There are few things better than a hot country pie. Whether you're grabbing it from the cabinet or hot straight from the oven, hitting the classic beef or something more adventurous, there's a deep, primal joy to clutching and savouring that pie in your hands.
For those of us who grew up with road trip pit stops at Victoria's best country bakeries, finding that perfect combination of crackling puff pastry, rich stewy filling, and buttery shortcrust is practically a spiritual quest. Lucky for us, you don't need to make the pilgrimage out of town to satisfy your pie cravings anymore.
Melbourne’s pie game is stronger than ever, and we've got plenty of places that'll scratch your itch with the tastiest pies Melbourne’s pulling out of the oven.
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Without further ado, here’s where you’ll find the best pies Melbourne has on offer in 2025:
Natural Tucker
809 Nicholson Street, Carlton North
They’ve been championing ‘real bread' since 1984, but Natural Tucker pies also deserve your attention. Pastry is a star here: a perfectly crackly top with a strong shortcrust case. They hit you right in the beefy nostalgia with beef and mushroom, beef and cheese, curry beef, smoked beef and jalapeno and simple Aussie beef. There's brunchy bacon and egg, a lamb korma, a vegan chickpea dahl, BBQ jackfruit, and spinach and feta. As well as the flagship Carlton North store, you’ll find these pies at partner shops across the northside: The Billy Cart Bread Co. in Thornbury, Kneadful Things in Fairfield, Bakers Block in Brunswick and Grain Peddler in Preston.
Wonder Pies
Various Locations
Wonder Pies, made by renowned fine-dining chef Ray Capaldi, are up there among the best pies in Melbourne. You can find them at locations spread across the north such as their flagship store in Coburg North, as well as at their Baketico locations in Brunswick East, Collingwood and Heidelberg. Expect rich shortcrust cases topped in puff pastry with a French glaze. The fillings can be humble with options like lamb and gravy or shepherds pie, intriguing with Chicken tandoori flavours or with playful twists like lasagne pie, mac and cheese pie, cheeseburger pie, and chicken parma pie. There’s solid options for vegetarians as well, such as cauliflower, leek and cheese or a vegan “lamb” and rosemary. Finish off your visit with a sweet apple pie for dessert.
Frankie’s Pie Shop
Carlton Farmers Market
Frankie’s Pie Shop is the creation of chef Francesca Giorgi Monfort who slings pies at Carlton Farmers Market on the first and third Saturday of each month. Her gourmet pies use local ingredients, encased in a buttery, flaky puff pastry of signature rectangular shape. The fillings change regularly, with past showstoppers including charred cauliflower, leek and aged cheddar, quail egg shakshuka, pork scotch egg pie, kangaroo bourguignon and a spicy lamb merguez roll. Don't miss the monthly collab fillings, like the chunky Reuben with Gaga’s gherkins and kraut or coconut poached cod, garlic bok-choi and crispy chilli oil.
Keith's Pies
119 Burnley Street, Richmond
Honest pies. No fuss or frills. Keith’s Pies is a family run pie shop which was started in 1953, and still uses some of the tried and true recipes from back then. Their classic meaty range includes good old plain steak and variations like steak, bacon and cheese, steak curry, and steak and kidney. Plus you’ll find some fresh fillings like chicken Thai green curry as well as Cornish pasties and a vegan-friendly mixed veg pasty. Don’t overlook the rolls either, from ‘old fashioned’ sausage rolls to jalapeño sausage, cheese kransky, and cauliflower and cheese.
Magnum Pi
348 Burnley St, Richmond
The original beef pie recipe at Magnum Pi has been perfected over 30 years. But that expertise has translated to their more unique flavours as well. You could just as happily tackle a beef with caramelised onion, one steeped in rich merlot gravy, or an Italian lamb ragu with saltbush. With beef and lamb locally farmed in Gippsland, you know the quality is top tier. They also have slow braised chicken with sautéed mushrooms, sage and leek in a creamy white sauce, as well as vego options of spinach and cheese rolls, pasties or roasted cauliflower, lentil and cheese. Keep an eye out for specials like Sri Lankan coconut curry with jackfruit. These pies all go perfectly served alongside a damn fine cup of Vacation coffee.
Tokyo Lamington
258 Elgin Street, Carlton
Tokyo Lamington is much more than just lamingtons (although they do have a fantastic array). The pies here are wholly unique, inspired by comforting flavours from Japanese and South-East Asian cuisine. One of their signatures is Japanese chicken curry encased in shortcrust, topped with puff pastry and panko crumbs. There’s also Beef Nikomi (a simmered beef stew) and a teriyaki vegetable pie. Plus, they have crispy pork katsu or Nasi Lemak sausage rolls and a range of quiches. The chawanmushi-inspired quiche with mushrooms cooked in Pepe Saya butter and miso with a dashi-infused egg custard is a definite standout.
Dröm
1/19 Scoresby Road, Bayswater
Don't let the sleek interior fool you: Dröm is more than capable of scratching that country pie itch. Sure, they're famous for eye-catching pastries, like the spherical choc hazelnut rocher ‘Moonrock’, the pistachio and white chocolate crescent and seasonal specials like Ube cake suisse. But they whip up inventive pies with handmade pastry, right down to the careful crimping around the edges, with fillings carefully curated by owner George Dardamanis. The two constants are the faithful meat pie and chicken and leek. Their pie specials are where you see the true Dröm creativity oozing in, with inventions like spicy beef bulgogi pie, cheeseburger pie, and butter chicken pie.
Pieman’s Son
42 Bell Street, Heidelberg Heights
Pieman's Son in Heidelberg Heights is having a red-hot crack as one of Melbourne's best pie shops. Baker Pat Cremean comes from a proud, 30-year history of pastry expertise via his family’s business, Bocastle Pastry. As pastry royalty, he carries on this legacy using locally sourced ingredients (some from his very own farm in Kyneton). This pie shop keeps up the verified classics, like Aussie beef pies, cornish pasties, sausage rolls and spinach and cheese. You’ll also find bougie signatures like beef and burgundy, the delightful meatball and cheese, and hearty vego options like curried cauliflower and pea, as well as fresh twists like Thai chicken and Moroccan lamb.
Udom House
343 Victoria Street, West Melbourne
Pie, but make it Thai-style. Udom House is a quirky little Thai cafe slinging all-day light breakfasts as well as sweet and savoury toasts, Thai tea and Chiang Mai-style coffee - and Thai pies beyond your wildest dreams. These seasonal specialties aren’t your average pie. Within these light, crisp parcels you'll find fillings like Sai ua (Northern Thai spicy pork sausage), Gaprao Chicken (stir fried with Holy Basil), Panang Beef, young coconut and almond and sweet creamed corn. Everything’s made fresh from scratch in house, and trust us, you won’t find flavours like this anywhere in Melbourne.
Miss Amelie
Prahran Market & Queen Vic Market
Whether you’re at Queen Vic or Prahran, Miss Amelie is a must-visit. There’s an eclectic variety of award-winning pies to satisfy any taste, from classic flavours like beef and onion or Tassie scallop and king salmon chowder to Chinese BBQ pork belly or Moroccan style slow-cooked goat. There’s a cheffy lean to the gourmet fillings, such as the famous Thai Red Curry Duck, a duck leg cooked in master stock with a red curry and coconut sauce of veg and pineapple. Scoff your first pie hot and fresh at the store, then grab a family-sized one to take home.
Raya
61 Little Collins Street, Melbourne CBD
Raymond Tan’s bakery tucked away on Little Collins Street is inspired by South East Asian flavours. You might not know that in addition to eye-catching and vibrant sweets, sandwiches and traditional Nyonya Kuehs, Raya also bake up their special spin on the humble pie. Shaped like a pasty, ‘hand pie’ or an old-school squat British-style pie with hand-pinched crimping, these buttery shortcrust pastries are stuffed with rich fillings. Think spicy Malaysian chicken and potato curry with hard-boiled egg, 12 hour slow cooked chunky beef brisket with dessicated coconut and herbs, and even a sardine pie with chilli, tomato and onion.
Image credit: Frankie's Pie Shop | Supplied
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