Charlie Frank's Pies

Best potato pie i've had! The filling is smooth, creamy, but not overly sweet if i could have ONE pie for the rest of my life, it would be the peach sweet potato pie. I'm sad i didn't empty their stall!

This is a very late review I've experienced these pies a couple times and they are absolutely amazing. Probably one of the best I've ever had. One of my favorites is the vanilla fudge sweet potato pie, it's ah-mazing. I've had these at San Leandro Cherry Festival but I hear he pops up other places throughout the year. If you haven't tried him yet please do! It's also nice to support a small business.

Really great sweet potato-peach pies!U can find this vendor on Sundays at the Stonestown FM. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charlie-franks-pies-san-francisco?select=2m-dZ488uFVOipm153fGRA#2m-dZ488uFVOipm153fGRA Sometimes he stocks other pie flavors like, coconut rum sweet potato pie, cobblers and other items.My pics are from a purchase a while back, when they were 2 for $7. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charlie-franks-pies-san-francisco?select=2m-dZ488uFVOipm153fGRA#A2GXjVYJFE8cqQ8K32ipqg Now they cost a bit more. Last time I checked they were $4.Plus huge red velvet cupcakes - 2 for $9. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charlie-franks-pies-san-francisco?select=2m-dZ488uFVOipm153fGRA#chaQWX3tr_AGPzGnmTJsYg Big enough to share, so u get your money's worth. It has a lot of frosting, but the cake is very moist. Much better than the version from Little Skillet. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charlie-franks-pies-san-francisco?select=2m-dZ488uFVOipm153fGRA#RuSep-Reds9ZP5NVIHhC6Q These cupcakes are from a different vendor that has an arrangement with him.U might also find him at other festival and food events. Once I saw him at Japantown's J-Pop Summit, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charlie-franks-pies-san-francisco?select=2m-dZ488uFVOipm153fGRA#D0_dAKb0rOa2AuOfaOyNkA and last month he was at the Eat Real fest in Oakland.

Charlie Frank was there himself selling his pies. though i knew potato pies were his specialty, i went with the peach cobbler. offerings: red velvet cake (marita), peach cobbler, potato pies of sortslocale: old oaktown farmers market, various markets.line: short or nonesampling: peach cobbler (4.25)-crust described by charlie as "buttery". it was also soggy. sauce sugary. peach abundant but limp.-frank's cobbler pales in comparison with pig house, crusty, holiday, etc.foodnotes:-peach cobbler similar to marita's , even the price the same (4.25)-potato sample was tasty but do i want to eat the whole pie?-charlle's specialty is his varieties of potato pie, peach, vanilla, etc. maybe some day.....

We ate the vanilla fudge sweet potato pie. I'm someone who typically doesn't enjoy pie, but this one was perfect! It was light, delicious, and just the right amount of sweet.

Tried this pie stand at Oakland's First Friday. Pretty good sweet potato pie! He had 4 different flavors of sweet potato pie and let me sample them all before making my choice. I sampled three: vanilla fudge sweet potato, coconut rum sweet potato, and peach sweet potato. I didn't sample the ginger because I hate ginger, but that's also an option. My favorite was the coconut! The mini pie was super moist, had bits of real coconut, and the crust was pretty good too. It's $5 for a mini pie or 2 for $9, which is average price.

There is no such thing as a 3.5 star on Charlie Frank's Pies; thus I have to settle for a 3 star. Charlie Frank's Pies had a booth set up at this year's Eat Real Festival. Peach cobbler, $5.00; Sweet Potato Pies (3 flavors - vanilla fudge, coconut rum and peach), 2 for $8.00; Key Lime Pound Cake, $5.00. Just hearing Charlie Frank describing the ingredients for the key lime pound cake roused my curiosity for a taste. He did not have any samples of that pound cake to offer, but I purchased it along with his peach cobbler and 2 sweet pies (vanilla fudge and coconut rum) for a total of $18.00. I sampled the sweet potato peach pie, which was pretty good.The peach cobbler was slightly better than A-OK, but not enough to give it a 4 star. The crust was baked to a nice golden brown and it had a subtle buttery taste, but then it was soggy and doughy as Victor G mentioned in his review. There was plenty of peaches but it lacked the firmness of fresh peaches and I prefer mine with a little more cinnamony taste and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The saucy liquid wasn't too bad...not lacking in sweetness...just right...3.25 stars. I thought I could get my husband to sample Charlie's peach cobbler and get his opinion. He asked me for my rating of the cobbler...which is a 3.25 star. Nope, he did not want any of the cobbler...darn.The Key Lime pound cake was better...moist and flavorful...mixture of good balance of sweet and tartness of the key lime. The glazed icing was a tad sweet, but still had a nice citrusy tang to it. Rating: 4 stars.Vanilla fudge sweet potato pie: It had a buttery and rich creamy taste, but I really could not taste the vanilla...no wow sensation here...3 stars.Coconut rum sweet potato pie: Definitely better than the vanilla fudge, richer in taste as the coconut rum flavoring set this pie off...very flavorful...the best of all three sweet potato pies that Charlie offered, 4 stars.I would repeat on the key lime pound cake and coconut rum sweet potato pie; peach cobbler...might/might not buy; vanilla fudge...I will leave it alone.

Calling all coconut rum and sweet potato lovers. To be completely honest, thinking about pies has never made my mouth water, but these sinfully delicious coconut rum sweet potato pies will empty your wallet and fatten your belly (and hips and backside and chin...). I found these ones at the Eat Real Festival 2013 at Jack London Square. Totally yummy. I planned to eat half now and half later, but when I stopped, it was because I had devoured the entire thing in one sitting. (Darn you, distracted eating!) The coconut rum sweet potato pie is tasty, sweet, spiced and creamy with a dense buttery crust (not flaky). If you see Charlie Frank's Pie, be sure to stop by for a yummy sample or two!

As I've approached the milestone #100 review, I've given a lot of thought as to which business I might choose for it. Over the last few weeks I've had a few great meals but for the 100th review the business has to offer something even more than that, something that separates it from the rest of the good reviews I could write. A business that not only turns out great food but also has a special character, a unique flair. . . heart. That's why Charlie Frank gets number #100. Charlie and his sweet potato pies, be they plain, with vanilla or peach. I found Charlie at the Stonestown Farmer's Market and still remember the first conversation there, how graciously he and his business partner greeted me and the genuine warmth of his personality. The pies contain all that good energy, and now when I go back to the market I look forward not only to the pie but also to chatting with Charlie.And it's not just pies by the way- Charlie happens to make the best red velvet cake I've ever had. You have to see this cake to believe it; it looks enticing and tastes even better. If I could give these desserts more than five stars I would!On Charlie's website, there are a few quotations from customers. One reads, "At the dinner table our prayer is, 'Thank God for Charlie Frank' " and I, for one, will second that.

Charlie makes the best pies. We had his Caribbean Ginger Sweet Potato Pie and it may be the best sweet potato pie I've ever had. He is also a warm and kind owner. We highly recommend this place.