Pie Lab - Greensboro, Alabama - June 10, 2011

After leaving Clanton we drove west to the small Hale County town of Greensboro, Alabama. We went there with one place in mind - Pie Lab! If you don't know the story behind Pie Lab read this New York Times article: Pie + Design = Change.

Greensboro is like any other small Alabama town with a lamp post-lined "Main Street," buildings with weathered brick facades, a beautiful clock-towered court house, and palatial old homes that show signs of their former beauty under layers of peeling lead paint. 

 

What sets Greensboro apart from other small towns is Pie Lab. This unique restaurant combines elements of old world charm with (as their flag states) "Pie & Conversation, Optimism & Design." 

 While we were there a family came in to order to-go salads, Hale County business leaders were having a working lunch discussing how they could bring Hale County back to its glory days, a few people were working on their laptops, and a lady was packaging Pie Lab Internet orders for shipping. It was like nothing you would expect out of a typical Hale County restaurant. 

When we walked in we could not resist running our hands along the counter made from salvaged planks and years of history. Everyone behind the counter was very eager to take our order and serve it up quickly. The menu boasted a huge list of sweet pies - everything from Coconut Cream to Summer Berry. The savory choices for today were BBQ Chicken and Beef Stroganoff. We ordered the lunch special which consisted of a savory pie slice, salad, drink, and a sweet pie slice - all for $7.

Stephen chose the BBQ chicken pie, mixed green salad with feta and parmesan cheese and fresh squeezed lemon vinaigrette, strawberry lemonade, and coconut cream pie.

Christy decided to go with the beef stroganoff pie, mixed green salad with cheddar and ranch, sweet tea, and blueberry peach crumble pie. Christy doesn't eat fruit pies so it came home in a box to be eaten later by Stephen.

The boys, however, opted to skip the savory pies. They had a BBQ chicken sandwich and cinnamon rolls.

We were so stuffed with yummy goodness that we had to take part of our lunch with us. After we ate the boys explored the small garden behind the restaurant. 

They grow some of their pie ingredients in the garden out back.

Max requested this picture be put on our blog.

We thought this was an interesting architectural detail.

Inside and out, this restaurant is worth the out-of-the-way trip over to Greensboro, Alabama.

As the two boys made their way back to our car they had one thing on their minds......where will our travels take us next?