After tasting approximately 1,500 entries from all across the land, The Great Aussie Pie Competitionโs โdedicated connoisseursโ have once again determined where youโll find the countryโs best.
For the esteemed honour of Australiaโs supreme plain meat pie, Paradise Bakehouse located in Bundaberg, Queensland, has taken home the top prize ($6.90) โ outperforming the likes of The Pie Father in Roseberry, NSW (category runner-up), and the usual suspects that have historically dominated these events, e.g. Country Cob Bakery.
Paradise Bakehouse also won Best Apprentice Vegetarian Pie with its โVeggie Loverโ entrant.
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In conversation with Nine, bakery owner Lam Khong explained how his mother introduced him to pie-making at a young age. Fast-forward to adulthood, and the award-winning artisan started his own business in Perth before eventually making his way to Bundie.
While Khong also deals in the adventurous with pies featuring non-conventional ingredients such as scallops and rabbit, funnily enough, he doesnโt indulge in everyday condiments like ketchup.
โA lot of customers still put the tomato on the pieโฆ It depends on people,โ said Lam Khong.
In previous years, the โBest Meat Pie in Australiaโ throne has been occupied by Buddy Bakery, Pinjarra Bakery, and Whittlesea Bakehouse. So what makes for a winning recipe?
โIโm a firm believer if you use good ingredients, good flour, good margarine, you keep it simple and love what you do, then thatโs what counts,โ Whittlesea Bakehouse pie maker Adrian Caporetto told Star Weekly.
The competition judge Mike French, on the other hand, chalks it up to three slightly more specific elements: โA crispy pastry top with flake, a structurally sound pie bottom, and the ultimate pie filling.โ
French added the ideal pie should be โbaked through with a nice golden colourโ with a consistent three-millimetre thick side and bottom.
โRegardless of the meat you choose, the ultimate pie filling contains meat, thickener, colour, and seasoning, and we recommend adding some onion for flavour,โ explained French.
โBe sure to pay special attention to the meat-to-pastry ratio to achieve the perfect balance and not jeopardise your structure.โ
โThe pie should be meaty and tasty with a nice rich brown gravy, not grey or black. The filling should not fall into your lap when hot, or conversely, stick to the roof of your mouth.โ
The other notable winner this year was South Australiaโs Banana Boogie Bakery, which currently produces the nationโs best plain sausage roll ($5.50). As per co-owner and head baker Jason Spencer, this crown-worthy creation was stumbled upon by pure serendipity.
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โWe got a recipe from one of our suppliers, and that wasnโt really the best, and we made a mistake by using the wrong spice once โ and it actually came out phenomenal, and weโve done with that recipe ever since,โ revealed Spencer, who now keeps the spice in question a secret.
According to Jason Spencer, a cracking sausage roll begins with โreally good gravy.โ
He continued: โThe meatโs got to be a good consistency, not too dry, not a lot of breadcrumb in there either, which you have to use to stop the sausage roll from shrinking.โ
โWe have a good relationship with our butcher, so heโs got it down to an actual perfection of what pally blends the meat for us. Itโs just that nice, moist sausage roll.โ
Similar to Lam Khong, Spencer also believes a flavoursome sausage roll โdoesnโt needโ any tomato sauce.
Here is a select list of overall winners for the 2025 Great Aussie Pie Competition.
The Best Pies in Australia (2025)
Major Titles
- Plain Meat Pie: Paradise Bakehouse (Bundaberg, QLD)
- Gourmet Pie: Mt Barker Country Bakehouse (Mount Barker, WA)
- Plain Sausage Roll: Banana Boogie Bakery (Belair, SA)
- Gourmet Sausage Roll: Samuel Geeโs Pies & Pastries (Balaclava, NSW)
- Pastie: Miami Bakehouse (Greenfields, WA)
Category Awards
- Red Meat Pie: Mt Barker Country Bakehouse (Mount Barker, WA)
- Poultry Pie: Mountain High Pies (Wentworth Falls, NSW)
- Vegetarian/Vegan Pie: Mt Barker Country Bakehouse (Mount Barker, WA)
- Pork Pie: The Pie Father (Rosebery, NSW)
- Shepherdโs/Potato Top Pie: Bruns Bakery (Brunswick, NSW)
- Slow Cooked BBQ Pie: The Pie Father (Rosebery, NSW)
- Game Pie: Hungie Fangs Artisan Bakery (Cobram, VIC)
- Seafood Pie: The Little Red Grape (Auburn, SA)
- Apple Pie: Miami Bakehouse (Greenfield, WA)
- Brekkie Pie: Mountain High Pies (Wentworth Falls, NSW)
- Gluten Free Pie: Heavens Bakehouse (Keilor East, VIC)
- Tom Lindsay Pepper Steak Pie Award: M&D Butchery (Port Cygnet, TAS)
Check out the full run of Great Aussie Pie Competition results below.
