New Bedford’s Brenneke’s Pies Were a Local Favorite

The holiday season is when many folks think about pies. Pumpkin, apple, mince, and even chocolate cream pies are staples on our holiday dessert table.

Supermarket pies are okay, but nothing compares to the smell and taste of a Brenneke's Pies pie, once made fresh daily in New Bedford.

The Brenneke's Pies Bakery, founded in 1924 by Martin Brenneke, was located for years at the corner of Kempton and Chancery Streets in the West End of New Bedford. The aroma of freshly baked Brenneke's Pies was mesmerizing.

The Brenneke's Pies Bakery was family-owned and operated until 1971 when it merged with the Worceter-based Table Talk Pies.

I recall as a small child, my family lived for a short period on Rotch Street, near Arnold Street, also in the West End of New Bedford. It was over 50 years ago, so my recollection is somewhat clouded, but I believe the house we rented was owned by the Brenneke family.

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A Brenneke's Pies delivery truck was always parked in front of the house next door, and the kind man who lived there with his wife regularly provided my brother and me with what seemed like an endless supply of small pies.

A post by Ed Couto on the New Bedford Facebook page jogged my memory of Brenneke's Pies. Ed's post stirred the memories of a lot of other folks as well.

There was this from Jim, "Still can remember the smells from my childhood."

Janice recalled, "Best blueberry pie ever! I still miss it."

Catherine said, "Thank you, dear Brenneke family, for the most precious memories of my youth!"