Two Tampa Bakeries Battle On Good Morning America For Best Pie

Good Morning America is on a mission to find the best pie in the U.S.. Their "United States of Pie" competition kicked off in Tampa Monday morning. The show is travelling all across the country to find the best pie in America. Competitors from 44 different cities will submit their recipe, winners from each round will advance to a final 4 round set in New York. Not only does the winner get bragging rights of owning Good Morning America best pie in America, they also go home with $10,000. Two Tampa bakeries, Mike's Pies and Psomi both showcased two holiday classic desserts, but only one moves on.

The show's first stop in the competition set place at Wish Farms in Tampa. Some special guests and attended and even had a Tampa legend judge the competition. WWE Global Ambassador Titus O'Neil was one of the celebrity judges along with Tyler Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Both bakeries really brought a lot of flavor to each of their creations. But only one walked away with the golden tin. Mike's Pies submitted a Florida classic: Key Lime Pie on a gluten-free crust. Psomi took a twist on an American tradition: Spiced Apple Pie with Baklava Streusel. It was a tough competition as the judges were left with a difficult decision. Titus O'Neil broke the tie-breaking decision and crowned Mike's Pies the winner of the Tampa pie challenge. What could be more fitting than the best pie in Tampa being a key lime pie? Mike’s Pies will now go to New York where they’ll compete against other winning bakeries from across the country for that sweet $10,000.

Psomi, which is loosely translated to "bread" in Greek, is owned by Christina Theofilos. For her recipe she used three different types of apples, creamy bougatsa filling, and of course baklava streusel on top. See more of Psomi's homemade menu here, or follow them on Instagram.

Mike's Pies is located at 10350 Windhorst Road Suite 100 Tampa. Mike started his pie baking journey while he was playing linebacker in college in the 70's. He missed his grandma's homemade baking and received a crash course on how to make the pies himself. In 1992 after settling down in Tampa he opened his first location, and made a huge following locally and nationally. On August 1, 2020, Mike’s Pies moved into its brand new, state-of-the-art, 53,000 square foot facility. Currently, Mike’s Pies has laid claim to 15 National Championships at the annual Great American Pie Festival, further proof …we cut no corners at Mike’s Pies…because as Mike likes to say…“there are no corners on Pies!” Their winning pie on Good Morning America featured a gluten-free graham cracker crust, authentic Nellie and Joe's Key Lime juice. Check out more of Mike's Pies here.

Do you hate the stress that comes with prepping and planning a Thanksgiving meal? Does the thought of doing dishes make you want to cry? Maybe you just moved to the area and don't have your family here to celebrate with you. Well, we have your backup plans ready for you! There are a bunch of fantastic restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving Day in the Tampa Bay area.

Don't wait until the last minute to make your Thanksgiving Day plans. We recommend you call your restaurant of choice and make a reservation to avoid any crowds.

Many of these restaurants are offering special menus for the holiday. Most have traditional menu items like a roasted turkey, baked ham, and classic sides. Don't feel like dining in a large crowd on Thanksgiving? Some families prefer to have their Thanksgiving meal catered. Most of these restaurants also offer take-home meals. So your holiday will have little to no stress in the kitchen!

With the help of 813area.com, we made a list of Tampa Bay restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving Day. We also added a few ideas of our own. Here's our list of spots we know are open on Thanksgiving Day in Tampa Bay.

Capital Grille is serving a fancy Thanksgiving meal. The full menu will also be available but the Thanksgiving menu includes:

For the whole table, they will offer Sam’s Mashed Potatoes to share and Pecan-Crusted Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Hot Honey. Treat yourself with their Pumpkin Cheesecake for dessert.

If you've never dined on the Yacht StarShip cruise, now might be the best time! Sail on Tampa's beautiful waters and enjoy a Thanksgiving buffet feast!  After dinner, make your way up to the top deck to take in the fresh air while our DJ plays the latest hits.

There will be three cruise times to choose from. Prices start at $69.95 for adults, plus a $2 marine fee.

Cruise 1 | Boards: 11:30 AM, Cruises: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Cruise 2 | Boards: 3:00 PM, Cruises: 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Cruise 3 | Boards: 6:30 PM, Cruises: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Join one of Tampa Bay's favorite spots for a Thanksgiving feast you won't forget. Del Frisco is always one of the most popular restaurants on holiday's because they are usually open! Their premium Thanksgiving dinner includes Herb & Butter Roasted Turkey with Mashed Potatoes, Brown Gravy, Green Beans, Apple Sausage Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce. Their regular dinner menu will also be available.

This waterfront favorite is a great spot to visit if you want to treat yourself this Thanksgiving. They will be offering a 4-Course Brunch or Seasonal Dinner menu this Thanksgiving. A four-course brunch is served from 10am-4p.m. and dinner will be served from 5p.m.-9p.m. It may be more on the expensive side, but you're treating yourself to a quality holiday meal.

Enjoy one of the fanciest Thanksgiving meals you'll ever have at Èlevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar at the Epicurean Hotel in Tampa. Their Thanksgiving feast will feature all the classic dishes with an elevated twist. Click here to see the menu and make your reservation.

This iconic Tampa spot is located outside of Westshore Plaza. This place normally fills up fast for their reservations. Click here to reserve your spot now! You can also pick up a fully cooked meal  for 4-6 people to-go. Pick up on Wednesday, November 22, store the prepared dinner in your refrigerator and simply reheat on Thanksgiving in less than an hour to enjoy.

Dine-in or take-out this holiday season at Ruth's Chris Steak House. Claimed to be one of the best steak houses in Tampa Bay, Ruth's Chris focuses on high quality food and service.

Take-home dinners and sides to go are available starting at $35 and are available for pick up on 11/22 only. Dine in starts at $44 for adults and 417 for kids. Choose between a starter, side, desert and lagniappe. You'll also enjoy Sliced Oven Roasted Turkey, Sausage & Herb Stuffing, Homemade Turkey Gravy and Cranberry Relish. Dining at home? You can also order your whole meal for pick up(11/22 ONLY)!

Celebrate new traditions at one of Tampa's best Brazilian steak houses. In addition to their Rodizio Experience, they will offer turkey wrapped in bacon, cranberry relish, sweet potato casserole, and more! 

Head to Eddie V's for a Thanksgiving meal you won't forget. Their menu includes Slow-Roasted Sliced Turkey, French Green Beans with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Brioche Sage Stuffing, Butternut Squash, Pan Gravy with Mirepoix Brunoise, Cranberry Chutney, and more! For dessert they'll offer Pumpkin Pie Tartlet with Pecan Ice Cream. Prices for adults start at $50 and $20 for kids. Click here to reserve your table!

We know Italian food might not be the first thing on your mind on Thanksgiving, but the family-style menu will have you drooling. Their menu this year includes: Bruschetta, salad and your choice of roasted turkey, baked smoked ham or Branzino Fresca Style. The dinner comes with a choice of two pastas for the table and two sides, with options like Tuscan creamed corn, sage & sausage stuffing and garlic mashed potatoes.

Cooper's Hawk has you covered this Thanksgiving. Their holiday menu starts at $34.99 for adults and $14.99 for kids! This year's menu includes:

Don't forget to pair your meal with the wine of the month! Click here to make a reservation! 

Give thanks this year at Jackson's! They will be serving our full dinner menu, as well as our Three-Course Thanksgiving Feature. The menu hasn't been released yet, so keep an eye on their social media pages for an update.

In addition to dine-in options, you can also order your Thanksgiving meal to-go from one of Tampa's iconic restaurants: Columbia Restaurant. This year they're offering Roasted Turkey with Columbia stuffing, sautéed carrots, sweet potato pecan casserole, whipped mashed potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce.