Where to get the best pies in Greater Manchester

We discovered Baldy’s on an important trip to the pie capital of the UK, Wigan. There are multiple great pies shops there, naturally, but Baldy’s won our hearts. This is another pie shop that has closed its customer facing shop, but you can get Baldy’s pies delivered to your door from their ‘dark kitchen’. And trust us, you want these pies in your life. Not shy on a bit of cheffy creativity, pies include a chicken kiev inspired one with free range chicken, buttered leeks, herb béchamel and a garlic and parsley crumb topping. There’s another with three types of cheese and truffle, and a Fisherman’s with cod, salmon, smoked sea bass, prawns, lemongrass and capers. If you can put it in a pie, you can be sure these guys are doing it.

What’s a proper boozer without a selection of big juicy pies to enjoy with an ice-cold pint? Proper NQ pub The Bay Horse Tavern offers a range of lovely pies all day with a choice of either mash or their brilliant thrice cooked chips (and gravy, of course). There’s a choice of steak and ale, chicken, bacon and leek or smoked applewood cheese and onion with a weekly changing special too. There’s one particular lamb karahi creation – a collab with rice and three institution Kabana – that we haven’t stopped talking about.

‘Pie purists will agree that if you can’t throw it across a room with one hand, it’s not a pie. This is a pie.’ These were the words of revered restaurant critic Jay Rayner when he visited Salford’s The Black Friar. This proper boozer wearing its Sunday best in Salford has a menu to satisfy the most refined diner but its pies are what people come back for again and again and no list of the best pies in Manchester is complete without it. Regular changing specials might include spinach and wild mushroom, duck and orange or lamb tagine, and are served with appropriate garnishes which usually include potatoes in some form or other and lovely seasonal veg.

Located in the historic village of Grasscroft, The Farrars Arms takes hospitality just as seriously as the food and drink it serves. Which, of course, is all of the highest possible standards. Their steak, stilton and Camden ale pie is impeccable, and the cheese and onion pie one of the finest available in northern England, notable for its distinctive slab shape.

Bolton is an old fashioned market town so it’s no surprise it’s hometown to plenty of lovely old fashioned food shops. Pies might be a baker’s territory but with so many classic meaty fillings sometimes it takes a butcher being involved to create something award-winning. Bolton butcher Fraser’s won big at the British Pie Awards in 2022, with its classic pork pie and its cousin The Huntsman (which brings turkey and stuffing to the pork party), both winning silver. Its meat and potato pie won bronze at the awards and is joined on the menu by other pastry pals including cheesy chicken and leek, and that Lancashire classic, minced beef and onion.

Veterans of Altrincham Market and of the market scene all around the North West generally, Great North Pie Co opened its first dedicated Manchester city centre pie cafe at Kampus in 2023. The Meryl Streep of pies, this lot have won every award going over the years and it’s easy to see why. Neil and Sarah Broomfield put a lot of love into their pies, sourcing star local ingredients Dewlay’s Lancashire cheese and braising their grass-fed Yorkshire beef in Manchester Union lager. There’s also a suet pudding among the flakier options, served with a superlative gravy or a cracking curry sauce.

H.M. Pasties aim to create sustainable employment for people with criminal convictions through their employment programme which provides people with the skills and confidence to find fulfilling work and enjoy a crime-free life. But crucially, the food is really good too. Ingredients are sourced where possible from prison farms and veg gardens and then pasties are hand-crimped in Manchester. Pasty and pie fillings include creamy leek and mushroom, jerk chicken, and steak and stout – there’s a Cornish pasty on the menu too, of course. This lot have their own bakery in Bolton but also provide pies to lots of other places around Greater Manchester including the recently revamped Manchester Museum Cafe, as well as delivering nationally.

There’s nothing quite like a slice of plate-sized cheese and onion pie made by someone’s mam. The pie in question at the Maypole Granary sandwich shop in Oldham has been passed down through the family and is shared as a special with lucky locals on Thursdays. Be quick with this one as it sells out fast.

Formerly known as The Ottö-Men, Otto Vegan Empire now has a permanent home upstairs at Crown & Conspirator in Stockport. While there are lots of dips and other dishes to love here, the one that wins over even the most hardened of carnivores is the Sexy Pie. Vegan but still one of the best pies in Manchester. If you’re going to encourage people to eat veg, wrapping it in a pastry case is certainly a good shout. This sexiest of pies is loaded with confit spiced vegetables, grains and fruits wrapped in fresh Armenian filo, brushed with molasses and sprinkled with za’atar. Phwoar indeed.

Patel’s Pies was launched during lockdown by Steve Patel of Vaso Kitchen fame. His pies became word of mouth famous when they began flying out of much-missed hipster grocery store, Bernie’s. Steve has taken the best bits of his dual heritage, using Indian recipes handed down via his dad and putting them in a very English buttery pie crust. He keeps fillings simple with just six spicy options: lamb keema with peas, chicken vindaloo, desi chicken, beef madras, aloo matar and chickpea, spinach and paneer. You can pick them up from various markets around Manchester, as well as Kobean Coffee in Heaton Moor and Fog Lane Park cafe. You can also now get them delivered to your door.

Quite possibly the originator of the trendy pie shop, Pieminister has gone from itinerant indie pop-up to a feature of any self-respecting city centre. Their pies are filled with traditional fillings, often with seasonal takes, and if you can get past the wilfully cringe names (think ‘Fungi Chicken’ and ‘Moolin Rouge’), they’re deeply savoury, outrageously filling and always hit the spot. Sides are abundant, and there’s plenty of veggie and vegan options too. While not technically an indie anymore, no pie guide would be complete without them.