I have always had a fondness for independent diners. There's 2 or 3 within driving distance of me. Homemade pie is indeed one of the reasons. Portland, Maine and its surrounding towns are together famous for their restaurant culture. This even shows up in Portland's wiki page:
Quote
Portland ranks among the top U.S. cities in restaurants and bars per capita. ...Portland has developed a national reputation for the quality of its restaurants, eateries, and food culture. In 2009, Portland was named the "Foodiest Small Town in America" by Bon Appétit magazine and was featured as a food destination in the New York Times
That's all true. And that includes some of the finest restaurants I have ever been to. And believe me, given the chances to do so, I exploit that. When people visit we make sure they get to dive in and sample Portland food culture. And it;s affordable too, lots of mid-range places with deluxe creativity and inspired menus. In this respect Portland would remind you of SF
That's all here...but I still like the diners and lobster shacks.
I shouldn't eat pie but I do now and then. Apple, peach, chocolate cream.
(Lobster shack):