Who Ate All the Pies? 10 Ways to Celebrate British Pie Week in LondonBy Angelica Malin
Looking to celebrate British Pie Week (4th-10th March) in London? Here’s our top ways to eat all the pies in the capital this week. Note: wear your comfiest clothes.
1. For Award-Winning Pies: Windmill, Mayfair
What: London’s greatest pie pub, Windmill Mayfair, is celebrating British Pie Week, with award-winning pies and free bottomless beer from the guys at Camden Town Brewery.
The Lowdown: Three-time winner of the British Pie Awards, the Windmill on Mill Street, is offering a week-long selection of flavour-packed, hand-made pies, perfectly paired with speciality beers from local breweries. Delicious pies on offer include Steak & Mushroom, Venison, Smoked Bacon & Wild Mushroom, Steak & Stilton and Chicken, Bacon & Leek.
Where: 6-8 Mill Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 2AZ
2. For a Luxury Pie: The Baptist Grill, Holborn
What: Executive Chef Tony Fleming serves his signature pithivier at the Baptist Grill at L’Oscar hotel, Holborn, with seasonal and frequently changing fillings including butternut squash with sage, parmesan and mustard fruits.
The Lowdown: Ideal for celebrating British Pie Week, the luxurious pithivier is a staple of Fleming’s, offering the typical rich and comforting flavours found in a pie but with an elegant twist.
Where: 2-6 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4AA
3. For a Chicken Pie: Plum + Spilt Milk, Kings Cross
What: Plum + Spilt Milk is celebrating British Pie Week this year with a bespoke classic chicken and leek pie with wild garlic mash, braised peas, bacon and lettuce.
The Lowdown: Served only from 4th-10th March, Chef Mark Sargeant has curated the comforting classic pie to be served with contemporary sides to compliment the elegant restaurant interiors. Priced at £19.50, this is the ideal option for those looking for a luxurious pie this March.
Where: St Pancras Station, Pancras Rd, London N1C 4TB
4. For a Sweet Pie: Tom’s Kitchen, Throughout London
What: Sweet, buttery pastry encasing a warm blackberry and apple filling; this pie is the ultimate comforting dessert for a winter’s day.
The Lowdown: Founded by highly-acclaimed chef, Tom Aikens, the Tom’s Kitchen restaurants in Chelsea, Canary Wharf and Birmingham are renowned for serving contemporary British dishes and comfort food classics, using the finest seasonal ingredients, with an emphasis on where food comes from and how it is grown.
Where: Locations here
5. For a Chicken Tikka Pie: Kanishka, Mayfair
What: The perfect combination of two favourite dishes, Atul Kochhar’s Chicken Tikka Pie is on the menu at his new restaurant Kanishka, on Maddox Street.
The Lowdown: As the first Indian chef to win a Michelin-star, Atul’s pie shows suitable finesse – chicken tikka masala is served in a crisp puff pastry alongside cumin scented berry compote.
Where: 17-19 Maddox St, Mayfair, London W1S 2QH
6. For a Show-stopping Pie: Roux at Parliament Square, Westminster
What: Head chef Steve Groves is best known for his refined plates and dainty dishes at Roux at Parliament Square. However at home, he is far more likely to be whipping up a one-pot wonder or sharing dish for him and his family.
The Lowdown: For pie week, he has penned a recipe for his delicious beef shin and bone marrow pie, the perfect supper for a cold wintery night.
Where: 11 Great George St, Westminster, London SW1P 3AD
7. For an Stand-Out Pie: 45 Jermyn St, Mayfair
What: Where better to celebrate British Pie Week than at destination restaurant, 45 Jermyn St. in the heart of St. James’s. The exquisite dining room, with inviting orange booths and an extensive wine collection has an ever changing menu, showcasing seasonal ingredients at its finest.
The Lowdown: New on the lunch menu this month is the Ox Cheek and Bone Marrow Pie. Pie-enthusiasts can tuck into rich, flavoursome ox cheek and succulent bone marrow encrusted in thick, flaky pastry, served alongside creamy potatoes.
Where: 45 Jermyn St. Corner of Jermyn Street and Duke Street, London, SW1 6DN
8. For 2-for-1 Pies: The Bedford, Balham
What: The Bedford in Balham is celebrating British Pie Week with two for one on a selection of limited-edition pies from 4th-8th March.
The Lowdown: Tasty pies on offer include a hearty steak and Timothy Taylor’s Landlord ale pie, best enjoyed with a pint of the same. For those seeking a plant-based option, the pulled jackfruit and oyster mushroom is a must-try-pie, best served with a bottle of the amazing Proud IPA. Sweet pies come in the form of a vegan frangipane and plum with vanilla ice cream. Try it washed down with a pint of crisp Camden Pils Lager for the ultimate end to a meal.
Where: 77 Bedford Hill, London SW12 9HD
9. For a Chicago-Style Pie: Japes, Soho
What: Japes, located on Dean Street in Soho, are the only restaurant in London who serve Chicago-style pizza pot pies.
The Lowdown: Their pot-pie pizzas are built bottom-up in a ramekin and baked with the crust on top. First you add in the mozzarella, then a layer of the slow-cooked sauce and finally you top with the crust. Once it’s baked, the pie is flipped upside-down to reveal the slow-cooked filling and mozzarella topping, which sits upon the bread bowl crust.
Where: 22-25 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3RY
10. For a Double Pie Menu: Simpson’s in the Strand
What: Adrian Martin, at Simpson’s in the Strand, has created a dedicated pie menu especially for British Pie Week. The two-course pie menu will be available alongside the daily ‘Bill of Fare’ for the duration of pie week.
The Lowdown: For main course, enjoy Norfolk Chicken, Ham Hock & Morel Mushroom Pudding Pie served with mash and Green Liquor Sauce. This will be followed by the beautiful dessert pie of Pink Rhubarb and Ginger Pie served with Vanilla Custard.
Where: 100 Strand, London WC2R 0EW
