There are many favourite foods which have been given their own national day to be celebrated, from popular pizzas to beloved burgers. So to get a national week requires a special kind of food; such as the pie.
Yes, this wondrous delicacy is showcased in all its glories, from perfect pork through fabulous fish to amazing apple, at British Pie Week on 7th-13th March. It’s a chance to get cooking, and better still get eating those savoury and sweet filled pastries.
Here are some great places in York city centre where you can get your fix by taking out or eating in some delicious artisan and homemade pies. And remember, a pie is not just for British British Pie Week, but for life.
Shambles Sausage & Pie Company
The traditional pie gets a pleasingly old-school set up on the Shambles. This small independent shop packs plenty in to its counter service to satisfy the throngs of people stopping off here. There are freshly baked pork pies following an original recipe, plus succulent scotch pies, steak pies, and more. All handmade and crafted using the finest ingredients makes Shambles Sausage & Pie Company the place to go for a takeaway pie that reminds us not to mess with the best traditions.
The Rose & Crown
Just outside the city walls is a pub and restaurant which excels in both ales and pies. An ideal combination which is delivered to perfection at The Rose & Crown, where you’ll indulge in the comfort of their small selection of signature classics. All are exemplary, whether opting for steak & Guinness, leak & potato, chicken & ham, or fish pie; tuck in to the handcrafted pastry, fresh filling, and accompanying ale. Yes pielease.
Little Arras
Little Arras is a beautiful bakery that has rightly gained a reputation for crafting some of the best sourdough you’ll eat anywhere. But if you ever taste beyond the bread there are equally amazing pastries to be gobbled here, including exquisite pies. Deep, hefty and substantial, the pastry is filling and the filling is pure indulgence. Since opening in 2020 with artisan pie baking skills like this, a Little Arras goes a long way.
Thomas the Baker
The local high street bakery which has expanded with success over the years remains true to its baking origins. Thomas the Baker continues to create reliably tasty pastries, including award winning savoury pork pies. But their favourite is perhaps a surprise for its all year round popularity, the sweet mince pie. Served and scoffed every month and not just near Christmas, the apricot, brandy and butter pastry mix is heavenly anytime.
The Hairy Fig
The inviting green exterior of The Hairy Fig welcomes folk in to a deli bistro that doesn’t disappoint. Theirs is a world of glorious ingredients and French specialities, but in amongst fancy foods are comforting joys such as the humble pie. Elevated to a high level here, from award winning pork pies to triumphant vegan pies, The Hairy Fig is a treat to repeat in British Pie Week and beyond.
Images: Little Arras, Shambles Sausage & Pie Company, The Rose & Crown, The Hairy Fig
