Pies ‘n’ Thighs debuted in the Brooklyn, N.Y., neighborhood of Williamsburg in 2006 and quickly garnered a reputation for serving top-notch fried chicken, biscuits, and pies. Twenty years later, the restaurant has doubled its footprint, opening a second location in Brooklyn — this time in Park Slope.
Pies ‘n’ Thighs was founded and is still run by Sarah Sanneh, a New York hospitality veteran who began her career at the Biltmore Room and Milk Bar in Manhattan before serving as pastry chef at Diner and its sister restaurant, Marlow & Sons, in Williamsburg. She wanted Pies ‘n’ Thighs to strike a balance between indulgent Southern comfort food and intention, focusing on high-quality ingredients and execution. That focus still drives the concept today.
“We’ve spent 20 years proving that people never get tired of really good fried chicken and hand-rolled biscuits,” Sanneh said. “It’s American comfort food, and the demand just keeps growing. We’ve created something that works across breakfast, lunch, and dinner, dine-in and delivery, and we got to a place where we knew we could bring that same experience to a new neighborhood without losing what makes Pies ‘n’ Thighs special.”
The Park Slope store is about 1,600 square feet and situated in a landmarked 1880s building. It was designed by Marc McQuade of Architecture Background Office and preserves some of the structure’s original elements, like exposed brick. There’s a visible kitchen, wraparound banquettes, green cushioned booths, and a mix of white enamel-top and checkerboard tables. All of the ceramic elements inside, including pie-inspired lighting fixtures, were made by Sanneh’s parents.
The restaurant serves fried chicken, roast chicken, sandwiches, sides, and pies.
“The Park Slope space is a bit more open, which lets us take care of more people, but it still has that warmth,” Sanneh said. “And we’re set up for delivery, because we know that’s how a lot of families eat with us.”
Park Slope is a very family-heavy neighborhood.
The menu in the new space follows the same format as the original. The popular fried chicken box pairs three pieces of chicken with a buttermilk biscuit and a side, like mac & cheese, smoked pork collards, or coleslaw. There’s a chicken sandwich, chicken and waffles, and the California-inspired green goddess roast chicken.
Diners can also skip chicken entirely and opt for catfish with the fried catfish box or catfish sandwich. And there are breakfast items, like eggs, pancakes, and bacon.
Pies include a classic apple, banana cream, and bourbon pecan, and the restaurant also makes fresh doughnuts.
“What people love about us is that you sit down, you get table service, and you get a generous plate of scratch-made food without thinking twice about the check,” Sanneh said.
It took 20 years for a second location, so this isn’t the start of a rapid expansion spree.
“Right now, we’re focused on making Park Slope feel like home,” Sanneh said. “A focused menu, great hospitality, [and] food that everybody loves at a price point that works. We’ve shown that in Williamsburg for 20 years. We’re excited to see where it goes from here.”