By Jess Barker
Like Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, Hackney carriages, red buses and non-airconditioned tube rides, it's near impossible to imagine London without its most iconic foodstuff: pie and mash.
First eaten by London's Victorian working-class - who traditionally lived in the east and south of the city - eateries serving generous helpings of meat pie, potatoes and thick gravy have been filling the stomachs of people living in the capital since the days of Charles Dickens.
Luckily for modern visitors, though, eating London's favourite dinner no longer means visiting a
slum, with the meal available in venues across the city, including in its authentic but now
regenerated East End docklands.
So, if you're spending some time in the city, make sure to pay a visit to one of these venues for a
culinary experience you're unlikely to forget. Especially if you're brave enough to give jellied eels a try...
Goddards at Greenwich, Greenwich
If you're looking for an authentic East London pie and mash experience, then you can't go wrong
with this restaurant. First opened in 1890, it retains a traditional décor, and with full meals available for under a tenner, you're unlikely to find a better pie shop in the capital.
All of the pie meat is 100 per cent British, and its location in Greenwich means you can follow your meal up with a stroll along the Thames, or even take a walk under the stunningly designed
Greenwich Foot Tunnel, which first opened in 1902 to allow dock workers passage under the
Thames for their daily commute.
For a full menu and prices, visit the Goddards at Greenwich website.
Castle's Pie & Mash, Camden
This cosy pie shop has remained in the hands of the family that established it since 1934. Having
survived the Blitz, its secret recipes have been handed down through the generations and prove that North London can do the traditional food just as well as the East End.
Situated at 223 Royal College Street, its handy location makes it the perfect place to get your fill
before embarking on a tour of Camden Town, London's most rock'n'roll borough. The area is
famous for artists such as Amy Winehouse, Madness and Libertines singer Pete Doherty.
There is no official website for Castle's, but a meal should set you back around ten pounds.
Cockney's Pie & Mash, Portobello Road
While West London might be better known for West End shows and the lights of Covent Garden
than Victorian Britain's original fast food, the meals in Cockney's are as Robin Hood (that's "good"
for non-Londoners) as its name suggests.
Located on 314 Portobello Road, close to the Ladbroke Grove tube stop and Notting Hill, the pie
shop is a brisk 15-minute walk from Hyde Park. A meal should cost around £12.
M. Manze, various locations in south London
First established in 1902, this chain of three restaurants is as traditional as they come. The shops can be found on Tower Bridge Road, Peckham High Street and Sutton High Street, and serve pie and mash in authentic surroundings.
The famous pie-making Manze family– from whom the restaurants take their name - first moved to London from southern Italy in 1878. The family and chain's notoriety led to it being awarded a
'Blue Plaque' by Southwark council in the 2000s. Needless to say, the pies are some of the best you will find south of the river.
Store locations and full menus are available on the M. Manze website.
Pieminister, at pubs throughout London
Though pie purists may hold their noses up at this gourmet pie chain, if you're looking to get the
London piece experience while enjoying a pint, then you can go far worse than heading to one of
the many London pubs that serve Pieminister pies.
The chain tends to cater for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free needs better than the alternatives on this list and alongside the multitude of pubs offering the chain's pies, there are also Pieminister-run cafes on Gabriel’s Wharf and Leather Lane. Find your nearest Pieminister supplier on the company's website.
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