For an upmarket, lunchtime pie in the west end, you need look no further than Canteen at 55 Baker Street. With a busy lunchtime trade right on Baker Street, you may wish to book ahead for a table, or sit at the counter as an alternative.

Although not a pie specialist, there is always at least one meat and one vegetarian pie on the menu, with chicken and mushroom being pie du jour on my most recent visit.

At £10.50 for a pie with mash and vegetables, it’s at the pricier end of the pie market, but for a delicious, warming plate of food, it’s not bad at all. The pie itself was full of decent pieces of chicken breast and mushroom in a creamy sauce, encased in a golden brown puff pastry exterior. Served with fantastic creamy old-school mashed potato and steamed cabbage (when did cabbage ever taste this good?) with a generous serving of gravy, this meal sits nicely with a pint of pale ale.

Afterwards, turning out into a cold December London day was not a problem, my pie and mash kept me warm for most of the afternoon.

With a buzzy, office-workers’ atmosphere at lunchtime, but much quieter in the evening, Canteen doesn’t have the cosy atmosphere of more traditional eateries, but the quality of the food is excellent, with other options like roast belly of pork also looking very tempting.

Pie Hunter Rating
Ambiance: 6/10
Pie: 8/10
Ale: 8/10