Dan Martino, founder of Little Susie’s Coffee & Pie in Philadelphia, offers a look behind the counter at his bustling bakery and shares how it keeps up with the high-demand holiday season.

What inspired you to open this business?

I’ve worked in the food industry since I was a teenager, including small snack bars and industrial hospital kitchens. I spent over a decade after college working behind the curtain for a restaurant company as their graphic designer. I even tried (and failed) to run a soup truck.

I also come from a family of cooks, from my parents to my great-grandparents. That’s where my center of gravity originates: their homemade Pennsylvania Dutch recipes of roasts, sauces, stocks, soup, and bread (with big hunks of butter). I recognized along the way that most people only want to eat what makes them feel good and that the best restaurants do one thing very well.

But the true inspiration to open the bakery came from the road. I spent years touring the country as a drummer for TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb. In every town we played, the local coffee shop was the heartbeat of the community. It was where we met the most interesting people and felt the true vibe of the neighborhood. I wanted to bottle that magic and bring it back to my area, creating a space where people felt that same sense of connection. I also thought that if I kept it small and simple, it would be easy for me to manage.

What were your first products, and how have they evolved?

We wanted to focus on high-quality, fast-and-friendly options that didn’t compromise on flavor and were made in-house. Coffee was the easy part, but introducing our hand pies took a few weeks to get right. Once we dialed those in, lines started forming. The Pork Roll & Cheese Pie and Honeycrisp Apple Pie were the cornerstones of Little Susie’s menu right away and still are today.

We had a larger menu when we started, which included things like bagels, oatmeal, cupcakes, and danish, but over time, the pies became our focus. In 2025, we shifted entirely to pies and a few simple bakery items like chocolate chip cookies. We also have very popular dog treats made from piecrust.

Aside from the classics, which products are currently winning over your customers?

Our savory expansion has really surprised people. The Sausage Egg and Cheese and Chicken Pot Pie versions are hard to keep in stock. Mushroom & Swiss and Potato Cheddar are solid vegetarian favorites. We come up with special varieties for holidays like our Stuffed Turkey Pie for Thanksgiving and our Chocolate-Covered Strawberry one for Valentine’s Day.

How does the business transform during the holiday season?

From the first day of school through Thanksgiving, it is pure pie season. We can barely keep the shelves stocked. As we meet more neighbors and open new locations, we get to become part of people’s new traditions. Pie isn’t anything new. But we hear stories from regulars about how thrilled people were to try our pies at their holiday parties—and we then start to see those people come back year after year. It warms the heart.

Your website mentions that you prioritize using local ingredients. How do you approach your supply chain?

Supporting the domestic economy and community growers is a core value of our brand. We’re incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by fantastic farms. I make it a point of pride to source from them whenever possible and strive to buy American. There’s no question that when it comes to produce, fresh and local is unbeatable. Anyone who cooks would agree.

So we get local ingredients like mushrooms from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, chicken from central Pennsylvania, and apples from nearby orchards. But we do occasionally have to go beyond the Northeast. We’ve made some incredible pies with cured meats and olive oil from Italy, for example. I always want my customers to know that what they are getting is top-shelf.

Little Susie’s is known for its iconic walk-up windows. What was the strategy behind that design?

The windows were born out of necessity, but they became a great asset. We opened our first location just months before the pandemic. We had to pivot instantly: close down or open the windows. It turned out to be a blessing. Doing so removed the barrier between us and the sidewalk (and our customers). Now it’s a quintessential part of the experience. Parents with strollers and neighbors walking their dogs can grab a coffee and a pie without missing a beat. It has turned a simple transaction into a community social hour.

What does the future hold for Little Susie’s?

The momentum is incredible. We opened our fifth location in early 2026, and we are officially moving into franchising to bring Little Susie’s to other states. We’ve also invested heavily in our catering side with a vintage truck for events. As for the menu? The sky’s the limit. We’re always dreaming up new recipes to keep our customers excited.

For more info, visit littlesusies.com

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