Here at IDEAL we love a pie – whether it comes underneath a lid of mash, puff or good old fashioned suet. Pies just have a seductive, inbuilt comfort that we all need right now. When it’s wash-out weather, there’s nothing better to do than hunker down in a cosy spot with a proper pie, a mountain of mash, and gravy that pools invitingly around the edges.
From East End pie and mash shops serving the same liquor-drenched classics since Victorian times, to Michelin-rated gastropubs doing seasonal numbers with game and bone marrow, London’s pie scene has serious range.
The capital’s got you sorted, and here’s where you should be eating pies in London right now.
M Manze, Tower Bridge
Ideal for classic East London pie and liquor…
We had to start here, at a bonafide London institution. Once, this famous pie and mash shop had 12 locations in London and as of this year, are down another one. Sadly, the Deptford location closed earlier this year when owner George Mascall announced his retirement. However, two London branches of M. Manze remain open – Peckham and Tower Bridge Road – as well as an outpost in Sutton.
The Tower Bridge location was the first, and has been serving this dish up since 1891, securing its place as the nation’s oldest pie and mash shop. The pie itself is beautifully straightforward: minced beef filling, once made thrifty use of meat scraps and vegetables, now made with quality beef wrapped in shortcrust pastry.
It lands on your table with a mound of mashed potato and that famous thin green parsley sauce they call ‘liquor’ – don’t worry/shame, there’s no booze involved. The presentation is an art form in itself: spread spoonfuls of mash and pie creating neat boundaries while the bright green sauce pools in the centre. Watch them work behind the counter and you’ll find yourself oddly hypnotised.
There’s lots of debate on how to eat your pie and mash. Our ritual involves dousing everything in malt vinegar, then finishing with a hit of chilli vinegar to wake everything up towards the end. Then there’s the great pie-flipping controversy. Purists insist on turning their pie upside down and making a slit in the pie, pouring a little vinegar into the crevice and seasoning with salt and white pepper, letting all those meaty juices soak into the pastry lid. Others guard that top crust like treasure as they love the crisp contrast. Settle the debate by ordering a ‘double double’ – two pies means you can try both ways and pick your side.
One final tip: eat like the locals do, with a spoon and fork. That spoon becomes essential for gathering up every last bit of sauce with your pie and mash. Whatever your technique, wash it all down with a glass of sarsaparilla and make sure you don’t skip the eels.
As the debate over London’s best traditional pie and mash rages on, with some claiming that Maureen’s takes the crown, but for us, M. Manze has the upper crust.
Website: manze.co.uk
Address: 87 Tower Bridge Rd, London SE1 4TW
Wigmore, City Of Westminster
Ideal for a refined pub classic…
Beyond the requisite pints, a pub’s reputation hinges on its pies. While pies aren’t always on Wigmore’s menu, when they are, this is where you should head for a fix in Central – specifically for the smoked ham hock and cheese version, which is genuinely exceptional.
This isn’t your usual pub grub pie; this is Michel Roux Jr.’s take. We all know the chef has a fondness for pastry – he did start as a pastry chef, as he won’t stop telling the camera when given half the chance. He’s brought that experience here, just minutes from Oxford Circus, to reimagine this classic with his signature touch.
The pastry is of course perfect – you’d think he’d written a book on it. Inside, generous chunks of smoky ham meld with cheese in a creamy béchamel that’s indulgent without being overwhelming. It’s rich, molten, and utterly satisfying. Is that a hint of nutmeg, too? It brings something to the table.
Let’s talk about that mash, you know, the one that looks like a weird eye above. It comes with as much butter as potato, using the ol’ Robuchon ratios applied – widely considered the best, most decadent method across the world. Paired with a pool of silky garlic butter (yes, butter on butter), this is a clever riff on classic pie and mash, swapping out the traditional parsley liquor for something far more luxurious. It’s glorious.
A picky restaurant review of The Wigmore a while back complained about putting a small pie on a large plate here, saying it emphasises how tiny the pie is. We’re not sure we agree with that. The pie’s size is perfectly judged. Given the richness of the filling, any larger would be overwhelming and we would have left reeling.
Be sure to check what this restaurant offers during British Pie Week, which falls in the second week of March. Last time, they created an XL braised beef cheek, ale, bone marrow, and pearl onion sharing pie. Next time? We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled, most certainly…
Website: the-wigmore.co.uk
Address: 15 Langham Pl, London W1B 3DE
Quo Vadis, Soho
Ideal for the pie of the day, everyday…
Some people measure inflation by the price of Freddo chocolate bars. We measure it by the cost of Quo Vadis’s pie. In 2022, the pie cost £19.50; by 2023, it had risen to £21.50; today, at the time of writing, it’s £28.50.
Before you choke on your pastry crumbs at that 46% increase, remember: restaurants aren’t printing money in their basements. They’re just trying to keep the lights on and the ovens hot. When energy bills soar, cooking oil doubles in price, and staff need living wages, even the humble pie isn’t immune. At least Quo Vadis has the decency to make it consistently delicious. Regardless of whether it’s filled with chicken, mutton, or guinea fowl – the price stays the same. Class. But we digress.
Come autumn, game season is our favourite time for a pie here. Think guinea fowl, chicken and bacon encased in a crunchy suet crust. They also offer a more formal ‘QV chicken pie’ as part of their set-menu feasts, to be taken in the private dining room if you’re feeling fancy. Past iterations have included Swaledale mutton, celeriac and turnip with salsa verde, cosily tucked beneath a suet lid, an indulgent guinea fowl and porcini creation, or a classic ham hock, chicken and leek combination. It’s pleasingly seasonal and reliably delicious.
If you want to attempt this pie at home, there’s an entire chapter dedicated to pies in Lee’s 2023 book Cooking: Simply and Well, for One or Many.
Website: quovadissoho.co.uk
Address: 26-29 Dean St, London W1D 3LL
Bob Bob Ricard, Soho
Ideal for a bougie pie…
Many food sites cooler than us who offer London’s best pie roundups tend to overlook Bob Bob Ricard – perhaps because it feels a bit crass to include somewhere so openly luxurious. However, other older publications (perhaps with less swagger) hail this spot’s chicken and champagne number as the best pie in London. With such a discrepancy in ideas about what makes a good pie, you may wonder where we stand? Well, in the name of flavour, BBR’s certainly deserves to be here.
Indeed, this theatrical Soho establishment famous for its ‘press for champagne’ button stationed at each table serves its undeniably bougie signature pies with the BBR logo singed onto the crust. But they’re also undeniably delicious.
Bob Bob Ricard’s famous pies have achieved something close to celebrity status, attracting high-profile collaborations along the way. The last partnership with Idris Elba to celebrate his drinks brand saw an exclusive Glorious Twelfth dish: roasted Scottish grouse with a rich Porte Noire VSOP cognac sauce. Whilst we’re not sure Elba was actually at the stoves flambéeing his signature spirit, it brought a certain vivacity to an already fine pie nonetheless.
Website: bobbobricard.com
Address: 1 Upper James St, London W1F 9DF
J Sheekey, Leicester Square
Ideal for a classically creamy yet carefully balanced celebration of seafood…
Back to an old stalwart. J Sheekey is one of our favourite places to eat oysters in London, and it’s also a favourite spot for a classic fish pie done right. Originally opened as an oyster bar in 1896, today the pie ranks amongst their most celebrated dishes.
For us, a proper fish pie needs savoury depth to balance the white sauce, and at J Sheekey, a generous dose of English mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy essence and lemon juice achieves exactly that. Whilst some establishments load their pies with prawns and lobster, this version is refreshingly simple – and all the better for it.
Website: j-sheekey.co.uk
Address: 28-35 St Martin’s Ct, London WC2N 4AL
St John, Barbican
Ideal for a gloriously sumptuous sharing pie…
A sharing pie at St John come the colder months is a glorious thing. The restaurant is famous for its nose-to-tail philosophy and seasonal British cooking, ensuring their pie offerings celebrate whatever game, meat, fish or vegetable is at its peak. St John’s pies are a true celebration of seasonal British bounty, with magnificent fillings that change as the seasons turn.
Recently, they’ve been serving a spiced hare pie to share for £58, alongside options like guinea fowl, bacon and trotter. As pheasants and hares make their way to the ovens, this is the perfect time for a fine game pie – slow braised to melting tenderness, infused with marrow-bone richness, and encased in golden suet pastry.
A word of warning: St John updates their menus daily, with menus not going online until 11am for lunch and 5pm for supper. So if it’s a pie you’re after, be sure to check ahead as they won’t always be on the menu.
Website: stjohnrestaurant.com
Address: 26 St John St, London EC1M 4AY
Bistro Freddie, Old Street
Ideal for a French-British chicken pot pie…
Bistro Freddie celebrates the best of British produce with a distinctive French flair. Step inside and you’re greeted by low lighting, flickering candles, and handwritten menus and a room that buzzes with infectious energy. You’re also greeted by the aroma of shallots sautéing and stock simmering in the kitchen beyond which triggers a visceral reaction – you instinctively know you’re about to eat very well indeed.
While Bistro Freddie excels across the board, their chicken pot pie stands as the undisputed star of the menu. We recently shared their confit chicken and tarragon, and it’s a stunner. The chicken legs get three hours in the confit bath, then a gentle cook-down with shallots, white wine, vinegar and stock until they’re falling-apart tender. A heap of tarragon goes in at the end, then the whole lot gets topped with pastry and baked until it’s golden.
We love the beautiful simplicity of this pie. It’s the kind of dish that wins you over with its restraint – a clear anti-cream mandate keeps everything light. No unnecessary flourishes ensures ultimate satisfaction. Pair it with a mountain of frites or their butter mash made with equal weights of potato and butter (the Robuchon method strikes again) and wash it all down with a glass of French fizz which cuts through all that fatty richness perfectly, and you’ll be one happy camper.
Do note, as with many on this list, the pies here evolve with the seasons. One month might bring chicken with earthy girolles and rich liver, while another offers rabbit and bacon elevated by a luxurious, viscous jus made from pig trotters and chicken wings. Classic combinations like beef and Guinness also make regular appearances, ensuring there’s always something new to discover.
Website: bistrofreddie.com
Address: 74 Luke St, London EC2A 4PY
Read: The best restaurants near Old Street
Donia, Carnaby
Ideal for London-Filipino fusion at its finest…
If there was an award for the prettiest pie in London, Donia’s would win. Why? Just look at it; the perfect, burnished dome. The attractive lattice work. The intricate artwork etched into the sauce that surrounds it… It’s gorgeous.
You’ve fallen in love before you’ve even had a bite. While London’s pie scene generally debates most heatedly over who owns the perfect pastry-to-filling ratio, Donia has revolutionised the entire conversation. Their lamb shoulder caldereta pie doesn’t just blur cultural boundaries, it erases them entirely, creating something that feels both familiar and unexpected – this is London-Filipino cooking and we’re here for it.
Indeed, their lamb shoulder caldereta pie is Filipino soul food 2.0, where a traditional cauldron stew is reimagined, finding new life encased in buttery puff pastry.
The lamb shoulder undergoes careful preparation that transforms it into something extraordinary, slowly developing the deep, complex flavours that make caldereta so beloved. The added chicken liver pâté brings a rich, earthy depth that most pie fillings simply can’t match, and the tomato base cuts through with just enough acidity to keep things bright and balanced. Inside it’s thickened with a potato pavé, just for extra lusciousness. And surprisingly rare in London restaurants, the puff pastry is made in house.
Beneath it, the caldereta sauce (gently spiced and thrumming with the richness and depth of offal) is punctuated with swirls of chive oil; when all that puff pastry soaks up the sauce, it’s heaven. The skill and technical process of this pie is up there with the very best in London. Despite its handsome size, it’s quite difficult not to order a second.
Website: donia.london
Address: 2.14, Top Floor, Kingly Ct, Carnaby St, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW
The Holborn Dining Room, Holborn
Ideal for dedicated pastry chefs making London’s top pies…
Pies are big business for London restaurants. They’re on the tick list for most tourists visiting the capital, and having one that takes off online is going to draw in the punters, no doubt about it. The Holborn Dining Room understands the gravitas of a perfectly formed pie, and has a whole job dedicated to it as a result. Here, the ‘Head Pie Maker’ is an illustrious role, first given to Callum Franklin (a man sometimes referred to as the ‘pie king’), and then to his protege Nokx Majozi, who has just hung up her hat after 11 years on the pies. Huge Birkenstocks to fill, and we’re intrigued who’s next…
Getting your hands on one of these pies is half the experience. There’s the Pie Hole which sells pies directly from a handy street-side kitchen hatch – Tuesday to Thursday between 11am and 3pm. That same kitchen then transforms into the Pie Room, a private dining space for up to 10 guests Monday to Sunday from 6:00 p.m. onwards, where the marble pastry-rolling table becomes an intimate dining table. Don’t want to eat standing up or lack enough friends for a private booking? The main Holborn Dining Room serves pies too – just allow thirty minutes for cooking.
This is an excellent choice if you’re dining with vegetarians, as there’s usually more than one veggie option. Lincolnshire poacher cheese and potato pie or beluga lentil and wild mushroom cottage pie anyone? Their most photographed offering is the dauphinoise and comté cheese pie, which is layered with creamy potato and served with caramelised onion and parsley sauce. The salmon, octopus and saffron fish pie with stunning bisque sauce is also magnificent. Yep, the range here is truly impressive.
But the absolute star of the show is the Gloucester Old Spots pork pie – pork shoulder, smoked ham hock, fennel seed, and sage in hot water crust pastry. Now, traditionalists will tell you pork pies should be served cold with jelly. The Holborn Dining Room breaks both rules: theirs arrives hot from the oven with gravy, and there’s no jelly in sight. Initially we were skeptical, but like many pork pie purists before us, we’ve been completely won over.
Website: holborndiningroom.com
Address: 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN
Guinea Grill, Mayfair
Ideal for a timeless tribute to British steak and beef pies…
Open since 1952, The Guinea Grill is housed within one of London’s most storied pub sites – there’s been an inn here since 1423. The restaurant proper began in the post-war years when hungry American diplomats stationed nearby were desperate for decent steaks. A clever landlord saw an opportunity, and what started as covert back-room dining for homesick Yanks eventually became one of the capital’s most celebrated steakhouses.
The clientele is, shall we say, a particular sort – think salmon-trousered chaps who believe they run the city and tourists clutching guidebooks. But none of that actually matters once you’re settled in, because you’ll find yourself utterly absorbed in what’s on your plate rather than who’s at the next table. The wood-panelled walls, white linen, and claret paint create a cocoon of old-school comfort that somehow makes the whole experience work.
Pies have been on the menu since the 1940s, constructed with proper suet lids using cuts from their dry-aged beef. The star turn is the beef shin, Guinness and oyster pie. At £35, it’s a gloriously over-the-top creation that arrives crowned with a cheese-wrapped deep-fried oyster sitting proudly atop the golden pastry. Beneath lies slow-braised beef shin that collapses at the merest prod, swimming in rich, stout-darkened gravy with the briny sweetness of oysters throughout. It’s unashamedly luxurious.
For something more classic, there’s a steak and kidney pie with mushrooms, or the straightforward steak and mushroom version at the same price. Vegetarians get a look-in with a potato and Wensleydale pie that hits all the right notes. If you’re lucky, your pie might arrive adorned with a traditional paper frill or white doily – touches that somehow feel charming rather than affected in this particular setting.
Can’t get a table in the restaurant? It happens. But the bar area operates on a walk-in basis and has its own menu featuring slightly smaller, more affordable pies that are every bit as good. The atmosphere’s livelier too, with proper pub energy and some of London’s better pints of Guinness on tap.
Website: theguinea.co.uk
Address: 30 Bruton Pl, London W1J 6NL
The Windmill, Mayfair
Ideal for Guinea Grill quality at gentler prices…
Struggling to get into the Guinea Grill? Worry not. Just four minutes away down a stretch of Regent Street you’ll find its sister pub The Windmill, run by the same folk. Oisin Rogers, who’s known for transforming the Guinea Grill, oversaw both establishments before he moved onto The Devonshire (does it even need an introduction anymore). Fortunately, his blueprint for a traditional London pub remains, and the pies here are all about rich fillings and classic British flavours served all day, everyday, throughout the year.
These guys are a touch cheaper than those in the Guinea Grill’s main restaurant, but the same as the bar offering. What’s the difference? The truth is you’re paying for different experiences – the Guinea’s restaurant offers white tablecloth refinement and exceptional silver service, whilst the Windmill gives you a proper pub setting with pies that are a rounder, more rustic affair. But that’s not a criticism – they’re bloody good pub pies in a brilliant pub atmosphere.
The Windmill’s been winning British Pie Awards for years – their Hampshire venison, smoked bacon and wild mushroom pie grabbed gold, whilst the steak and mushroom version snagged silver. Downstairs in the pub, there are at least three pies on at any time, whilst the upstairs dining room offers the same pies alongside a more refined British menu. You can even get the Guinea’s award-winning steak and kidney pie here.
Beyond pies, there’s a full British pub menu, an excellent pint of Guinness, and access to the full 300-bin wine list from the Guinea if you fancy going grand. One final treat: there’s a hidden rooftop terrace at the back – an absolute gem on a sunny afternoon when you can escape the Regent Street chaos with a pie and a pint.
Website: windmillmayfair.co.uk
Address: 6-8 Mill St, London W1S 2AZ
Cinnamon Bazaar, Richmond
Ideal for a British-Indian mash-up that totally makes sense…
Sometimes the best innovations come from taking two beloved classics and letting them collide. Vivek Singh’s rogan josh shepherd’s pie at Cinnamon Bazaar does exactly that – merging the humble British shepherd’s pie with the aromatic complexity of a Kashmiri rogan josh to joyous effect.
This clever marriage of British and Indian flavours creates a genuinely stunning piece of cookery with subtle background notes from the spice mix of star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and green cardamom pods.
What makes this work so brilliantly is the restraint. The spices aren’t shouting for attention; they’re having a quiet, civilised conversation with the lamb. Topped with the traditional mash and a golden crust, it’s familiar enough to feel comforting yet exciting enough to keep you coming back.
And yes, we realise there’s no pastry here and the whole definition of a ‘pie’ thing might sidetrack the pedants, but we simply don’t care enough to discuss it further.
Website: cinnamon-bazaar.com
Address: 31 Kew Rd, Richmond TW9 2NQ
Read: The best restaurants in Richmond
Camberwell Arms, Camberwell
Ideal for a spectacular sharing pie and south London hospitality…
Beef, ale and bone marrow pie… Need we say more? This one is a pie built for sharing – a signature dish that’s become legendary among south London’s food lovers.
This Victorian pub got a gorgeous makeover back in 2014, transforming it into one of the capital’s most respected gastropubs. It’s part of the same stable as the Anchor and Hope in Waterloo – that original south London gastropub pioneer – along with the Canton Arms and Great Queen Street. You know you’re in safe hands, then, and the dining room oozes a certain familiar character with distressed wooden floorboards, mismatched vintage chandeliers, and an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs work.
The beef, ale and bone marrow pie is a magnificent beast, served in a pie dish with a dramatic end of marrow bone protruding from its golden suet crust. Inside, tender chunks of Hereford beef have been slowly braised in dark ale until they’re melt-in-the-mouth soft, whilst the bone marrow enriches the gravy with an incredible savoury depth. Those caramelised crusty bits that cling to the edges of the dish? Absolute gold.
It typically comes with seasonal accompaniments – think buttery cavolo nero or January King cabbage, plus chips. At around £50, it’s designed for two to share, though three wouldn’t go hungry. The richness demands a robust red wine and ideally a lazy afternoon with no pressing engagements afterwards. Oh, you twisted our arm…
Website: thecamberwellarms.co.uk
Address: 65 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8TR
The Marksman, Hackney
Ideal for a workers’ lunch with serious credentials…
Fancy a pie from the first London pub to win Michelin Pub of the Year? Of course you do; that’s why you’re here. Well, the pies at The Marksman were exceptional even before that accolade dropped, and they’ve remained consistently brilliant since.
This handsome Hackney Road boozer is under the direction of two talented chefs who’d previously worked at St. John. They’ve struck that rare balance of keeping the downstairs pubby – handsome wood panelling, lush leather banquettes and the cheerful buzz of locals propping up the bar – whilst the upstairs dining room is light and bright with perhaps the best acoustics in London. While the decor is impressive, the genius is of course in the cooking.
Now back to pies. Pies, pies, pies. The pies evolve with the seasons, once again, a consistent marker or thoughtfulness and rigour. One visit might bring chicken studded with earthy girolles, another could feature duck enriched with prunes and bacon. They occasionally offer larger sharing pies too – we’ve seen a magnificent chicken and wild garlic number that looked (and smelt!) darn good on a neighbouring table.
Our top tip though is to look out for their workers’ lunch offering: substantial pies paired with a pint for around £15, available at the end of the week. Recent highlights include a fish pie with buttered greens, and a stunning lamb and wild garlic version that showcases British ingredients at their seasonal best. These aren’t dainty affairs – they’re generous, soul-warming plates that’ll fuel you through an afternoon’s graft. Or, indeed, one spent on the sofa groaning.
Not always on the menu, they often announce their pie specials on social media ahead of time, so it’s worth following along and booking as and when something takes you fancy.
Website: marksmanpublichouse.com
Address: 254 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SJ
Willie’s Pies, Hackney
Ideal for accessible, quality pies across London (and beyond)…
We’re ending our list with a pie that’s quietly taken over London, one hand-pressed pastry case at a time. Here’s the proposition: from just £5.50, you get a proper shortcrust pie, made with quality ingredients and expertise. While being miles apart from a sad service station Ginsters, it’s the kind of pie that works equally well as a quick lunch or the star turn at a dinner party.
It’s the brainchild of chefs and flatmates Will Lewis and Josh Hill, who launched Willie’s during Covid. Lewis cut his teeth at St John and Rochelle Canteen, so the pedigree is there – as is the backing from Arsenal and England legend Ian Wright, who invested early on.
Our current top pick is the beef cheek and scotch bonnet, created in collaboration with Ben Lippett for his recently released cookbook. It’s a beauty; beef cheeks braised low and slow in Guinness and rich beef stock, spiked with punchy scotch bonnets, fragrant allspice and fresh thyme. The heat builds gradually rather than smacking you in the face, and that long braise means the meat practically melts into the pastry.
The range shifts with what’s good – you might find rabbit with Breton cider tarragon or roast chicken with celeriac. All handmade in Hackney, where there’s a permanent spot under the arches in London Fields with the scribe ‘since lockdown, 2020’ emboldened proudly on the front door.
Willie’s has spread across London – north to south, east to west, you’ll find them stocked somewhere nearby. Ocado carries them, there’s nationwide delivery, or you can pick them up in store. The pies also pop up every now and again in a pub with a residency, too; currently they are at The Wooden Cross in Crouch End
Proper pies, properly accessible. What’s not to love?
Website: willyspies.com
Address: Railway Arch, 352 Westgate St, London E8 3RL
All that said, the finest pie we’ve had all year wasn’t actually in London. It was just outside of Bruton, at Margot Henderson’s The Three Horseshoes. It’s part of our roundup of where to eat in Bruton, Somerset. Do check it out sometime!
