Rachel M.
Yelp
To say I love Pieminister would be a drastic and unforgivable understatement.
I am 'Pieminister' through and through. I adore it.
Like a stick of rock, if you cut off my arm, you would see that throughout myself I proudly read 'Live and Eat Pie'.
Pieminister is a proper Bristol institution. I regard this place with the same level of fondness and pride as the Suspension Bridge, a Wills Memorial, or Banksy.
If you are from Bristol and you haven't tried a Pieminister, you need to go immediately.
If you are hosting guests, and you are taking them on a tour of the highlights of Bristol, or are recommending places to visit, Pieminister (or a Pieminister outlet) needs to be 1st or 2nd on that list.
When I started University in Bristol back in 2006 my new friends were keen to learn from me, as a Bristolian, which are the best places to visit. The Pieminister shop in Stokes Croft was one of the first places I took them. They loved it, and it quickly became a firm favourite. Still to this day when friends come and visit, a trip to the Pieshop is always in the cards.
And you know you have made good friends in your life when you are able to talk to them at length about the merits of each pie, and you know the cool names by heart.
'Heidi Pie?... No no no, I fancy a Matador... Actually, I haven't had Chicken of Aragon in ages'.
One of my favourite 'shared stories' has been a close friend revealing to me that when she has a stressful day at work, her vice is to go to the pie shop, get a hot Heidi Pie to take away, and then go back to the changing room in work, sit in a changing cubicle, lock the door, and have 30mins of undisturbed bliss eating the pie.
While you might me reading these words with looks of shock and horror, I can assure you that my response to being told this was nods of reassurance and understanding. 'Yes, yes', I said, 'I totally get that. Just you and the pie, what a great way to unwind. I wish so worked in town...'
Me and my husband are both Pieminister fans. When we were planning our wedding, the one thing that we were both 100% certain we wanted right from the start was Pieminister served for the wedding breakfast. This decision was hugely popular, both with the crowd that already knew and loved the pies, and those who had their first experience of it.
Since establishing in 2003, Pieminister have grown, and today have officially hit the 'big time' - with their pies available across the land in restaurants and supermarkets.
However, despite their success, they have stayed as true to the brand and the ethics as is possible; when your company has expanded in such an enormous way.
The ingredients are fresh and local, and the Pies are still of exceptional quality with delicious gourmet fillings.
The original shop in stokes croft has undergone a bit of a makeover, and is now a little more cool and trendy than before. However you can still let the 'old pie shop feel' if you go to the stall in St Nicholas market.
The only development I can say I am not to happy about is the introduction of 'topless pies' (lighter pies for dieters)' and pie-pots (pastry-less pies for extreme dieters and people who can't/won't eat pastry).
Now... I know that the decision to expand the pie range makes complete sense, and allows Pieminister to cater for a range of dietary requirements. And I am sure that these topless and pastry-less pies are delicious.
So, my dislike for this decision is utterly unreasonable. The only reason I feel this way is because now I have to feel guilty about always going for the greediest non-waistline-friendly option. However, will not be swayed. The day I choose a 'diet pie' over a full enormous suet pastry pie will be the day I loose myself entirely. That day will hopefully never come.
And so, I was in Pieminister today with a good friend who is currently back in the UK for a short Christmas visit, before returning to New Zealand. When I asked her this morning 'where would you like to go today?' she responded with a look that read 'Really now Rachel, do you even need to ask?'.
Of course I don't. And I happily obliged.