Listen up hungry mates - I’m about to tell you where you can get your mits on the crème de la crème of one of this country’s finest dishes - the mighty pie.
The passion for pies in this country is real. Whether it’s a mince and cheese at smoko, a bacon and egg on a dusty morning, or a cheeky potato top at any given moment, a good savoury pie very rarely misses the mark.
Bakels NZ Annual Supreme Pie Awards went down last night, which means we’ve got a flaky-fresh list of winning pies to tell you about. So, loosen your belt a notch, grab a napkin or two, and get ready to uncover the hotspots across the pie paradise that is New Zealand.
The definitive list of where the best pies in NZ are...
Bacon & Egg
Gold Award: Avalon Bakehouse Cafe - 21 Crawford Street, Avalon, Hamilton 3200
Silver Award: Le Royal Bakery - 21 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland
Bronze Award: Whakatane Bakehouse Cafe - 122 The Strand, Whakatane
Highly Commended: Fresh Bun Cafe - 42 George Street, Tuakau 2121
Mince and Gravy
Gold Award: Orewa Bakery - 8E Moana Avenue, Orewa 0931
Silver Award: Delight Bakehouse Cafe, 18G Clark Street, New Lynn, Auckland 0600
Bronze Award: Shaneos Bakehouse - 302 Hastings Street North, Hastings 4122
Highly Commended: Richoux Patisserie - 119 Main Highway, Ellerslie, Auckland 1051
Mince and Cheese
Gold Award: Mairangi Bay Bakery - 366D Beach Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0630
Silver Award: Rosedale Bakery & Cafe - Flat 9, 215 Rosedale Road, Albany, Auckland 0632
Bronze Award: Wild Grain Bakery - Shop 2, 16 Wainui Road, Silverdale 0932
Highly Commended: Freemans Bakery & Cafe
Potato Top
Gold Award: Wild Grain Bakery - Shop 2, 16 Wainui Road, Silverdale 0932
Silver Award: Corner Bakery - 180A Hillsborough, Auckland 1042
Bronze Award: Richoux Patisserie - 119 Main Highway, Ellerslie, Auckland 1051
Highly Commended: Euro Patisserie Torbay - 1028 Beach Road, Torbay, Auckland
Steak and Gravy
Gold Award: Fresh Bun Cafe - 42 George Street, Tuakau 2121
Silver Award: Patrick’s Pies - 19 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem, Town Centre Tauranga 3110
Bronze Award: Orewa Bakery - 8E Moana Avenue, Orewa 0931
Highly Commended: Avalon Bakehouse Café - 21 Crawford Street, Avalon, Hamilton 3200
Steak and Cheese
Gold Award: Paetiki Bakery - 199 Riffle Range Rd, Taupo 3330
Silver Award: Julia Bakery - 128B Main Highway, Ellerslie, Auckland 1051
Bronze Award: Richoux Patisserie - 119 Main Highway, Ellerslie, Auckland 1051
Highly Commended: Eurobake Espresso Ltd - 45 Main Rd, Kumeu 0810
Chicken and vegetables
Gold Award: Patrick's Pies - 19 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem, Town Centre Tauranga 3110
Silver Award: Mairangi Bay Bakery - 366D Beach Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0630
Bronze Award: Forresthill Bakery - Suite 5, 16 Raines Avenue, Forrest Hill, Auckland 0620
Highly Commended: Kai Pai Bakery - 17 Frederick Street, Wanaka 9305
Gourmet Meat
Gold Award: Patrick's Pies - 19 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem, Town Centre Tauranga 3110 (Roast Duck, Onion & Mushrooms)
Silver Award: Rangiora Bakery - 18 High Street, Rangiora 7400 (Brisket)
Bronze Award: Nada Bakery - Suite 4, 72 Main Road, Tawa, Wellington 5028 (The Reuben)
Highly Commended: Chelsea Bakery & Roasts - 113 Randwick Rd, Moera, Lower Hutt 5010 (Slow Cooked Lamb)
Vegetarian
Gold Award: Patrick's Pies - 19 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem, Town Centre Tauranga 3110 (Stir Fry Vegetables)
Silver Award: Wild Grain Bakery - Shop 2, 16 Wainui Road, Silverdale 0932 (Broccoli, Potatoes, Green Beans & Curry Sauce)
Bronze Award: Mairangi Bay Bakery - 366D Beach Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0630 (Creamed White Sauce w spinach, Sweetcorn & Pumpkin)
Highly Commended: My Bakery Kelston - Suite 6, 4055 Great North Road, Glen Eden, Auckland 0602 (Creamy Spinach & Mushroom)
Cafe Boutique
Gold Award: Chill Café - 109 Waireka Place, Whangamata 3620 (Chicken, Cranberry Sauce & Camembert Cheese)
Silver Award: The Corner Kitchen - 1a Pohutu Street, Whakatane 3120 (Lamb, Kumara, Onion, Celery & Carrot)
Bronze Award: Tati Frutti Juice Bar Whitianga - 16 Hodge Rd, 3591 Coroglen (Steak & Olives)
Highly Commended: Red Kitchen HQ - 30 Jack Russell Drive, Te Awamutu 3800 (Chicken & Leek)
Commercial/Wholesale
Gold Award: Dad's Pies - 57 Forge Rd, Silverdale 0932
Silver Award: Couplands Bakeries - 140 Carmen Rd, Hei Hei, Christchurch 8042
Bronze Award: Oxford Pies - 142 Maui Street, Pukete, Hamilton 3200
Highly Commended: Kai Pai Bakery - 17 Frederick Street, Wanaka 9305
Supreme Pie Award (A.K.A. Overall top prize, A.K.A. the best goddamn pie in the country)
Patrick's Pies - 19 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem, Town Centre Tauranga 3110 (Gourmet roast duck, onion & mushroom)
And there you have it - a definitive list of all of the best pies New Zealand has to offer!
As I sit here signing off this article, I’m munching on a reheated pie that I popped in my pocket on the way out from The Pie Awards last night, and I can confirm even the day after, it tastes bloody glorious.
I can confirm that the bakeries listed here are the proud purveyors of pie perfection - now go sink ya teeth into some mighty fine pies.
