Tauranga is a haven for some of the best-baked meat and fruit pies in New Zealand.
Local bakers have been among the most successful at New Zealand’s annual Bakels Supreme Pies Awards.
Tauranga baker Patrick Lam, owner of Patrick’s Pie Group Gold Star Bakery, has taken the national pie-making Supreme Pie Award five times since 2003 and has collected more than 60 awards for his range of pies which include savoury and sweet styles.
Here are some recent award-winners to track down in Tauranga.
Top choices
Patrick’s Pie Group Gold Star Bakery
19 Bethlehem Town Centre, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
– Winner 2016 Supreme Award and Gold Medal for its bacon and egg pie.
– Silver Medal in 2016 for their steak and cheese pie.
– Highly commended in 2016 in the gourmet fruit category for a Cointreau pear, apple and cherry cheesecake.
– Silver Medal in 2014 for their mince and gravy pie.
– Silver Medal in 2014 for their bacon and egg pie.
– Silver Medal in 2014 for their vegetarian pie.
– Bronze Medal in 2014 for a chicken and veg pie.
– Gold Medal in 2013 for a vegetarian pie made with stir fry vegetables, roast pumpkin, potato, kumara in spinach cream sauce.
– Gold Medal in 2012 for a chicken and veg pie.
Baker Bob’s Bakery & Cafe
135 Chadwick Rd, Greerton, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
– Gold Medal in 2016 for winning the Best Gourmet Meat Pie section.
– Gold Medal in 2016 for making the country’s best steak and cheese pie.
– Bronze Medal in 2016 for their spinach, pumpkin and kumara pie in the vegetarian section.
– Bronze Medal in 2016 for their potato top pie.
Best of the others
One Tree Bakery
204 Maunganui Road, Mt Maunganui
– Gold Medal in 2015 for their steak and gravy pie.
– Gold Medal in 2014 for their chicken and veg pie.
Cherrywood Café
7 Cherrywood Court, Cherrywood Drive, Otumoetai, Tauranga
– Gold Medal in 2012 for their bacon & egg pie.
Coincidentally, Tauranga is also the home of some of the best-made commercial wholesale pies in New Zealand. The nationally-distributed Ponsonby Pies are made in Tauranga.
Ponsonby Pies were awarded a Bronze Medal for their mince and cheese pies in 2016.
Source: Bakels Pie Awards
