Among the many things that New Zealand is known for, the country’s well-renowned meat pies might be the tastiest. There are countless recipes on the internet, and while you can certainly make them at home, the experience of eating them in Aotearoa is unmatched. You can find meat pies at dozens of bakeries across both islands in all sorts of flavors and varieties.
However, the most famous of them all belongs to Fairlie’s Bakehouse, a bakery located in the small town of Fairlie that opened in 2010 and operates under the helm of an Austrian-born chef. Thousands flock to this bakery to take a bite out of their award-winning meat pies and with a 4.7/5-star rating on TripAdvisor with nearly a thousand reviews, it isn’t hard to understand why. It’s a hot tourist destination for those traveling to or from Lake Tekapo (separated by just a half-hour drive).
If you know me, you might be wondering, “Namrita, you’re a vegan. What on earth could you possibly know about meat pies?” Well, nothing really. But I am qualified to discuss vegan meat pies and that’s what you’re here for. Traveling with a meat eater, we hadn’t initially planned to stop in Fairlie on our drive back up to Christchurch from Lake Tekapo, but my cousin wanted to stop at Blank Space for some shopping, and we both needed coffee.
I would recommend arriving early, but there is always a line outside the shop. You’ll just have to be patient! The good news is that they bake/warm everything up for you so it’s fresh, and the line does move fairly quickly. There’s plenty of space to sit outside and eat as well. And if you’re looking for vegan-friendly pies, you won’t have a ton of difficulty choosing.
Eating vegan at Fairlie Bakehouse is not a challenge. They offer non-dairy milk alternatives for their coffee, as well as a whopping three different vegan pie options: mince and cheese, American pumpkin, and curried lentils. Both the mince and cheese, and American pumpkin pies won awards and were recognized at the Vegan Society’s 2024 Vegan Pie Awards (which is a thing, apparently?). The American pumpkin pie is also gluten-free. And while I can’t speak for the other pies, the vegan mince and cheese pie was delicious.
It was hot right out of the oven with a soft and buttery crust, and fake meat that wasn’t the worst-tasting I’ve ever had. The crust was super flaky, and I absolutely made a mess on the table. You can get the pies to dine in or take out, and if you take out, they come in a paper bag (I did take out, thinking we would hit the road, but we didn’t). The pies might be a tad expensive, but here, I think you get what you pay for. They’re decent-sized pies and could absolutely be a whole meal (they were for me, as I’m 99% sure I skipped lunch that day). And they’re “made with love”.
While I have nothing to compare it to as I’ve never had a meat pie before, vegan or not, but I would get it again. My cousin also enjoyed her meat pie, so there are solid options all around.
New Zealand’s food culture is primarily meat-based as the country is isolated and has an agricultural economy, with some exceptions like kumara (essentially a sweet potato). And while New Zealand is an incredibly vegan-friendly country, I also know that the world doesn’t revolve around me and shouldn’t have to. Even then, it’s always a pleasant surprise when you come across places that make sure everyone can be included.
So if you’re looking for a quintessential Kiwi culinary experience, even as a vegan (or a non-vegetarian), Fairlie’s Bakehouse is a great place to stop to get your vegan pie fix.
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