Photograph by Drew Podo
The dim lighting, the double-padded white tablecloths, the paneling, the seasoned servers dressed in pressed whites—Bones has been an old school landmark of celebrated decadence since opening in 1979. No dish embodies that generous hospitality more than their mountain high pie.
The cake, which stands nearly a foot tall, has been on the menu for almost 40 years. It first debuted when the restaurant opened and was designed specifically to be a show-stopping treat for diners celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. “It was created for special occasions, to make sure you we help you relax and unwind on your special day,” says executive chef Leonard Lewis. “If you have anything that you’re celebrating, [the mountain high pie] is complimentary.
It takes the kitchen two days and three-and-a-half gallons of ice cream to make a pie. First, cooks must saw gallons of Greenwood Vanilla, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and Rum Raisin ice cream into three-inch slabs. The ice cream is then layered into a bundt pan, working quickly to prevent the layers from warming and running together. The cake is frozen over night, covered with meringue, and cut into massive slices.“People come here every year on their birthdays just so they can get their pie,” Lewis says. “We’ve raised generations on it.”
