldn’t stop writing! However, things happened and the article fell by the wayside. A year later, with fall season in full swing, I picked up right where I left off and thought, “Why not write an article about KnowRealityPie?” It was hard to sum up Tracy’s story in two paragraphs.

When I went to the shop last year, I met Tracy’s partner, Kelly Deco. After telling him that it was my first time, he perked up and told me everything about Tracy’s otherworldly pies.

Growing up in Northern California, Tracy’s love of pie was influenced by her mother, who would bake pies on birthdays and other family occasions. Unfortunately, when Tracy was in her mid-20s, her mom became sick. As a way to keep her legacy alive in the years to come, Tracy made sure to know everything about her mom’s recipes, including the delectable crusts that are ever-present in Tracy’s pies. Before turning her passion for pies into a professional gig, Tracy baked out of her home as a hobby for many years. 

From earning multiple awards year after year to being featured on countless magazine lists, KnowRealityPie has come a long way since Tracy and Kelly opened the shop in 2014.

Some of the prestigious lists KnowRealityPie has been featured on are: “The Best 25 Pie Shops in America” list by Thrillist, “The 14 Pies to Have Before You Die” by Los Angeles Times, and “The Pie Shops to Visit When Traveling Through Los Angeles” by Conde Nast Traveler. 

KnowRealityPie is the only eleven-time KCRW award winner. Because Tracy’s pies kept winning so many times, they didn’t want people to think that the contest was rigged, so they made her a judge. Her first KCWR award was given by none other than Jonathan Gold from the LATimes, who was the most influential food critic in Los Angeles. He loved Tracy’s Triple Berry Cabernet pie.

Celebrity chef, author and TV personality Dave Chang said on his podcast that Tracy’s key lime pie was the best he’d ever had in his life. There is no doubt that anything baked by Tracy is a home run.

Tracy Ann DeVore and Kelly Deco were two high school sweethearts who reconnected four decades later. In 2013, at the age of 54, after working for the government and a divorce, Tracy moved from Sacramento to LA to be with the love of her life; but never did she think that her pies would become the success they are today. 

Tracy’s story is a shining example of how life is full of unexpected twists and turns that are outside of our control. Age pressure to achieve certain milestones is something most of us have gone through. We force life and the universe to give us what we want right here, right now. I’m a firm believer that everyone has a different journey and that each of us has a timeline in this life uniquely designated for us.

The fact that not only Tracy started a new life, but that she also became a successful business owner in her mid-50s proves that life doesn’t have an expiration date to embark on new beginnings. 

“There are many people that are naturally good at what they do, like athletes with sports. Tracy is one of those people that have a natural gift for pies. I don’t know how she does it.” said her doting fiancé. The two lovebirds are expected to tie the knot before the end of the year! 

The majority of restaurants and bakeries bake the pies in industrial kitchens, and you’re bound to find pie slices from opening time until the end of the day. At KnowRealityPie, every pie is single-handedly baked by Tracy. The shop, which is run by her and Kelly, is only open three days a week. Additionally, it’s very likely that if you go in the afternoon, they might be out of certain flavors.

I finished my interview with Tracy at around 11:40 am on a Thursday, when someone walked in asking for a slice of the Chocolate Blackberry Malbec pie. But it was already sold out! Instead of asking for another pie flavor, the guy left with a disappointed look on his face. In an interview with VoyageLA, Tracy said that the hardest part about being such a small team is that not everyone gets pies. This is what the pie the guy asked for looks like

When I went there last year, Kelly suggested that I take two individual pies: Key Lime, Salted Caramel Mango and Triple Berry Cabernet. He said, “the mango salted caramel will definitely surprise you”, as he raised his eyebrows.

After my interview with Tracy in October, she was nice enough to comp me the Salted Caramel Mango and the Triple Berry Cabernet. Even though I’d already had them last year, I had to get them again!

Before we get into the interview, here are the pies I’ve tried. 

Review from December 2023

Salted Caramel Mango

Kelly was right. When I took the first bite, I was surprised to find bits of mango bathed in a compote made of salted caramel with fruity mango hints. The salted caramel was not too sweet and worked harmoniously with the mango, in a way that the two of them could shine without overpowering each other. Since mangos are inherently sweet and juicy, there’s no need to go overboard with the sugar. As I was eating it, a pleasantly sticky-sweet texture from the thick caramelized crust lingered on the roof of my mouth. And how could I forget the flaky and crispy crust on the bottom? I was only supposed to eat a bite of this until I realized that it was already gone. That’s how much I enjoyed it! If you go, you have to get this pie! 

In a radio interview, Tracy said that people who aren’t huge fans of mango end up going crazy for this one. 

Key Lime

In many places, the key lime is either too runny or too tart from the limes. Tracy’s pie was utter perfection: creamy and slightly sweet with subtle acidic notes from the limes. The whole thing was a zingy burst of flavors and textures. Every mouthful was accompanied by a delightfully crunchy graham cracker crust that I’m still thinking of. It was so flavorful that I could have eaten it on its own, and it provided a nice contrast to the creamy sharp-flavored filling. Ugh, I want it now! 

The standout of the pie was yet again, the way all the ingredients balanced each other out. Seriously, if you live in LA you need to try her pies. 

Key lime pie originated on the island of Key West, Florida. The island is key lime pie galore! I look forward to visiting it someday. Here’s what a Floridian said about Tracy’s pie: “This is hands down some of the best pie I’ve had. And I’ve had a lot of pie…… The key lime is superb and I’m originally from South Florida. Definitely go here and try them all!!!”

Review (2024) 

Triple Berry Cabernet

Plump and luscious berries enveloped in a flaky buttery crust. The berries were sweet and tart, and the sauce was naturally sweet. Whenever I see berry pies at some places, I usually stay away from them because you can tell by the bright colored sauces that they add artificial sweeteners and other ingredients to make it more jammy. Some people have attested that Tracy’s Triple Berry pie is superior to anyone else’s. The premium berries she uses take center stage.

This pie can be eaten cold, but I’d have enjoyed eating the juicy sauce with the flaky crust if it was slightly warmed up, which I’ll probably do next time. If you love berries and you’re looking for a pie that’s on the fruity and tart side, you can’t go wrong with this one!

KnowRealityPie is a celebration of California’s agricultural richness: fresh ingredients and the best seasonal fruits that are locally grown and deliciously tasty. You can go to any grocery store and buy all the ingredients to make a pie, but using premium ingredients is what makes all the difference. This is why many places add artificial sweeteners to make the pie tastier, and the crust can’t do all the heavy lifting to redeem a lackluster filling.

Tracy could easily churn out hundreds of pies a week. However, as you’ll read in the interview, her motto is quality over quantity. 

Additionally, Tracy’s hometown boasts some of the best produce in the country. I recently came across a CBS News article stating that Sacramento’s Midtown Farmers Market was voted the best Farmer’s Market in California and the third best one in the United States! Tracy grew up on a farm outside of Sacramento, so it’s no wonder why quality is the main driving force behind her pies. A business like this can’t operate the same way as an industrial kitchen that caters to a large number of people on a daily basis.

Hello Tracy! Where does your love of baking come from?

So, my mom, whose picture is up there (points to the wall), was a pie baker. Not professionally, but every birthday, every holiday, we’d have pies. Not cake, as none of us were cake lovers. I didn’t do it until I was an older adult and then she got sick. I wanted to know how she did all this so we could carry on this tradition, and it really turned into a passion. I love making pies and coming up with new flavors. It’s an homage to her. 

Did you ever know that you wanted to do this for a living growing up?

I had no idea! I thought I was going to be a singer because I went to school and got a scholarship for music. Baking wasn’t a big thing for me. That came when I was a little older, at 25 years old.

You’ve won so many awards. In your opinion, what makes a good pie and did you ever think that your pies would become the success they are today?

I never considered they might be a success! For me, it’s a labor of love. That’s what pie is. For us, it’s all about quality not quantity. It’s all about the love, the high-quality ingredients… I had no idea this would ever happen. 

I only entered the contest because Kelly said, “Oh! Maybe you should enter one”. When we were there, he was afraid I wasn’t going to win anything and he felt bad for me. We almost left before the awards ceremony began, and then I said, “You know what? Let’s stay”.

What is a flavor that’s near and dear to your heart?

I actually have two flavors. The Caramel Apple Pecan pie because my mom’s apple pies were sooo good. We added the caramel and the pecans. Also, Boysenberry because I grew up picking them. I have a sister who passed away recently and that was her favorite, so I’ve been having that in the shop a lot. 

What is it about pie that you love so much? Is it the prepping process? The eating experience? All of it?

I think it’s all of it but mostly, it’s the joy that it gives other people. I love the feel of the dough and I also teach classes in Northern California and LA. We also get calls to make pies for people that are sick. I love the feeling of comfort that pie gives to other people.

I’ve read quite a few Yelp reviews of people complaining about the limited hours. This is a very small business, why do you keep it that way?

Well… ideally we want to open at least another day. But again, it’s quality over quantity. Sometimes when you hire additional help you may not get the quality you want to have. I know people get mad about it sometimes. If there’s something you want, get in at the opening time. Having said that, we’re trying to turn it a little bit. Hopefully, next year when Kelly retires we can provide more pies and not run out as quickly.  

Most bakeries / restaurants have the same pie flavors all year-round, with seasonal ones available a few times a year. However, at KnowRealityPie the flavors are subject to change DAILY! How do you do it?

Baking pies didn’t just become a labor of love, it became something I really enjoyed. I’ve always had this creative streak. I also have some pie friends in Texas and New York. We have this network and we’ll see someone try something different. It’s fine to have four or five flavors, but it’s probably not a good business model because it’s harder to keep the shop stocked. But, variety is the spice of life! There are so many great fruits and combinations that I just come up with and put out here, so people can have some fun with it! 

You opened the shop in 2014. A decade later, KnowRealityPie is still going strong. How do you feel about the outpouring of love and support from your customers during these ten years?

We can’t thank them enough! Like I said, I never thought this would turn into what it is. People love the pies and the way we do it. It’s a little unconventional, as we discussed. But our customers are amazing. We are happy, happy all the time. Occasionally, we get a disgruntled customer. But we’re doing the best we can. We’re so appreciative. Ten years is a long time! They kept us afloat during COVID. We had to redo the way we handled the pies, and they wanted us to keep going! We’ve never been the GoFundMe type of business to make bigger moves.

I think when you ask the public for that kind of help, that’s when they get the most quiet. People want to see that you can succeed on your own merits. 

Even if we’re taking baby steps, like starting to bake here next year, I’m ok with that. It takes about ten years to find your bearings, I think.

How far have people driven just to get your pies?

That’s a good question because they come from the West Side, Ventura County… If someone is going to drive a long way and they email me, I’ll hold pie for them. Locals have to deal with not getting pies sometimes, but I can’t do that if someone is driving from a very far place. We also have people who fly with the pies.

I just taught a class and there was a guy from Tennessee. He comes here on business trips to take my classes on how to make pies, and then he flies back with the pies. He’s like making pies and sending me pictures (laughs). So, I would say pretty far, yes!

You reconnected with now your fiancé Kelly Deco, whom you dated in high school. How did that happen?

We’re from Elk Grove, a small town outside of Sacramento. We were high school sweethearts. He was a couple of years older than me. At the end of my senior year, my parents said, “you haven’t dated anyone, you should date other people”. So I said, “Ok, That’s what I’m going to do!” But I kind of broke his heart. He ended up moving to LA way back then and I stayed there. I was miserable because he was the love of my life and I made a MISTAKE! We went in other directions for a really long time, for forty-two years I think. 

I had a state job. One day I came to work and had a message on Facebook from Kelly saying, “Hey! I’m not married anymore. Are you?” It was through social media, yes, but also, our parents lived in the same vicinity for many years. You don’t start a new business when you’re married. Those things ended on their own and we should have been together the whole time. 

Why the name KnowRealityPie?

(Laughs) A lot of people ask us that question! Kelly is a musician and had a political video called “No Reality”. In fact, he has a second album coming up next Friday (November 1st). He signed up with a record company. That’s his other gig, but we met in high school through music. That’s how it all started. 

When I first came here, he tasted the pies and said, “people don’t know what real pie is”. We were fooling around with the names and he said, “you should call it KnowRealityPie,” and that’s how the name was born. It’s a little weird and people wouldn’t understand unless they ask. 

When did you move to LA?

I moved here in 2013. Both of our divorces ended a year before. I have grown kids, but Kelly’s son wasn’t grown yet. He also worked in the movies and all of that is here. There was no way he was going to move to Sacramento, right?

So I sat with my kids and said I was going to make the move. I miss them terribly and I get to see them periodically. But yes, LA was a LOT different for me – so congested, people honking all the time…

We live here in Eagle Rock. I could live in Pasadena or towards Glendale, but that heart of LA traffic… (laughs). During my first five years in LA, I worked in that area for a judge while the shop was a side gig. The traffic killed me. Oh my God. 

But the restaurants and things that are available here, you don’t get that in Northern California. We also love going to rooftops and restaurants.

This brings me to my next question! What are your favorite places in LA?

I was raised on a cattle ranch, so beef is a big thing for me. My body craves it. At the end of a busy pie week, we love going to Tam O’Shanter. We even make our Christmas Eve reservations there. We also love going to Perch LA to enjoy the views on the rooftop bar. It’s great for live music. 

In Eagle Rock, we like going to Colombos Italian Steakhouse & Jazz Club because we love supporting the community and we know them. It feels like you’re at the Cheers (1982) bar. The one from the show.

I love going to Descanso Gardens and visiting the animals at the Los Angeles Zoo. 

You live in Eagle Rock, what do you like about living in this part of town?

I like that it’s very community-driven. We get a lot of support from the community and from people outside of the community as well. Here, it’s calmer and everybody knows everybody. It reminds me of Elk Grove. You don’t find that in a lot of places. 

Right behind where we live, there is a wildlife corridor where it feels like we’re in the country. It runs the length of the 2 Freeway, a long hillside butting up against it. We see everything from bears to coyotes back there. That’s where I come from, so I need that. 

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start baking? Whether it’s professionally or as a hobby.

You have to do it because you love it. Although we’re busy and the shop and it’s somewhat “successful”, you’re never going to make a lot of money. Especially if you put in great ingredients and you don’t cut corners. We could make a lot more money if we cut corners, but it’s important for me to not do that because I want it to taste good, with real ingredients. You also have to have a lot of patience. 

Also, even though I’ve been baking for many years, I’m still learning new things. One of my pie friends will say something, or maybe I’ll come across something on my Instagram feed and go, “Oh, wow! I didn’t know that! I’m going to do it this way now.” So yeah, patience, have a love for it and it will turn out. 

If someone wants to order a whole pie, how far in advance should they place their order?

Right now, because it is holiday season, preorders are full until December 31st. However, we’ll open on Tuesday, November 26th from 11am-5pm for walk-in whole pies; and will stock a few in the shop for walk-ins when we open. We’ll also offer whole pie Take & Bakes and pie kits that include a pie shell, apple filling and crumble for taking and baking at home. We will also open on December 23rd for whole pie walk-ins. During non-pie season, orders are one to two weeks out.

Note: If you’re driving from a far place, make sure you email or DM Tracy first for pie availability.

KnowRealityPie: Website and Instagram

Address: 1578 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041

Hours: Thursday – Saturday 11AM – 6PM