The best pie in the UK has been crowned at the 2026 British Pie Awards

Pies are serious business in Britain. From the Melton Mowbray pork pie to the Cornish pasty to the steak and kidney pie – there’s a classic British pie to suit every occasion. So, it only makes sense that once every year, we have a nationwide competition to find the finest pies and piemakers in the land. 

The British Pie Awards were held in the UK’s pie capital, Melton Mowbray, today (Friday March 6). More than 1,000 pies entered the competition this year, and there were 26 categories in which they could pick up an award. But only one can be named Supreme Champion.

After meticulous judging from a panel of 187 pie aficionados, the grand title for 2026 was awarded to the Chicken Kiev Pie from Baldy’s Pies in Wigan.

A judge described the winning specimen as ‘a beautifully crafted pie with a pastry lid topping of panko, parsley with a hint of garlic which makes the pie so interesting to look at’. They added the creation was filled with ‘melt in the mouth tender chicken’ and had a subtle flavour that didn’t ‘overpower the natural flavours of the chicken’. It’s the 25th British Pie Award for the Lancashire pie-makers. 

Matthew O’Callaghan, the chairman of the Melton Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards, said: ‘From time-honoured regional recipes to bold and contemporary flavour combinations, this year’s entries demonstrate just how firmly the pie remains at the heart of British food culture.

‘As this year’s Supreme Champion, Baldy’s represents the very pinnacle of craftsmanship and innovation, a true celebration of quality ingredients, skill and dedication. It has been an immense pleasure to witness such extraordinary standards once again.’

The different categories judged in the awards include pasties, dessert pies, fish pies, fusion pies and pub pies. Baldy’s Pies’ creation also won in the chicken and vegetable/herb pie class.

ICYMI: The greatest Cornish pasty in Britain has been crowned for 2026. 

Plus: This fish and chip shop was just named the best in the UK. 

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