Comfort Food: Pot Pies

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“The crust contains butter—lots of it,” says the lady at Shoofly Pie Company as she hands over a well-portioned chicken pot pie ($6) in this West Seattle bakery. Truer words were never spoken. Garnished with a pastry “star” and seasoned with black pepper, the flaky, savory crust breaks open to reveal a traditional, highly seasoned, creamy diced chicken and vegetable filling.

The aroma of white wine, slow-cooked chicken and vegetables as your fork breaks through the golden crust of the chicken pot pie ($14) at Louisa’s Café and Bakery in Eastlake is a promise of good things to come. With a looser, more stew-like filling than a thick, béchamel base, this pot pie is
ideal if you prefer a slightly less rich treat. A salad of cherry tomatoes, lettuce and vinaigrette sits alongside to cleanse the palate.
Chilly climes got you shivering under your Sounders scarf? Pop over to
Kangaroo & Kiwi Pub near Green Lake for a toasty Aussie pie ($5)—savory brown chunks of ground beef encased in a buttery, golden crust. Post-grub, join in the raucous cheering of Aussie expats over a soccer game.

If the words “healthful pot pie” seem oxymoronic (or too good to be true) check out the chicken pot pies at Queen Anne’s Eat Local. Made with locally raised chicken from the Snoqualmie Valley and Boistfort Valley Farm vegetables, these pies are topped with a round of surprisingly flaky whole-wheat pastry, so you’re only some 350 degrees away from a delicious dinner you can feel good about ($35.92/four servings).