Held in the hand and devoured on the go, eaten in the pub with piles of buttery mash, or savoured at an old-school café – when it comes to pies, the UK has an array of wonderful options to try. From no-frills local spots with a cult following to historic butchers' shops and high-end restaurants, we've found Britain's best pies in every region – each of England's nine official regions, plus Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Has your local made the list?
In the mood for a proper pie? Click or scroll on to discover where to find Britain's tastiest pies, listed A-Z by region.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
The bustling market town of Melton Mowbray punches well above its weight in the food stakes and is famous the world over for its pork pies. Brockleby's is one of the area’s most acclaimed pork pie makers, but the bakery is best known for its incredible hot pies, stuffed to the gills with fillings like creamy salmon with broccoli and dill, and Moroccan-spiced mutton. The must-order here, though, is the Moo & Blue Pie (steak and ale with melted Stilton running through it), which scooped the Supreme Champion prize in The British Pie Awards 2023.
A relative newcomer to the Nottingham food scene, Project Pies started out as a lockdown sensation, with founder Dan Lione selling his pies from various kitchens around the city. He finally opened a permanent shop last year in the Carlton Hill area and it was an instant success, with 400 pies sold on the first day of business. There’s a dizzying array of fillings available, from traditional steak and ale to wackier concoctions like Chilli Mac 'n' Cheese and the signature Goose Fair Pie – minced beef and onion with a layer of mushy peas.
This legendary Melton Mowbray pie shop has been a fixture in the town for over 170 years, when John Dickinson started selling hand-raised pork pies using his grandmother's recipe. These world-famous pies are distinctive for their melt-in-the-mouth hot water pastry, packed with a seasoned pork filling that’s surrounded by a meaty jelly to protect it. They’re still made the traditional way and the shop is a real celebration of the art of proper pie-making, with lots of different sizes and flavours available.
This thriving East Midlands chain is a real success story, showing there’s still a proper place for traditional butchers' shops on the high street. Bowring has four locations in Mansfield, Chesterfield and Worksop, all selling fantastic quality meat sourced from the owner’s family farm in rural Nottinghamshire. The chain was recently named Best Small Producer at The British Pie Awards 2024, and locals rave about the sensational pork pies made fresh every day, topped with everything from Stilton to sage and onion stuffing.
Flaming Galah is right at home in cosmopolitan Norwich, offering hearty pies with an Australian twist. This no-frills takeaway is housed inside a former fish and chip shop, and you can guarantee a piping hot pie with lashings of tasty gravy for an affordable price. Here you’ll find traditional Aussie-style pies – a classic beef and gravy filling with a shortcrust base and flaky pastry top – but the shop is best known for its more unique specials, filled with everything from Thai curry to seafood chowder.
The mark of a great pie is the all-important pastry to filling ratio and fans say this charming cafe in rural Norfolk has got it cracked. A true hidden gem, the spot is praised for the wonderfully buttery and glossy handmade pastry used to encase its pies, as well as the generous amount of filling. The pies here have a real homely quality, with the bestselling chicken, smoked bacon, ham and mushroom pie featuring lovely big chunks of meat and veg.
Pie and mash is treated like an artform at Tony's Pie & Mash Shop, a traditional spot that’s said to make the best pies outside of the East End and can count the likes of David Beckham amongst its fans. The Essex eatery sells just the one type of pie – minced beef – but it's cooked to perfection, best enjoyed with a huge mound of mash and jellied eels on the side, if you’re brave enough. The liquor (a punchy bright green parsley sauce traditionally served with pie and mash) also gets top marks from locals.
If you’re looking for an authentic pie, mash and liquor experience in London, there’s no better place than this historic pie chain. East End pie and mash is a delicacy that people either love or hate, and the traditional plates that have been served up at M.Manze since it was founded in 1902 are unlikely to change your mind if you fall in the latter camp. However, if you love simple pies, it’s a must. The Tower Bridge branch – said to be London’s oldest pie and mash shop – is worth a visit purely to see the gorgeous Victorian, green-tiled interiors.
The humble pie gets a seriously sophisticated makeover at Holborn Dining Room, where the artful bakes look almost too good to eat. This elegant, chandelier-decked space is pretty high-end, and the pies are famous for their masterfully intricate designs and sumptuous fillings. Highlights from the menu include the Dauphinoise Potato Pie, a melty tangle of Comté and caramelised onion in a parsley sauce, and a decadent salmon, octopus and saffron fish pie served with a stunning bisque. Particularly fun is the street-side hatch, The Pie Hole, where you can buy pies to take away.
Renowned for its beautiful stained-glass windows, opulent dining room and ingredient-led cooking, this Soho icon also serves up one of London’s most delicious pies. Quo Vadis has a dedicated following for its ever-changing pie of the day, which is an affordable and filling option for those wanting to visit the storied spot without breaking the bank. Fillings are often meaty, loaded with everything from chicken to goat or seasonal game, with a rich, unctuous gravy and suet pastry top. Of course, they're best enjoyed with the restaurant’s famous buttery mash.
This popular takeaway is best known for its incredible cod and chips, but the spot also has a dedicated local following for its exceptional handmade pies. It took the top prize at The British Pie Awards 2024, winning the Supreme Champion title for its Minted Wensleydale Lamb & Potato pie. Renowned for its friendly service and generous portions, the Barnard Castle chippy has been run by husband-and-wife team David and Lydia Sumte since 2012, and they handcraft their perfect pies fresh each morning.
Pie Demand founders Laura and Brian Twigg started selling bakes from their home kitchen in 2019, and demand for their ‘traditional pies with a modern twist’ was so high they soon opened a proper bakery in the centre of Carlisle. Everything is handmade in small batches and highlights from the lengthy menu include steak and haggis, chicken balti and sweet apple. You can grab a pie from markets all over the region – there’s also a regular pop-up at Carlisle station – or buy directly from the bakery.
What could be more cheering than a pint of real ale and a plate of pie and mash in front of a log fire? Housed in a beautiful Grade II listed building, The Redhouse is one of Newcastle’s most charming pubs, complete with exposed wooden beams, a friendly atmosphere and lots of cosy corners to settle into. The pub has a real following for its excellent pie menu, which allows customers to customise their own perfect plate with a choice of pie, plus seven types of potato (ranging from roast potatoes to confit garlic mash), four pea options (the pease pudding is a must-try) and five sauces.
The bakery team at Turnbull's has over 120 years of combined experience and makes over 3,000 pies a week by hand, so you know you’re in safe hands at this buzzing family-run food hub. The pies here are as traditional as it gets, with no wacky flavours on the menu. Instead, you’ll find great British classics cooked to total perfection – like the shop’s signature steak and ale pie, made with the finest local beef and beer specially produced for Turnbull's by a nearby brewery.
This family-run farm in Newtownards has been producing top-quality meat since the 1970s and has several butcher shops around County Down and County Antrim. All of the food produced by Corries is pretty special, but its massive deep-filled pies – loaded with fresh-from-the-farm meat and veggies – have a dedicated local following. Bestsellers include simple but perfectly made flavours like steak and Irish stout, and chicken and ham.
Fibber Magee is one of Belfast’s most-loved watering holes, known for its hearty pub grub, great beer and lively atmosphere. Steeped in tradition with a roaring fire and live folk music, you’d be hard pressed to find a more authentic Irish pub experience in the whole of the city. There’s only one pie on the menu – steak and Guinness, naturally – but it’s utterly unbeatable, best served with champ or a huge pile of chips.
Another success story born out of lockdown, Pie in the Sky was dreamt up by Scottish native Rob Kerr when he saw a gap in the market for hand-crafted gourmet meat pies upon moving to Londonderry. Unique fillings like macaroni cheese, vegan curry, steak and black pudding and even a lasagne in a pie have proven hugely successful. These days he hosts pop-up pie shops at markets around the region and his pies are also sold at delis and farm shops in Londonderry and beyond.
The amazing pastry creations from this Wigan pie company are a real feast for the senses, adorned with all kinds of tasty toppings and crusts. Baldy’s shut its shop in 2023 due to rising costs, but relaunched as a ‘dark kitchen’ and pie van, hosting regular pop-ups at pubs, markets and farm shops in the region. British Pie Award–winning fillings include the Triple Truffled Cheese and the Big Jim, packed with 12-hour braised beef shin, bone marrow and confit onions and topped with a smashed pistachio crumb. One speciality, dubbed the ultimate Wigan pie, is a minted lamb pie made in collaboration with historic local sweet company Uncle Joe's Mint Balls.
As you can see, the all-butter pastry delights from Great North Pie Co come absolutely stuffed with filling, whether it's slow-braised beef and ale or classic Lancashire cheese and onion. Stalwarts of Altrincham Market and the North West’s pop-up artisan market scene, the bakery recently opened its first dedicated pie cafe in Manchester city centre and is known for using ingredients from the best local producers. The menu changes with the seasons, but expect to find treats like the chicken curry pie served with chips and chip shop curry sauce.
Pub grub is taken to mouth-watering new heights at this centuries-old spot in the historic village of Grasscroft. The Farrars Arms has a reputation for serving what may be the North's best cheese pie, as well as an impeccable Stilton and Camden Ale one. Also on the menu you’ll find handmade rag pudding, a unique regional speciality that consists of minced meat and onions wrapped in a suet pastry, which is then cooked in a cheesecloth. On a Sunday, you can enjoy a roast dinner with one of the pub's delicious pies on the side.
Scotch pies are a staple of bakers and butchers across Scotland, distinctive for their crisp double-crust shell and simple filling, traditionally made with minced mutton but nowadays more commonly with beef or lamb. Everyone tends to think their local favourite is the best around, but – according to the 2024 World Championship Scotch Pie Awards – James Pirie & Son of Blairgowrie make the country’s best. The small, family-run butcher's shop has won the accolade four times before, so you know the pies are pretty special.
You’ll struggle to find a more idyllic spot to feast on a freshly baked pie than Lochinver Larder, a pie shack and restaurant overlooking the gorgeous Loch Inver in the Scottish Highlands. The eatery is particularly known for its amazing fish pies, crammed with smoked haddock or poached salmon, but be sure to grab one of the incredible sweet pies for dessert, available in tempting flavours like chocolate, pear and almond or rhubarb and strawberry.
At Edinburgh’s The Piemaker you’ll find quintessentially Scottish ingredients packaged up inside a delicious pastry parcel. The signature haggis pie, stuffed with peppery haggis, turnips and mashed potato, is a bestseller for good reason, but veggie options like the Greek-style feta and spinach bougatsa are also fantastic. This no-frills shop is also brilliant value for money and open into the evening, making it the perfect stop for a meal on the go.
Piecaramba first opened in Southampton back in 2016 with a mission to ‘reinvent pie and mash, dragging it kicking and screaming into the 21st century’. The pies here are certainly anything but traditional, filled with everything from mac 'n' cheese to pulled jackfruit. Can’t decide which one you want? Order the ‘Piefull Tower’, a two-pie stack with mash, mushy peas, gravy and a moreish cheese and crispy onion topping.
The Bell Hotel in the pretty market town of Winslow is a haven for pastry lovers, serving fantastic, handcrafted pies in the bar, as well as takeaway meals from its very own pie shop. With exposed beams and stone-flagged floors, this historic coaching inn is the perfect place to feast on hearty delights made with ingredients from local farmers and growers. What’s more, the hotel came top in three categories at The British Pie Awards 2024, winning particular praise for its Pheasant, Venison, Bacon, Black Pudding & Quail Egg Pie.
Known locally as ‘the pie pub’, this cosy Oxfordshire tavern gets top marks for the sheer variety of pies on offer – which is even more amazing when you realise everything is made fresh on the day. It’s been around since the late 1500s and remains an utterly charming spot, with diners flocking from all around to try one of the kitchen's many pastry creations. Here you’ll find all your classic flavours, alongside mouth-watering treats like steak, onion, Marmite and Cheddar, or creamy peppered mushroom with potato and tarragon.
The amazing ‘two in one’ pie at The Coppa Dolla Inn, located in the sleepy village of Broadhempston, has been the pub’s signature dish since 1978. It consists of an earthenware bowl stuffed with your choice of filling (options range from pork and cider to steak and mushroom), which is then half topped with pastry, and half topped with creamy cauliflower cheese. The result is a cheesy, bubbling delight that punters adore. Customers also praise the warm and welcoming ambience of the pub, as well as the friendly staff and charming olde world decor.
This pie company only launched in 2021 and has already become a local favourite in Weymouth and beyond. The bakery specialises in innovative handmade pies using locally sourced ingredients and diners love the golden, crispy and buttery pastry and the generous fillings, with their huge chunks of meat and vegetables. Bestsellers include chicken and chorizo, and coastal Cheddar and onion options and fans also praise the mashed potato, which comes flavoured with horseradish or mustard.
A glossy gastropub set in a converted Grade II listed Georgian property, The Suffolk Arms has a loyal fanbase for its amazing ‘pie flight’ featuring three mini pies – traditional steak, chicken and mushroom, and potato and leek – and a jug of homemade gravy. The restaurant also has an ever-changing roster of two daily pie specials and one of them is always a creative vegan option.
Clark's Original Pies is a Cardiff icon and one of the city’s most-loved foodie spots. The old-school shop was founded by Mary Clark in 1913 and its signature meat pies, known as ‘Clarkies’ or ‘Clarksies’, have a distinctive thick-crust pastry, which means you can hold and eat them with one hand and the bake will stay intact right to the last delicious mouthful. The oval-shaped pies are filled with minced beef and potatoes in a rich gravy and each one has the trademark ‘Clarpie’ stamped into the base. There’s also a much-loved branch in Bristol, which was opened by Mary Clark’s son Percy in the 1930s and is separate but still thriving to this day.
This award-winning traditional butcher is known all over North Wales and beyond for its sensational sausages and expertly made savoury bakes. Here the go-to order is always the classic pork pie, though they come topped with everything from Stilton to apple, if you fancy something a bit different. Edwards is also loved for its hot lunch specials, ranging from loaded meat sandwiches to stunning meat pies served with chips and lashing of gravy. Diners love to grab a picnic pie and take it to Conwy’s pretty harbourside to enjoy – just watch out for the seagulls.
This traditional butcher has been a mainstay of Mold since it first opened its doors back in 1933 and locals regularly queue down the street to get a taste of the shop’s famous pork pies. Beautifully glazed with the ideal pork-to-jelly ratio, customers say they’re some of the best around and also praise the shop’s warm and helpful service. While the pork pies are the bestselling items by far, the sausage rolls and steak and kidney pies are also said to be excellent.
Farming, food production and shopping all come together under one roof at Ludlow Farm Shop, one of the country’s most acclaimed food hubs. A dazzling array of goodies are produced here, from artisan cheese to amazing preserves, but it’s the bakery that really draws the crowds. Alongside sourdough bread and delicious cakes, you’ll find some of the region’s tastiest pies, many of which are jam-packed with ingredients sourced fresh from the farm. Highlights include venison and redcurrant, and roasted vegetables mixed with the shop’s handmade Lady Halton Smoked Cheese.
If you can think of a pie flavour, the team at Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory probably make it. This fun and quirky Black Country pub is loved for its warm, family-friendly atmosphere and is pretty much always very busy. The most famous dish here is the gigantic Desperate Dan Cow Pie – a 4lb (1.8kg) feast of steak, kidney and seasonal vegetables slowly cooked in a rich gravy – it's so large, diners who can finish it get a certificate. Another local favourite is the Andy Murray, a mild and creamy chicken curry pie topped with naan bread.
This popular street food vendor has been making waves around the West Midlands since 2015, when founder Jay Jones started selling gourmet pies from a Citroen H van named Claude. These days Pietanic has kiosks at both Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers stadiums and the van is a regular fixture at food markets and pubs around the region. The menu is full of classic flavours like steak and ale, and chicken and mushroom, but the must-order is the bacon cheeseburger pie, layered with beef mince, smoked bacon, tomatoes, mozzarella, Cheddar and sliced pickle.
For glorious old-fashioned pies served in the cosiest surroundings, head to Humble Pie 'n' Mash, one of Yorkshire’s most unique restaurants. Decked out in vintage style, complete with a roaring log fire and original timber framing, the family-run business is located inside a lovingly restored 16th century building, so it has bags of character. The peppered steak and ale is a firm favourite, as is the Romany Hommity Pie, a veggie feast packed with potatoes, garlic, cheese, spices and parsley. The homemade mash and mushy peas are also excellent.
This family-run spot on Great Ayton's bustling high street is an old-school butcher's shop, through and through. There’s a huge selection of handmade pies on offer, but people flock from far and wide for the traditional pork pies, often served warm from the oven and jam-packed with perfectly seasoned pork taken from a special blend of cuts. They’re also available with additional flavours like black pudding and apple and the melt-in-the-mouth hot water pastry is pretty much as good as it gets.
Pieminister has branches all over the UK, but the flagship Leeds restaurant is something pretty special. Spread over two floors with views across the Corn Exchange, it’s basically pie heaven, with cocktails and ice cream sundaes thrown in. Many of the pies are veggie or vegan and can be made gluten-free, and you can even ‘stack’ your pie with a tasty skewer of courgette fritters, onion rings or halloumi for an instant upgrade. For a roast with a difference, the Sunday Best (pictured) always draws in the crowds. Be sure to try the Harissa & Chicken Pie, too – it won big in The British Pie Awards 2024.
Walking down The Shambles, York’s meandering medieval shopping street, it’s impossible to resist the waft of freshly baked pastry coming from this old-school pie shop. Tourists and locals alike queue out the door to get a taste of the exceptional pork pies crafted here and diners praise the perfectly seasoned fillings and golden, melt-in-the mouth pastry. Unique creations like the char sui pork pie, flavoured with leeks and Chinese five-spice, and the mushroom stroganoff pie, are also very popular.
Now read all about the most delicious pies from around the world