Steve Patel, a former scaffolder turned pie maker, has opened Patel's Pies in Stockport, selling out of 200 Indian-inspired pies daily within hours of opening. The shop, located next to Heaton Chapel Railway Station in former coal merchant huts dating back to 1864, has attracted long queues since its launch three weeks ago.
From Scaffolding to Pie Making
Patel, who is half Indian and half English, taught himself to cook and started making pies during the COVID-19 pandemic. His business, originally called Vaso Kitchen, supplied pies to delis, shops, bars, and breweries across the Northwest. In 2021, it gained fame for long queues outside Bernie's Community Grocery Store during a collaboration.
“My wife and I pulled up at the lights over there, and she said ‘one of them would make an amazing pie shop’, so we found out who owned them, put our name down and two weeks later it came up,” Patel recalled.
Award-Winning Pies
Patel has won several awards at the British Pie Awards. “I’m half Indian, my dad’s Indian and my mum is English, so I’ve used my heritage and taught myself to cook. I've always just wanted to make a curry pie too,” he said. His pies use rough puff pastry, hand-rolled and pressed by himself.
By half past 12 on a Thursday lunchtime, the shop had already sold out. In 20 minutes, 30 customers arrived hoping for leftovers. Reactions included “What?! Did you sell them at Take That last night?” and “What the f***.”
Menu and Prices
Pies are served hot or cold for takeaway, priced at £5.95 each. Flavors include tarka dal, butter chicken, keema (lamb and beef), chickpea and paneer, potato and pea, chicken vindaloo, beef madras, chicken keema, and steak and ale. A lunch deal at £9.95 includes any pie with masala mash, spiced mushy peas, and gravy. Gunpowder gravy, a secret recipe, costs £1.50, and canned drinks are £1.50.
“You turn to what people want for the pie flavours. I’ve never done steak and ale but I’ve been asked so many times that I’ve put one on the menu,” Patel added. “I shouldn’t always stick to the Indian flavours because I am half English too.”
Growing Demand
Popular flavors include keema and butter chicken, with madras also a favorite. The shop operates from a simple counter with handprinted signage and classic pie warmers. Outside, the only sign of its success is the long queue. Patel’s Pies has truly made it in Stockport.
