For more than half a century, things have been very, very sweet in Iola, Wisconsin. Crystal Cafe, a delicious fixture in this little town, serves up some of the best pies in the state. The cafe’s pies have won many awards and won over scores of customers and when you sample one of their made-from-scratch creations it will probably win you over too. Here’s a look at the pie case in this wonderful Wisconsin cafe.
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The cafe is located in the heart of Iola, a central Wisconsin village that’s located in Waupaca County. It’s about two hours from Madison, an hour from Wausau and 80 minutes from Green Bay.
It was founded by Anne Moerke, a widow who needed a way to support her family. She was a fantastic cook, had restaurant experience and loved Iola. This little cafe was for sale, and the rest was history.
“Grandma Anne” did everything by hand, including the dishes and the pie became a huge hit. Her family still runs the place – you might see members of the fourth generation of the family when you stop in - and the cafe serves up pie that could only come from a family kitchen.
The pie selection is always changing and it’s always delicious. That’s the good news. The bad news? Good luck making up your mind! Here are some typical options.
The cafe turns out thousands of pies but they are all made with crusts that are hand-rolled and perfectly flaky. The kitchen follows very high standards so every pie is delicious.
The cafe also serves a wonderful breakfast, and has burgers, sandwiches, dinner salads and more on the menu. But whatever you do, save room for a slice of pie!
Crystal Cafe’s motto is "Pies to Die 4." It’s a very good motto. The restaurant is open Wednesday-Sunday. Learn more here. If you enjoy seeking out awesome pies, here are some more places in Wisconsin you’ll want to visit.
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