Best Cure for a Sweet Tooth: Justice of the Pies – Avalon Park

Ever hear of a bakery in a former dentist office? Well now you have! In 2023, pastry chef Maya-Camille Broussard opened her brick and mortar location for the bakery, Justice of the Pies, in what was once the Avalon Park office of her mom’s childhood dentist. The bakery’s clever name is an homage to her late father, Stephen J. Broussard, a criminal defense attorney who loved to bake pies.

The bakery serves both sweet and savory treats ranging from classics like sweet potato pie and key lime pie to more novel flavors like Smoked Gouda and Spinach Quiche. While there, I tried the lavender lemon cookie and it was divine. The cookie had a texture similar to a tea cake and tasted bright and lemony, with a slight hint of herby flavor. It is a must try!

Designer bakeries are uncommon in the neighborhood, so I was interested in how the reception has been at this location. According to Broussard, a James Beard Award finalist in 2022, “The reception has been very welcoming. People are delighted to see a business such as ours in a neighborhood like Avalon Park. We also have a lot of Chicagoland customers who travel from across the city to enjoy Justice of the Pies. Many travelers, including international ones, come to visit us as well.”

In addition to baking tempting treats, Justice of the Pies serves the community by way of their I Knead Love Workshop. Founded in 2017, this workshop teaches middle schoolers how to be more self-sufficient in the kitchen. In the past, they partnered with organizations such as Alternatives Youth, The Maria Kaupas Center, and the Center for Hearing and Communication to offer workshops several times throughout the year (Broussard herself lost 75 percent of her hearing as a child). In 2020, they created the Broussard Justice Foundation, a 501(c)-3 organization to increase efforts in activating the workshops and to create more funding opportunities for their supporters. 

Before I wrapped up the interview, I had to ask about Bake Squad, the Netflix show Broussard starred in, and whether it is coming back for a third season. Broussard didn’t know—but while we may not know if Bake Squad is returning to the screen, we do know where you can find some delectable treats. Check out Justice of the Pies, you will be glad you did!

Justice of the Pies, 8655 S. Blackstone Ave., Friday–Sunday, 9am–5pm. justiceofthepies.com