Manze's

"Manze’s has sat on Deptford High Street for over a century. If you’re familiar with traditional East End pie and mash shops, then you’ll recognise the green of its shopfront as much as you will its gleaming white-tiled, wooden booth interior and its glistening parsley sauce. As ever, pie, mash, and liquor is the order. And, as ever, it will more than likely require a generous dousing of vinegar, salt, and pepper. The pies are filled with minced beef and, frankly, aren’t exactly flavourful on their own. And the mash is stodgy and satisfying—as good as anything for an empty stomach in need of familiarity (and a side of London history)." - rianne shlebak, jake missing, sinead cranna, daisy meager

"Manze’s has sat on Deptford High Street for over a century. If you’re familiar with traditional East End pie and mash shops, then you’ll recognise the green of its shopfront as much as you will its gleaming white-tiled, wooden booth interior and its glistening parsley sauce. As ever, pie, mash, and liquor is the order. And, as ever, it will more than likely require a generous dousing of vinegar, salt, and pepper. The pies are filled with minced beef and, frankly, aren’t exactly flavourful on their own. And the mash is stodgy and satisfying—as good as anything for an empty stomach in need of familiarity (and a side of London history). photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Jake Missing

"London’s original fast-food, Manze’s on Deptford High Street is one of south east London’s few remaining pie and mash shops. Traditionally decorated with white tiles, bench seating, and white marble tables, the shop is open for lunch from Wednesday to Saturday and has been serving pie, mash and liquor for over 100 years. Mince beef pies are made on site to a time-tested recipe, capped with flaky pastry; mashed potato is scraped onto plates and lashed with lurid green parsley liquor, best enjoyed with a splash of chilli-infused vinegar. Gravy is available for those wishing to break with tradition." - Jonathan Hatchman

"South London’s finest pie shop (sorry Arments fans) has introduced local hot delivery via Just Eat and Deliveroo, but has also been sending chilled deliveries to addresses all over the UK since long before the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition to their standard fare of pie, mash, and liquor — which is some of the best in the city — stewed and jellied eels are also available alongside vegan pies, chilli vinegar, and Baldwin’s Sarsaparilla, for a classic pie and mash shop lunch at home, in south London and beyond." - Jonathan Hatchman

"Manze’s is never going to change anyone’s opinion on pie and mash. While places like Goddards in Greenwich are innovating with various degrees of success, adding different pies (welcome), extra spicy chilli vinegar (extremely welcome) and baked beans (an atrocity), Manze’s sticks to the two “indigenous” London foods that it’s been serving since Italian Michele Manze came over from Ravello and opened up shop in 1902: pie, mash and liquor, and eels. Either you were brought up on this food and buy into its lore, the fork and spoons (knives are provided solely to weed out the daytrippers), the gummy pies and pappy mash, smeared round the edge of the plate, a bulwark to keep out the seepage of mucilaginous Kermit-green liquor. Or you regard it as the culinary equivalent of Brexit. Manze’s is nostalgia, it’s baby food nonpareil, it’s lineage and tradition, it’s London culture to the hilt. The fact of whether it’s good or not (and to be clear, it is actually very good) is almost immaterial, it should be compulsory for any Londoner who likes food to go to Manze’s at least once a year and order a double pie and mash, dowse it with the oddly Chinese condiments (chilli vinegar and white pepper) and pray that they don’t all move to Essex." - Jonathan Nunn