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The Chicken Pie Shop Legacy: 87 Years of Comfort Food in SD

Owners Bob and Lisa Townsend join us to dish on how they’ve kept the institution alive

By Jackie Bryant December 19, 2024

The Chicken Pie Shop Legacy: 87 Years of Comfort Food in SD — Courtesy of Chicken Pie Shop

NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDES Know the Neighborhood Where to eat, where to drink, and what it's like to live there. EXPLORE THE GUIDES

This week on Happy Half Hour, we’re diving fork-first into the 87-year legacy of San Diego’s beloved Chicken Pie Shop. Owners Bob and Lisa Townsend join us to dish on how they’ve kept the comfort food institution alive—whole chickens and turkeys, scratch-made everything, and fried chicken so good it took six months to perfect. They share tales of Pi Day chaos during Covid, balancing tradition with modern tweaks, and their recent move to acquire San Diego Brewing Company. Plus, we talk local faves like chili Colorado at Cantina Mayahuel and New York slices at A Brooklyn Pizzeria.

About Jackie Bryant

Jackie is a long-time freelance journalist covering cannabis, food/restaurants, travel, labor, wine, spirits, arts & culture, design, and other topics. Her work has been selected twice for Best American Travel Writing, and she has won a variety of national and local awards for her writing and reporting.

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