Rob Lowe still dreams about this vintage chocolate cream pie
Rob Lowe told Allrecipes his all-time favorite vintage dessert is chocolate cream pie from The Spot, his grandfather's Sidney, Ohio diner. Decades later, the actor still craves that custard-based slice—not an overly sweet version—and says the retro diner treat remains one of his favorite indulgences. As Hollywood's favorite Brat Pack star approaches 60, that Midwestern sweet tooth has never really left him.
Key Takeaways
- Rob Lowe's go-to childhood dessert was chocolate cream pie from his grandpa's diner, The Spot in Sidney, Ohio.
- Lowe prefers a custard-based pie that is not too sweet or chocolatey—similar to slices he still orders at the Apple Pan in Los Angeles.
- The historic diner still serves pies today, and Allrecipes offers a close copycat recipe fans can bake at home.
- In a separate PauseRewind interview, Lowe recalled meeting Dolly Parton at his very first big Hollywood party at her manager's house.
- Lowe shared those memories while promoting his upcoming film "The Musical" amid renewed nostalgia for his early career.
What Is Rob Lowe's Favorite Vintage Dessert?
For movie star Rob Lowe, the dessert he craved most as a kid—and still adores today—is chocolate cream pie served at his grandfather's historic Sidney, Ohio diner. "I still dream about it," he told Allrecipes in an exclusive interview.
Raised on Midwestern comfort food from the diner his grandpa ran for 55 years, Lowe developed a serious sweet tooth. But one treat stood above the rest. "Pies—give me the pies!," he said.
"I can remember as a little boy," Lowe recalled, "there was a walk-in cooler that had individual slices of pies up a wall. I still dream about it—chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, apple…" The bakery also specialized in Old Fashioned Cream Pie. Of everything in the counter window, chocolate cream pie was his regular pick.
To this day, it remains one of Lowe's favorite indulgences—partly for its rich, decadent flavor and partly for the nostalgia baked into every slice. That kind of retro comfort food is exactly why vintage desserts keep resurfacing in pop culture conversations.
Why Does Rob Lowe Care About Custard Over Extra Chocolate?
By Lowe's standards, a good chocolate cream pie is surprisingly hard to find. "Usually, they make it way too sweet and chocolatey," he told Allrecipes. What he wants instead is a nice custard base.
He pointed to the Apple Pan in Los Angeles as a place that gets it right. That standard—velvety, balanced, not cloying—is what separates the diner pie he grew up on from imitations that lean too heavy on sugar and cocoa.
Lowe largely credits a low-carb Atkins lifestyle for helping him age healthfully as he nears 60, but he does not deny that an occasional decadent dessert makes life sweeter. His "default" was always set to diner food, and that Midwestern foundation followed him to Hollywood.
Where Can You Still Taste the Pie Lowe Grew Up On?
Good news for fans who want the real thing: the diner, called The Spot, still exists today as a historic landmark in Sidney, Ohio. It continues serving pure Americana comfort food—from burgers and milkshakes to, yes, pies.
If a road trip to Ohio is not on the calendar, Allrecipes notes it does not have The Spot's exact chocolate cream pie recipe. Based on Lowe's description, however, the site's Chocolate Cream Pie II recipe is a pretty close copycat—and, the outlet adds, incredibly easy to make at home.
The method is straightforward diner-style cooking: beat sugar and egg yolks until creamy, blend in cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt, then stir in milk. Cook the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla, cool slightly, and pour into a prepared pie shell. Chill in the refrigerator until set—at least two hours—then finish with whipped topping or homemade whipped cream for an authentic vibe. From Lowe's childhood table straight to your pie plate.
How Does Dolly Parton Fit Into Rob Lowe's Hollywood Story?
The dessert interview is not Lowe's only recent trip down memory lane. Speaking with PauseRewind's Kevin Zelman while promoting his upcoming film "The Musical," the actor shared a very different kind of nostalgia—his first brush with Hollywood stardom.
"Dolly plays a part, for me, in the very first big Hollywood party," Lowe recalled. "Very first Hollywood party I ever went to. I was so young and so impressionable that I came back from the party and wrote down all the famous people that were there. That's how new it was for me."
The gathering was held at Dolly Parton's manager's house. Lowe's clearest memory? "All I remember is seeing a plexiglass case of Dolly Parton's bedazzled high heels in the living room."
Lowe and Parton also share a pop-culture crossover: a "Simpsons" episode where Homer and friends get in trouble at the Super Bowl and are saved by Parton, who jokes she has to "go sing a medley with Rob Lowe!"
Lowe shared those reflections as fans mourned Parton, who died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 25, 2026, at age 80, according to a representative who confirmed the news to PauseRewind. Her team encouraged donations to the Imagination Library in her honor.
Why Does This Dessert Still Resonate With Fans?
Celebrities often name fancy restaurant dishes as their favorites. Lowe's pick is different—a slice from a family-run Ohio diner that shaped his palate before fame arrived.
That honesty resonates. Whether you grew up near Sidney or simply miss the era of pie cases and walk-in coolers, his story taps into a shared appetite for food that tastes like memory.
Chocolate cream pie was Lowe's regular order then. It is still his indulgence now. And with The Spot still open and a copycat recipe within reach, it is ours, too.