When I walked into You Need Pie this week for breakfast, I was completely surprised and awed by the totally new look. I had no idea that the restaurant had changed hands and had undergone extensive remodeling.
JJ and Tiffany Jackson, new owners from Texas, took possession in May 2025 and immediately began customizing their own brand with a new space and new menus.
The revitalized restaurant looks spacious, modern, and attractive, with a single large dining room created by removing a wall that once separated the two spaces.
There is still a shady, outdoor, dog-friendly patio, and now a new shaded rooftop patio with impressive views.
The menu has breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, and the restaurant is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day this summer, though operating hours will change seasonally.
Although all the menus received an upgrade, pie remains the main feature, with 84 pies on the pie menu. Usually 15 different kinds of pie from that menu are available every day, but some varieties sell out before noon, according to Tiffany.
All slices are $6.75, and whole pies are $32.
My favorite is caramel apple pecan, which Tiffany says is the number one seller in the fruit pie category, and coconut cream is the number one cold pie.
Portion sizes for the meals and pies are generous and much appreciated by the customers I interviewed.
“I ate lunch and pie, but I’m taking home leftovers from both,” said a man visiting from the UK.
The restaurant’s pot pies are very popular, served in a cute miniature cast-iron skillet, and there are six varieties, including pork green chili, elk, chili with cornbread for the top crust, southwest chicken, and potato bacon, as well as a traditional turkey variation (each $17).
A first-time visitor to Estes from Missouri had discovered elk medallions at a different Estes restaurant earlier in the week, so he ordered the elk pot pie, ate it all, and said it was great.
My husband thought the gluten-free chili-cornbread pot pie was terrific. He tried to eat the whole thing but had to save some for another meal.
Tiffany Jackson said the reuben sandwich with one side dish ($19) is the most popular lunch, maybe because the corned beef is braised in-house for 16 hours.
A woman from New Jersey said her reuben sandwich was awesome, and she was surprised that her 14-month-old baby ate so much of it.
There is also a kids’ menu with eight choices, each including a side dish ($10).
There are 20 different side dish options, including waffle fries, jalapeno poppers, five different soups, potatoes four different ways, and traditional fare like fruit, tossed salad, and veggies.
A woman from New Jersey raved about her grilled chicken sandwich plus a side ($18). “It was really good because of the bacon, pepperjack cheese, and garlic aioli,” she explained with enthusiasm.
The “Build Your Own Spud” part of the menu starts with a $10 potato and then lists seven different options to add, from the usuals like chili, cheese, and bacon ($2-$3), to elk soup ($6), pork green chili ($3), and reuben fixings ($6).
Soup options come in bread bowls and can be purchased as a three- or five-bowl platter, featuring seven daily soups.
A woman from Missouri said she finished her tomato basil soup in the bread bowl ($10), but had to take the soup-soaked bread bowl home because it was so delicious.
The star dish at breakfast, according to Tiffany, is the chicken-fried steak and eggs ($22), and the usual dishes are also offered. All of these include a side dish: breakfast burritos and sandwiches ($17), biscuits and gravy ($15), French toast or waffles ($17 with two eggs), and corned beef hash and eggs ($20).
Breakfast diners commented on their perfect waffles with a crispy exterior, the rich flavor of the French toast, and the large portions.
Fourteen members of a local women’s social club enjoyed a meal at You Need Pie and were impressed by the great food, the quick delivery to their table, and the excellent service that never lapsed during their long stay.
Tiffany admitted that big groups can be challenging but said, “We figured out a trick that helps us tremendously with large groups.”
The take-out business was strong during the lunch rush I witnessed. Customers can use DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Warrior Express for delivery service.
Both Jacksons said they moved to Estes Park as restaurant owners to focus on their family and their own success, rather than sacrificing family time to work for a corporation’s success.
JJ explained that he is working to remove some outdated menus that still exist online for You Need Pie. “Be sure you are looking at an online menu that matches our logo,” he advises.
The restaurant is located in Lower Stanley Village at 509 Big Thompson Ave.
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