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London loves a pie and we’ve rounded up the best in town – whether you’re a puff pastry lid kinda person or more of a shortcrust pastry bottom.
Pies have been a staple in the UK for thousands of years and, while they’re as popular as ever, they’ve changed a lot since the days when they were eaten by Roman army soldiers or filled with live birds at Medieval banquets. In London specifically, when you think of pies, you may think of pie and mash shops. Many of these (mainly East End) gems have been around since the Victorian era when pie and mash shops were popularised as places where you could get a fast and cheap meal. M. Manzes and Goddards are among London’s remaining pie and mash shops, both of which have been in operation for more than 100 years. Head to either and you’ll find the dish served with the traditional liquor (parsley sauce).
As well as at these historic shops, you can find pies everywhere in London, from football stadiums to street food markets to pubs. If you’re after a more elevated pie, you’ll find plenty of those too – especially after the city’s recent posh pie wave. At Bob Bob Ricard, for example, there’s a chicken & Champagne pie, filled with shiitake mushrooms, leeks and carrots, and topped with beautifully embossed puff pastry, and a ‘humble’ veggie version with Jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms, celeriac, onions, truffle and Champagne, because only here would truffle be considered humble.
Whatever kind of pie you’ve got you’re eye on, here’s where to find it.
The Best Pies
London loves a pie and we’ve rounded up the best in town – whether you’re a puff pastry lid kinda person or more of a shortcrust pastry bottom.
Pies have been a staple in the UK for thousands of years and, while they’re as popular as ever, they’ve changed a lot since the days when they were eaten by Roman army soldiers or filled with live birds at Medieval banquets. In London specifically, when you think of pies, you may think of pie and mash shops. Many of these (mainly East End) gems have been around since the Victorian era when pie and mash shops were popularised as places where you could get a fast and cheap meal. M. Manzes and Goddards are among London’s remaining pie and mash shops, both of which have been in operation for more than 100 years. Head to either and you’ll find the dish served with the traditional liquor (parsley sauce).
As well as at these historic shops, you can find pies everywhere in London, from football stadiums to street food markets to pubs. If you’re after a more elevated pie, you’ll find plenty of those too – especially after the city’s recent posh pie wave. At Bob Bob Ricard, for example, there’s a chicken & Champagne pie, filled with shiitake mushrooms, leeks and carrots, and topped with beautifully embossed puff pastry, and a ‘humble’ veggie version with Jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms, celeriac, onions, truffle and Champagne, because only here would truffle be considered humble.
Whatever kind of pie you’ve got you’re eye on, here’s where to find it.
Anywhere that has a dedicated Pie Room is gonna be knocking out some epic pastry creations, and that’s exactly what happens at Holborn Dining Room. It’s hard to choose between them, but the dauphinoise potato pie and hand raised pork pie are seriously special.
There’s no doubt as to what’s inside this sharing pie at Mount St. Restaurant, on the first floor of The Audley, as it comes served with a lobster head poking out the top (the £110 price tag might give you a clue too). Eating lobster surrounded by incredible art, it doesn’t get more boujie than that.
The Pelican pub in west London joins the list of new “pubs” which are raising their food game – though it’s fair to debate whether these are actual pubs in the true sense of the word or indeed restaurants within old pubs. There’s a lot of talent behind the pub: James Gummer, who has 7 Saints down the road; Phil Winser, who was one of the people behind NYC’s The Fat Radish (RIP); and Head Chef Owen Kenworthy, who was the original chef at Brawn when it opened. The menu is seasonal European, with lots of classic pub dishes elevated through the use of amazing ingredients and more modern spins, with sausage rolls, mince on toast, monkfish scampi, smoked potatoes, bavette steak and pies like lobster & monkfish and chicken, ham & leek pies making an appearance. The wine list is very well put together with some great skin contacts, British labels and more safe options for the oldies at the table
Willy’s Pies is delivering some of the best pies in London. The pies, all handmade in Hackney, change regularly but you can usually expect a few meat and a few veggie ones (like cauliflower, leek & cheddar, and beef shin, smoked bacon & ale) and all savoury pies arrive ready-to-bake. Willy’s has set-up a perm spot under the arches of London Field’s, but he delivers the goods across London and is stocked in a bunch of stores across the capital. You can even get his pies at the football too.
From pub royalty Cubitt House and chef Ben Tish, The Coach Makers Arms in Marylebone has a good few options for pie-lovers. You might spy a fish pie or a beef shin suet pudding in the savoury section, and perhaps a Bramley apple pie for dessert.
The Wigmore’s elevated pub grub menu (overseen by Michel Roux Jr.) of course includes an elevated pie, like braised beef & onion or a ham hock & cheese with garlic butter. So it’s perfect if you’re after a pie with a bit more panache.
The iconic Soho restaurant Bob Bob Ricard have a chicken, mushroom and champagne pie on the menu, which comes with their name etched into the crust and is possibly the poshest pie in London. Just look at it…it’s a knock out.
The Windmill pub in Mayfair take pies pretty seriously – there are two dedicated pie sections on its menu! The pastry pie offering includes fillings like chicken, cheddar & broccoli; steak & stilton; sausage, black pud & cider; ndjua, ricotta & spinach; and potato, red onion & feta, with greens and mash or chips on the side. And if you think a pie is still a pie if it has a potato topping, there’s shepherd’s pie and fish pie on the menu too.
Putney Pies is West London’s dirty little secret. Serving up handmade pies, pot pies with lids and hot pots, they’ve got everything you could ever want. From the traditional steak and ale to the wild rabbit & bacon, it’s pies how they should be – with lots of mash and gravy.
Goddards at Greenwich has been around since 1890 and is a proper old school pie and mash shop. The affordable menu is filled with the classics including minced beef, steak and kidney, and chicken and ham pie served with liquor, gravy, mash, baked beans or peas. And if you’re not down with the pies, David Beckham is a regular and we can all get down with that…
The Great Central Pub at The Landmark London is run by chef Matt Fletcher, who worked at the five-star hotel between 2009-2011. For his return, he’s doing classic gastropub fare, so naturally there’s a homemade pie on the menu – check the specials board to see what it is as the fillings change often.
This restored Victorian pub on Hackney Road has bags of style thanks to the brown tiles on the facade, the wood panelling in the bar and dark leather banquettes (plus a more modern and minimalist dining room upstairs). Run by ex-St JOHN pair Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram, there’s also a cracking seasonal British menu to match. The beef & barley bun has become something of a signature, as have the pies, but there are also oysters, cured and smoked fish, chops and steaks, Sunday roasts, and puds like brown butter & honey tart to get stuck into. There are local brews on the bar too, alongside a carefully curated wine list and cocktails featuring housemade cordials and shrubs.
The oldest pie shop in town, M.Manze has been serving traditional pie, mash and eels since 1902 and they still use the same recipes too. Impressive. Whether you dine in or take-away you can find a true cockney experience right here.
A true classic, The Guinea Grill opened in 1952 on a site that has been home to a pub since the 15th century. And as you might expect from a traditional pub, there are plenty of pies. Some options include beef, oyster and horseradish; steak and mushroom; steak, kidney and mushroom; and potato and Wensleydale too.
