Naples

Naples sits at the bottom of a valley where the hills narrow into some of the most densely planted vineyard terrain in Ontario County. The grape pie tradition began when Irene Bouchard was commissioned to make the dessert for Al Hodges’ Redwood Restaurant in the 1960s. Naples now calls itself the Grape Pie Capital of the World, and the claim is not contested. The Naples Grape Festival, held on the last full weekend in September, has been running since 1961 and draws more than forty thousand visitors over two days.

Monica’s Pies on Route 21 is the village’s year-round source, nationally recognized since a New York Times feature in 2004. Cindy’s Pies on Academy Street has been baking grape pies since 1978 in both classic and crumble-top crust. Joseph’s Wayside Market on South Main sponsors the World’s Greatest Grape Pie Contest at the festival each September and anchors the village’s agricultural retail through the year.

Grimes Glen, a streambed gorge walk from a trailhead on Vine Street two blocks off the main street, is free, open year-round, and one of the most underused gorge hikes in the Finger Lakes. Roughly one mile round trip. Water shoes recommended.