Buttery pastry, rich gravy and quality filling: Our top picks for meat pies in Kempsey Shire

The humble meat pie no longer has a humble price tag. The Aussie icon can set you back anywhere from $6 to more than $10, and with that kind of spending you want to make sure you’re satisfied with the savoury snack.

Regional areas, like the Mid North Coast, are renowned for the classic country bakery selling lamingtons, fingers buns, that cone full of cream, vanilla slices, Smartie-covered cupcakes, sausage rolls, pasties, and of course pies (sometimes pronounced “Poooiiieeeya”) with a variety of fillings available.

Bonus points if the bakery has a sandwich deli in the corner.

It’s a bit of a claim to fame to have the best pie in town. Locals will tell visitors which bakery to hit before heading home and it’s not uncommon to see a line out the door on a weekend or during school holidays.

The Mid North Coaster visited bakeries across Kempsey Shire, focusing solely on  the classic meat pie and tomato sauce, to find the best of the best.

Like all art, pie preferences are subjective. Our reporter Ellie was looking for:

• Minced beef rather than steak

• Extra saucy gravy

• Soft, buttery pastry with a lack of structural integrity– a pie you’re not sure you should eat in public.

• Lots of filling – a full pie, none of this low-tide nonsense

• Fresh and hot – selling a pie that was made yesterday is of no interest

These top three winners met all the above criteria, came in under $10,and received a couple of bonus points.

Tumblegum Bakehouse N Cafe,  Kempsey

The mince filling was full to the brim. I had to hang over the veranda banister to eat this pie, which is a note-worthy criteria in my books. The pie was hot, but not burn-the-roof-of-your-mouth-hot, and clearly made fresh that day. The pastry was super buttery, you can see the yellow-tinge in the pictures. 

👍Bonus points: I also liked the little tin foil base the pie came in, the service was fast but friendly, and most of all, Tumblegum has a loyalty pie card. Get your tenth pie for free!

⭐️Rating: I didn’t leave a single crumb of this pie, 10/10 would recommend.
💰 Price: $6.30
📍Address: I visited 54 Elbow St, West Kempsey NSW 2440. There is another Tumblegum in Kempsey at 53 Smith Street.
🕓 Opening hours: 4am to 5pm weekdays, until 3pm Saturdays and closed Sundays

Shoey’s Bakery, South West Rocks

I’m super into the square pie. I love biting into a corner. I also really like it when you peel off the lid and there is a soft layer of pastry stuck to the mince – always a good sign. The pastry was extra flakey and the pie was soft to bite into but the base held some strength so there were no blow outs.

👍Bonus points: The pie itself was under $6 which is hard to find these days. I can also recommend their butter chicken pie.

⭐️ Rating: Perfect lid peel and great shape 9.5/10 will go back.
💰Price: $6.25 (5.80 pie $0.40 sauce + surcharge)
📍Address: 6 Paragon Ave, South West Rocks NSW 2431
🕓Opening hours: 7 days a week from 6am to 3pm on weekdays and until 2pm on weekends.

Barnett’s Bakery, Crescent Head

I loved the rich gravy of this pie and I was blessed with yet another buttery, flakey crust. This was, for me, the perfect-sized pie, leaving me satisfied. This bakery is very popular and more often than not you’ll be waiting in line – however they always have plenty of stuff on.

👍 Bonus points: The extensive offering of this bakery is pretty impressive. I’ve been told to try the cheeseburger pie made with a real burger patty. 

⭐️Rating: Filling and flavourful 9/10 worth lining up
💰Price: $7.10
📍Address: Shop 2/12 Main St, Crescent Head NSW 2440
🕓Opening hours: 7am to 5pm everyday

What do you look for in a pie? Email [email protected]