If I'm really honest, I'm not fussy when it comes to the shape of a pie. It can be circular, rectangular or triangular for all I care.
Give me a parallel-shaped pie and if the pastry's perfect and the filling's right, I'll send it in the direction of my digestive system without so much as a second thought.
If, on the other hand, pie shape
is important to you, the shop I'm about to recommend could be problematic. You see, the
Square Pie shop only sells pies in one shape. And it isn't hexagonal.
Surely, when it comes to a pie, the most important thing is the quality of the pastry and the taste of what it holds within. The Square Pie shop holds within
its crusty pies fillings that will have your tummy dancing with joy.
They've got all the regular flavours you'd expect from a pie shop worth its salt (and the pies aren't, incidentally, too salty) - steak and kidney? Of course. Steak and Guinness? You bet. Chicken and mushroom? Naturally.
And there's the enduring East End favourite too, the mince and onion pie.
You'll also find pie fillings that are less well known, but no less tasty. For examples, there's spinach and feta, lamb and rosemary, and jerk chicken too.
One thing you
won't find in the pies are artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives.
To see the full range of pies (all of them square) on offer, click
here.
Of course, a pie all by itself can look rather lonely, so all you need to do is jazz it up a bit with some fluffy mash, fresh veg and a dash of gravy.
Decent mash is as important as a decent pie to this place, with the Square Pie shop using Maris Piper potatoes in its creamy concoction.
Its chefs consider ingredients carefully, and also take note of the nutritional content of the pies. You can read more about their pie-making philosophy, as well as about exactly what goes into their pies, by clicking
here.
Since it opened its first shop in 2001, the business has gone from strength to strength and now has four outlets in London - in Spitalfields market, Canary Wharf, Westfield, and Twickehnam.
I've been to the one in Spitalfields several times, usually grabbing lunch there after a look around the famous market. The Spitalfields branch has an outdoor seating area, perfect for a spot of people watching. My favourite, the lamb and rosemary pie, always goes down a treat.
