Updated for 2024
Looking for an excuse to eat some delicious sweet and savory goodness? Search no more! Celebrate Pi Day in Fairfax County with our unique bakeries, eateries, and attractions. Check out all these Pi Day specials and deals!
Sweet Pies
The Pie Gourmet
507 Maple Ave W, Vienna
The Pie Gourmet offers handmade pies from scratch and has been crafting them with love since 1988. This local Vienna shop makes ordering easy: online, by phone, and even delivery. I feel inclined to tell you I’ve never in my life seen a Raspberry-Peach pie…and now that I have, I think I owe it to myself to pick one up from Pie Gourmet.
Amphora Bakery
294 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon
Image courtesy Amphora Bakery
Hands-down, Amphora has always been my favorite local breakfast place and their bakery is no exception. Crafted with care and detail, Amphora takes the time to celebrate Pi Day with a limited-time Pi crust pie (are there too many pies in that sentence?).
Kiwi Pie Shop
4548 Eisenhower Ave, City of Alexandria
Image courtesy Get the best of both worlds with a sweet and savory pie menu by Chef Bert “Ram” Todd. Kiwi Pie Shop, the "first New Zealand pie shop in Northern Virginia," has a large selection of pies inspired by local NZ bakeries. Missing his homeland cuisine here in the D.C. area, Chef Ram returned home to learn the art of perfecting handmade meat pies. Now, here in Northern Virginia, we’re able to have a little piece of authentic New Zealand. Head to their Alexandria storefront and pick up favorites like their Roast Lamb pie or their Hokey Pokey Apple Pie. Their pies are also available for order on Uber Eats, Grubhub, or Postmates.
Hot tip: Make everyone in the group happy with their "Bitser Pie," where you can choose 7 different slices that make up a whole pie!
Meat Pies
Image courtesy The Auld Shebeen
It seems all too appropriate for Pi Day to be in March when we’re all craving Shepherd’s Pie around St. Patrick’s Day. Our Irish Pubs guide offers several places where you can most certainly find this delicious and authentic savory pie. Spots include The Auld Shebeen, Ireland’s Four Provinces, Ned Devine’s, The Old Brogue, and more.
The Pure Pasty Co.
128 Church St NW, Vienna
Image courtesy The Pure Pasty Co
Speaking of endless pie variations, did you know that the U.K. is known for its baked and fried pies? They call them pasties (pronounced past-ees). It’s so well-known, in fact, that every year since 2012, Cornwall has held the World Pasty Championships. Even cooler, Fairfax County’s very own Pure Pasty Co. in Vienna won the Open Savoury Company category for three years in a row from 2018 to 2020. In 2021, they snagged BOTH the second and third-place titles in the same category. And in 2022, they won the "Pasty Ambassador Award." If you’re unfamiliar with a pasty, (1) they’re amazing and (2) they’re full of meat and veggies wrapped within a delicious pastry. What’s awesome about Pure Pasty Co. is their attention to detail and their commitment to using better ingredients. Their famous crust is made with heritage flour and sustainable shortening, their chicken is all-natural, free-range, never with antibiotics, and their beef is all-natural and grass-fed.
Pizza Pies
Image courtesy Lost Dog Cafe
If the sweet or savory pie isn’t for you, check out our Italian restaurant listings for a Pizza Pie, because who wants to cook dinner on a weeknight anyway?
Special Event: Pi Day Celebration at Hidden Oaks Nature Center
Celebrate with those who understand that Pi is a number that goes on forever at Hidden Oaks Nature Center. Uncover the mystery of this numerical wonder and its relationship to circles through an engaging interactive demonstration featuring mini pies and hands-on crafting activities. Register here for a pie-fect experience.
More Pi Day Fun
Did you know that on March 12, 2009, the House of Representatives supported the designation of “National Pi Day?" This was done in an effort to recognize the importance of science, mathematical, and engineering education programs while encouraging schools and educators to observe the day with Pi-related activities.
So if you’re not a pie guy or gal, remember what Pi Day is all about…the significance of mathematics, science, and engineering to our children’s education; so celebrate with a visit to our one-of-a-kind attractions, including:
Turner Farm Park Observatory
Image courtesy Analemma Society
Turner Farm, located in Great Falls, VA, hosts a myriad of different events about astronomy throughout March. From their Astronomy Festival (March 11) to Stargazing with Binoculars (March 27) there is an event for every aspect of our solar system! Always be sure to check their Twitter before visiting, just to make sure those skies are clear! Visitors are encouraged to bring their own telescopes, binoculars, and gear and to dress very warmly. In addition, volunteers are available to help visitors use the telescopes on site.
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Celebrate Pi Day with a little bit of flight appreciation. Any "space geek" that steps into the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will feel like a kid in a candy store when they get up close to the collection of space artifacts. Be amazed and inspired by the Space Shuttle Discovery, the Apollo 11 Mobile Quarantine Facility, space suits, rockets, satellites, and space toys (just to mention a few things). Do you think astronauts had freeze-dried pie?!
George Washington's 16-Sided Barn at Mount Vernon
Visit George Washington's Mount Vernon to learn more about George Washington's great farming innovation, the 16-sided treading barn. His invention was used to separate the wheat berry from the top of the wheat stalk. While previously, enslaved laborers on the estate would beat the grain with a flail to separate it from the straw, this new invention used animals treading. The power of their hooves could separate the berry from the stalk faster and more effectively. This was one of Washington's most iconic inventions, contributing immensely to the agriculture and science industry.
Children's Science Center Lab
This one-of-a-kind interactive museum for children, families, and school groups allows for fun activities that get everyone engaged. Here you’ll find an Experiment Bar, Inspiration Hub, Tinker Shop, and Discovery Zone all centered around science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
National Museum of the U.S. Army
The Experiential Learning Center (ELC) at the National Museum of the United States Army offers a unique and immersive learning space for visitors to develop skills and have fun with Geography, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (G-STEM). You'll find kid-friendly areas like Fort Discover, where youngsters can climb an Army tower, radio friends, drop cargo supplies, launch a space rocket, and more, a Training Center, where guests can simulate work done by Soldiers in the field, and a classroom/group space called the Learning Lab.
Explore additional activities ideal for Pi Day celebrations. Whether you seek hands-on exhibits or interactive workshops, there's a bunch options for everyone while also enjoying a slice of pie.
Do you have a favorite spot to get pie (whichever type of pie you prefer) or a favorite place to learn about all things STEM in Fairfax County? Tell us in the comments below and be sure to join us on social media at @VisitFairfax and #FXVA.
