- Fresh baked, sweet or savory… the recipes continue to grow with new creations and requests from customers.
Recently, I contacted Ryan Tate, founder and owner of The Handpie Guy, regarding coming to Tupelo for an interview. We set the date. The logistics were arranged, and on an early Thursday morning, my friend, Charlotte, and I drove the over two-hour trip north.
Picking up my cell phone, I hit the Google Maps app for directions to the Handpie Guy. The address I had entered took me to a shopping center. I pulled in front of the Change skate shop on Cliff Gookin Boulevard and looked for the Handpie Guy sign, but saw nothing.
Picking up the phone again, I called the number I had in my contacts. “Hi Ryan, I’m sitting in my vehicle in front of the business, Change. Are you inside?” I asked.
With a slight chuckle, Ryan told me that I had the wrong address. He said he had moved from that location several months ago. I needed to come to 1133 W. Main Street, his business is across from the Talbot House Bakery & Cafe. I plugged in the new address. Once again, I relied upon Google Maps. Pulling out of the shopping center, I went east on Main Street. When I approached the area, the voice from Google was telling me to turn right. I obeyed. No signs of the Handpie Guy; instead, I was at a tire service center. Ugh!
I redialed the number, “Hi Ryan, I’m at the address you gave me, but I’m not finding your business.” How embarrassing, I thought, and now I’m late for the interview. Ryan told me that he was directly across the street. I drove out of the parking lot, stopped at a stoplight, and then turned left, followed by a quick right into the parking lot of a shopping area. And there was the sign I was looking for, over a building that is a free-standing Farmer’s Market.
Ryan warmly greeted me, and I took a seat at a corner table. Our appointment was for 10 a.m., now it is almost 10:30, and people were steadily driving up. I watched the patrons getting out of their vehicles to view the day’s menu and place their order at the front window, while others went to the drive-thru. The place was hopping with business.
Ryan asked if I would like to sample a hand pie or two. Who could refuse? I chose the sausage and gravy for the savory option and a peach for the sweet one. Piping hot, it would be a few minutes before I could indulge.
The Skateboard Connection
Ryan Tate is originally from Southern California, where he engaged in skateboarding from his childhood and continues to this day. After high school, he joined the army and then returned to Venice Beach, where he was involved in several businesses.
His wife, Carla, is from Stone County, Mississippi, but they met in California. She is also a skateboarder. They decided to move to Ocean Springs, but they returned to California.
Eventually, they decided to move back to Mississippi, this time to Petal, where they opened an award-winning restaurant, which also featured a food truck, called South Miss Hot Dogs and Hand Pies for a more southern flair. Later, they made the decision to sell the business.
Last fall, Ryan commented to his wife that he was bored and wondered where they could find a place to skateboard. They found Change in Tupelo and met with the owner, Matt Robinson. He is the founder of a skateboarding and art festival held annually called ChangeFest.
The connection between the two men went from skateboarding to opening a business using the small kitchen at the back of Change. Also joining in the conversation was Michael Parker, who goes by Parker. He was hired and began working for The Handpie Guy when it opened for business on October 2, 2024.
It wasn’t long before the Tates realized they needed a slightly bigger kitchen and a more centralized location. Ryan met with the owner of a farm stand and asked about renting the space. He remodeled, creating a kitchen and an area for customers to sit. But a portion of the building was kept for the owner to operate the seasonal farm stand.
Handpies Available in 120 Varieties
The inspiration for South Miss Hot Dogs and Hand Pies and The Handpie Guy may have come from a Ryan’s California friend, an Argentinian, whose mother had an empanada shop.
With a love for cooking, Ryan spent several weeks developing a rich, buttery pie crust that would work well for both the savories and sweets. The dough is mixed the day before and placed in the refrigerator to harden. The next step is to run the dough through a sheeter. Then, by hand, Ryan and Parker use a disk to cut out the 500 to 700 pie crusts for the day. The following steps are the fillings and then the crimper.
For the fillings, the Tates started with tried-and-true recipes from Carla’s family. But the recipes have grown with new creations and requests from customers. There are the favorites such as Mississippi Pot Roast, sausage gravy, and cheeseburger, along with the new candied jalapeno and pimento cheese.
Open on Wednesday through Friday, the monthly menu features one breakfast pie, one vegetarian option, three savory pies, and three sweet pies. However, the menu is subject to change should a pie become a hot-selling item. Weekly, the menu is posted on the Facebook page. The following is a daily example: sausage gravy, cheeseburger, chicken cordon bleu, gaucho corn, jalapeno popper with bacon, peach, apple, blueberry with vanilla cream, and bananas foster.
Ryan stated that he usually arrives at work around 4:30 a.m. to prepare for serving customers from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. However, if they sell out, which they typically do, they will close around 1 or 2 p.m. A unique feature of this business is that there are no leftovers. If there are any handpies left at the end of the day, they are taken to the nearby fire station.
For the 4th of July, The Handpie Guy set up a stand at a local park. They made 1000 fried pies, instead of the usual oven-baked, and sold lemonade. It was a success. The sweets and savories are requested for events such as baby or bridal showers. The pies are frozen, and delivery includes instructions on how to bake at home. For pre-orders, costumers simply call or use the Facebook page.
Ryan also serves seasonal items like a sweet potato handpie, or at Mardi Gras, he has handpies that are decorated like the King Cake. When you order a dozen, a plastic baby is hidden in one of the handpies.
Challenges & Contests
Do you like hot peppers? Does a contest called “The Fire in My Piehole Challenge” pique your interest? About a month ago, Ryan shared the details of the contest on social media. The hand pie was made a tad larger than the regular pies. Inside each pie was a mixture of ground beef and a sauce consisting of Ghost, Carolina Reapers, Scorpion, Habanero, and Jalapeno peppers. One thing is sure, it was hot and spicy.
Those who took the challenge had to wear gloves to pick up the pie. The contestant had 90 seconds to eat the pie. Then they had to wait five minutes before they could drink a glass of milk. A good number of men and women participated.
From a social media post, Ryan wrote, “After a month of running it, I’ve learned one thing: people will do anything for a free t-shirt. I thought this would just be a fun little stunt—watch folk’s mouths catch fire, eyes water, hear a few “it’s worse coming out than going in” jokes, and boom, laughs all around.”
Sorry, the contest has ended. Ryan officially pulled the plug on the contest on August 29. Those who participated are in what Ryan calls “an exclusive club of 15 legends who survived it in the summer of 2025, right here in Tupelo. Their faces are forever immortalized on the Wall of Flame (and social media photos don’t lie).” The Wall of Flame is located inside The Handpie Guy.
On September 3, a new challenge is available for the entire family. Purchase six pies of your choice and eat all six in six minutes, with no drinks. Winners receive a t-shirt and their money back. If you fail at the challenge, you receive a to-go bag for your leftover pies! Everyone wins. Come and participate.
Entrepreneurship
When I asked Ryan about future plans, he told me he was working on several ways to expand his hand pie business. Offering franchises is at the top of his list. If you are interested and would like to invest, contact him.
This fall, he will be flying to California to consult with a friend who wants The Handpie Guy in a food truck located at his movie studio in Burbank. There are other things he is considering.
The Tates are in the process of selling their home in Tupelo and will return to Petal. Parker will be the Operations Manager for the Tupelo business. The Tates will be traveling back and forth as needed.
Several times, Ryan left our interview to help Parker with customers. I witnessed firsthand how much he enjoyed meeting the public. When asked what the best thing about the business was, Ryan responded, “I would have to say it is the interaction with people. Getting to know them and where they are from. I pretty much talk to everyone who comes through.” He is building relationships and offers a high-quality pie that keeps his customers coming back.
I thanked Ryan for his time, said goodbye to Parker, hopped in my car, and went back to pick up Charlotte. Before I left Tupelo, I took her to The Handpie Guy for an afternoon dessert. I purchased a baker’s dozen to take home and share with family and friends. I’m hooked!
Follow The Handpie Guy on Facebook or call 662-422-3381 for the menu, pre-order information, and more.
Laura Lee Leathers
