A couple have taken it upon themselves to find out which part of the country does pies the best – and they were left stunned by one major difference between the two meals
A couple have embarked on a culinary adventure to determine which part of the country makes the best pies. The UK has no shortage of traditional dishes, from fish and chips to Sunday roasts and scones. However, pies hold a unique place in the hearts of Brits.
Whether it’s shepherd’s pie, cottage pie, pasties, or pies encased in shortcrust or puff pastry, the options are seemingly endless. But while there are many ways to eat pies, certain types are more popular in different parts of the country. So, who does pies better – the north or the south? This was the question couple Ryan and Jade set out to answer as they went to Wigan and London to pit their respective pies against one another.
The pair then turned to TikTok – where they boast more than 559,700 followers – to share their findings in a two-part video series.
“Which is best? Pies in the north, or pies in the south? Let’s find out,” declared Ryan before the pair travelled to the northern ‘home of pie.’
However, before they could sample their first pie at the renowned Galloways Bakers, Jade clarified: “You can’t get a pie in Wigan without getting a barm cake.”
She proceeded to unwrap her pie and nestle it inside the barm cake, creating her very own pie barm.
“This is from Galloways Bakers. It’s meant to be one of the best pies in the north,” Jade elaborated. “It actually looks amazing. It was £2.90 for the pie, and 70p for the barm base.”
So, what’s the verdict? So far, so good. Ryan said, taking his first bite: “I can see why Galloways is so popular.”
Jade explained they had opted for a meat and potato pie, which according to the bakery is one of their top sellers.
Ryan gave the pie an 8.3 out of 10, admitting he wasn’t entirely convinced by the concept of the pie barm. But was it enough to outdo the pies from the south?
That’s what they aimed to discover as they hopped on a train to London to sample the capital’s pie offerings.
Upon soliciting suggestions from their viewers, they were directed to Goodards in Greenwich, renowned for its traditional pie and mash meals.
After showcasing their meals – both opting for individual plates of pie and mash smothered in ‘liquor’, a parsley sauce – Ryan commented: “You wouldn’t get this up North. This is a very London dish.”
Jade was then taken aback to learn of a significant difference between northern and southern pies when she enquired if they had any gravy and was informed that they do, but it’s ‘just for tourists’. She then remarked: “So… I’ve obviously got the liquor.”
Finally, it was time to taste the second pie to see how it compared. But before that, Jade declared that she could devour ‘a whole plate’ of the mash because it was so delicious.
Ryan revealed that their meal set them back £5.40 each, nearly twice the cost of the Wigan pie. After polishing off their pies, it was time to deliver the verdict.
“And with our scientific experiment complete, we crown Wigan the winner the winner,” Ryan declared.
Viewers quickly flocked to the comment section of the videos to voice their opinions on which location boasted the best pie.
“Gravy just for tourists? Wouldn’t get that up north,” one viewer quipped, while another chimed in: “Nothing can beat a galloways pie.
“Swear in Wigan it’s called a Wigan kebab,” another person commented.