The Five Best Pies in Auckland
In honour of our national dish.
Fog hung on frosty lawns as I laced my boots up, pulling stuck grass out of metal sprigs. Striped socks were hiked up, soggy Weetbix were scoffed and a mouth guard was hurriedly tucked into stubbies as the low growl of Grandad's truck approached. 80-minutes later, win or lose, with ruck marks on aching legs, I was treated to a steak and cheese from Seabreeze Bakery down the road (the main reason I played rugby).
This was a common Saturday morning ritual - more NuZilland than Richie McCaw singing 'Why Does Love' atop a nine-foot-tall mecha Kiwi. Many of us have/remember similar rituals involving the humble pie - and although we've come a long way with our soy mocha lattes and gluten-free, paleo, acai bowls - there's still a place in our hearts, and stomachs for a good ol' steak and cheese. In honour of this age-old Kiwi delicacy (which may as well just be our national dish) we roamed Auckland and eagerly consumed pie after pie to bring you this handy guide to the best in the city. It's pie time.
Image Credit - The Fridge Facebook
The Fridge - Steak & Cheese
Several lists online proclaim Kingsland locals The Fridge as the premier purveyor of pies in Auckland. While I'm not sure they're the best, their meaty baked delights certainly tick all the right boxes. Forget their brunch menu, grab a coffee and tuck into their steak and mozzarella. It's a classic, done right with plenty flaky, buttery pastry and hearty, flavourful real meat filling. Although it's a little pricy for a pie at $8.50, it's bloody worth it (perhaps as a special occasion pie, i.e: wedding anniversary pie, birthday pie and/or Mother's Day pie).
507 New North Road, Kingsland
Dairy Flat Bakery - Blueberry & Spiced Apple
Bunnarith Sao of Dairy Flat Bakery has won more pie awards than Meryl Streep has Oscars. In 2015's Bakel Awards he placed in five different categories including a gold for his amazing blueberry and spiced apple pie (I usually think sweet/dessert pies are blasphemous but this thing is glorious). Serving out of a humble, classic bakery in the heart of rural Dairy Flat - these are classic Kiwi pies, just way more delicious than usual.
1443 Dairy Flat Highway, RD 4 Albany
Image Credit - Little & Friday Facebook
Little & Friday - Mince n' Cheese
Hipsters are everywhere. For some reason there's a bakery in a cloth shop and the guy behind the counter's hair is more voluminous than your mum's after a rigorous Pantene conditioning regime. It can be confusing - but move on and keep your eyes on the pies. The selection here changes regularly but you can usually rely on there being a trusty mince and cheese or a bacon and egg behind the counter (their mince and cheese is the best in Auckland). It doesn't really matter what you get though - anything these guys make is amazing. If you have room after you've inhaled your masterpiece, grab a chocolate beetroot cake and have a go on that too. It will change you.
43c Eversleigh Road, Takapuna / 12 Melrose Street, Newmarket / 42 Douglas Street, Ponsonby
Image credit - Scratch Bakers Facebook
Scratch Bakers HQ - Pork Belly & Apple Cider
After sampling several of Scratch HQ's pies (three in total, I take this stuff seriously), I can confirm that they have three variations which would make an Auckland top 20 list, and one which may be the most delicious pie in the history of all pies. So without further ado I present to you - the pork belly and apple cider pie. Succulent and tender slices of pork belly, and the fruity, tart flavours of apple cider, are are combined with buttery, flaky pastry of your dreams to create a harmonious marriage of delectable flavours.
5 Graham St, CBD
Mairangi Bay Bakery - Bacon & Egg
If I wasn't here raising public pie awareness - you'd walk straight past this unassuming shoreside gem and into the dairy next door to buy a soggy, flavourless Big Ben. Sure it looks like your average Kiwi bakery, but inside there are pies which are far, far above average. My favourite is their bacon and egg which in my opinion is the perfect example of this pie-style, and the very best in Auckland. Bakels obviously agrees as they recently gave this bacon and egg the gold award (meaning they think it's the best in the country, not just Auckland). Don't keep walking, you need this pie.
366 Beach Rd, Mairangi Bay
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