Hutong Hunter: Hutong’er Offers Up Fresh Pies From New Andingmen Location

Vincent R. Vinci, Contributing Editor | Mar 15, 2022 9:30 am | Add a comment | 316 reads

Take a deep dive into the places, people, shindigs and more to be found in the hutongs of Dongcheng and Xicheng with the Hutong Hunter.

For the mathematically inclined among us, yesterday marked Pi Day – aka Mathematicians’ Christmas – named as such because the date for Mar 14 looks like the numerical equivalent of Pi (3.14).

While it slipped under the radar for yours truly, Hutong’er Pie, the longtime Beijing-based pie makers, didn’t forget. What’s more, they not only dropped some good deals for Pi Day – which still apply today – but they’ve also moved into a new location in Andingmen.

Having been operating without a brick-and-mortar location for some time, Hutong’er is finally back in action, complete with a shop alongside Fenzi Coffee Shop on Andingmen Neidajie

Fenzi has been around just as long as Hutong’er, with both having opened up on Mar 2. The shop is cozy, like many of the cafés to be found around town, but its coffees are where it stands out.

Along with lattes, Americanos and the like, there are a number of unusual offerings. One such offering is an espresso con panna (康宝蓝咖啡 Kāngbǎolán kāfēi), an Italian classic featuring a shot of espresso topped with a generous helping of whipped cream and a biscotti-like cookie to dip in it.

But the big draw here is the pies of Hutong’er. Currently they’re offering three varieties: apple, key lime, and beef, but more flavors are in the works, including pecan pie and chicken quiche. You can get pie by the slice (RMB 45 for sweet, RMB 50 for savory) or full (RMB 298 per pie).

Having tried their beef pie before – it’s not so much an English-style beef pie as a take on a Shepherd’s pie swapping in cubed potatoes for mashed – I opted for the key lime.

It’s a whip cream topped slice with a custard lime-flavored underside. On first bite there’s the hit of lime, but also another distinct flavor, that of mint. I’m taken aback at first, but grow to the addition, as it’s reminiscent of a mojito, a sweet and cooling treat for these warmer days.

While Fenzi is Hutong’er Pie’s main outpost, for the time being, there are a number of other locations where you can find their pies, namely a few previous places we’ve written about: Old World and self coffee.

Head there or order for pick up or delivery via Hutong'er Pie's WeChat (hutongerpie201707, or scan QR below) to score a slice or two, or maybe even a full pie, as their Pi Day deals – RMB 88 for two slices of apple, key lime, or beef; RMB 78 for any subsequent pair of slices – are here to stay for a few more days.