Rager Pie Lives on as Hutonger Pie, Serves up Sweet and Meaty Treats on Zhangzizhong Lu

In recent years it very much lived up to its name, being all the rage for hutong dwellers with pastry cravings. So, when Rager Pie founder Wilson Hailey left the country and its original location was shut down a few weeks back as part of Beijing’s seemingly endless Great Brickening, the dessert and meat pie haven’s devoted following was understandably distraught.

Thankfully, two of Hailey’s Rager cohorts, Carol Qin and Chen Jie, decided to keep the business going and have found a new location to sling those deeply nourishing pies from. That blink-and-you’ll-miss-it new joint on Zhangzizhong Lu, is tiny, and works best for takeout and deliveries. They’ve also changed the name to Hutonger Pie and plan to tweak the menu with pies that draw on Chinese recipes, while of course also maintaining an array of traditional old favorites.

As a baker, Chen Jie clearly took careful note of mentor Hailey’s technique, reading pies with flaky crusts and mouthwatering fillings. Standard, taste-of-home varieties like pecan (RMB 35), apple (RMB 30) and chicken pot (RMB 50) pies will all dependably hit the spot. But you’re apt to enjoy some of the more creative options on hand all the more, like a tangy steak Yanjing (RMB 55) or a sweetly zesty mango pie (RMB 30) with their unique flavors.

We very much liked what we tried when we stopped by. The only hitch: they’re not on Sherpa’s just yet, though you can order their pies via Baidu Waimai and other Chinese platforms, as well as through their WeChat account or in-store to-go orders.  All in all, it’s a promising fresh start for an old hutong favorite, and serves as a sturdy spot to order both a filling dessert or a meaty, starchy meal on its own (or both, if you’re up for a meaty and sweet pie-intensive meal).

Hutonger Pie
Daily, 9am-8pm. 35 Zhangzizhong Lu, Dongcheng (WeChat: 13693171850)
东城区张自忠路35号