Few dishes feel more British than the pie. Not to get all Reform UK, but it’s difficult not to feel a sense of patriotism and pride when slicing through a ridge of buttery pastry to uncover something glorious beneath. Steak and ale, chicken and tarragon, that sort of thing.
Not that we actually invented pies. We have the Romans to thank for that. Their cooks encased meat in thick, inedible pastry as a means to preserve food and transport it. Records show the Roman brought pies to Britain circa 1300.
Still, the British adopted pies with magnificent aplomb and today they are as vital to our culture as fish and chips and sausages. Here are five London restaurants that pay special attention to the delicacy.
Manze’s — for traditional pie and mash
Mr. Manze
Sera
Manze’s is a true London institution, serving traditional pie and mash for well over 120 years. Cultural heritage is out in full force here, mostly at the original Tower Bridge branch though there’s another still in Sutton, deep south London. Expect the same recipe as all those decades ago: flaky pastry for the lid, soft pastry for the base, simply cooked beef mince and mashed potatoes (no cream, no milk). The only tangible difference today is the liquor: jellied eels haven’t been used in the parsley sauce for decades, although they can be ordered on the side. Advice for newcomers? Be sure to douse your pie in plenty of chilli vinegar, while it’s totally legitimate — Manze’s owner Emma Harrington sometimes does this — to ask for thick pea soup (relatively new) in lieu of liquor.
Fallow — for the Instagram-famous pie
Fallow
Fallow is massive: more than 500,000 followers on Instagram; an endless reel of celebrity diners; successful enough, even, to lure the most famous chefs in the world to appear on its podcast. And then there’s the new chef-in-residence, pie maker extraordinaire Nokz Majozi, who trained under Pie King Calum Franklin at Holborn Dining Room before becoming a certified Pie Queen in her own right. Over the coming months, the South African chef is turning out various limited-edition bakes, from beef and oyster in croissant dough to her feted burger pie, pictured at the top of the page, which is as mad as it is beloved. Anyone who doesn’t enjoy the idea of a cheeseburger in a homely box of shortcrust pastry should consider forgetting pies entirely.
Bentley’s — for the ultimate fish pie
@lateef.photography
A good fish pie should take you to the sea. We all have our sentiments, our personal stories. For me, fish pie takes me to west Cornwall, to Mousehole, Gwithian and Sennen Cove. These briny old places are where the sea air erupts each day; where salt, wet slate and old stone mix with aromas of woodsmoke and wild gorse. And there is nothing like the sound of waves on sand — just as there’s nowhere like Bentley’s, Richard Corrigan’s seafood restaurant that captures a fishing village and tugs it to London. Sit in there and hear the rumble of old motors over seaweed, see nets plump with ling, hake and red mullet. It can’t be easy, transporting such a scene to Mayfair, where the smell of bank notes is more likely to conquer. What soothing respite this fish pie is: smoked haddock, pollack, prawns and salmon are bound by butter and wine, treated with garlic, mustard, thyme and lemon. It makes the imagination run riot; £35, for the dish, is far cheaper than therapy.
The Marksman — for the pub classic
Marksman
The Marksman, which turned 10 last year, is part of the new east London, but doesn’t feel affected or tedious. It can be sorrowful to see everyday boozers turned into meeting places for the Harrow-educated. The Marksman avoids this, despite being frilly and upmarket. First of all, see the £15 lunch deal, available each Thursday and Friday and which often includes a pie and a side of seasonal vegetables. Otherwise, there will be a classic option on the regular menu, a comforting, nourishing dish well suited to an old British pub. This time last year saw a lamb and wild garlic number — it can’t be long before this returns, although wild garlic is a little passe nowadays — while recent menus have included a chicken and cep pie to share.
Terry’s — for the comforting British staple
Terry’s
Very much part of the fabric of London, Terry’s. The Borough cafe has been there since 1982, when Terry Yardley, a former butcher at Smithfield Market, decided to cook. Now run by his son Austin, there are few, if any restaurants that do a better job of serving British food, which is best when it’s homely and affordable. That’s the measure of British cuisine — attempting to elevate a cottage pie or similar is often farcical. As far as pies go, there’s usually one on the menu here, whether steak and London porter, steak and kidney, sausage and herb or fish. The shepherd’s pie is a standout when it’s on, likewise the steamed suet puddings, transportive as they are.