Slices Both Ways

Pie, the cheery new bakery-café in Newton Centre, sports the motto "There's always room for Pie." And, in fact, the diverse menu makes room for much more: oatmeal for breakfast, panini for lunch, meatloaf for dinner—not to mention pielike items such as knishes, pasties, hand pies, and potpies.

We wanted to love Pie unequivocally. Owner Ellen Kaplansky and pastry chef Paige Retus have earned their stripes at restaurants like Blu, the Metropolitan Club, and Flour. But there are kinks to work out. The dessert pies—apple, banana cream, lemon meringue—are predictable. And while fillings are terrific (especially the pecan and coconut custard), the crust is disappointingly tough—a critical gaffe. Savory fare is also mixed: The soups are as good as Grandma ever made, yet our pork loin sandwich was bland, and the chicken potpie lacked the signature creamy gravy. True, there are amazing cakes and cupcakes, and the Key lime pie is a tangy dream. But in the case of this Pie, what there's room for is improvement.

796 Beacon St., Newton Centre, 617-332-8743, piebakeryandcafe.com. $