North London Food & Culture

Review: Piebury Corner, Holloway Road

Piles of proper pies that aren’t just for Arsenal fans

The area's on the up: Posh pie deli on 'Holloway Boulevard' Pic: Piebury Corner
The area’s on the up: Posh pie deli on ‘Holloway Boulevard’ Pic: Piebury Corner

With the football season only a few fixtures young and full of silverware dreams yet to be crushed, it felt like a choice moment to visit Holloway’s undisputed matchday nosh champions.

Dishing up an extensive range of gourmet pies right on the ancient Roman thoroughfare now known as the A1 (or ‘Holloway Boulevard’ according to some of the more aspirational shop signage – see pic above), Piebury Corner, the lovely local ‘Pie Deli’ is guaranteed to be mobbed whenever Arsenal play at home.

That’s because the roots of the operation are a husband -and-wife team who used to serve up pies to fans from their front garden, so the couple’s Gooner pedigree goes way back. But it was encouraging to see a steady stream of takeaway and sit-down punters also rolling up on a nondescript Tuesday lunchtime too.

The small corner unit into which they’ve expanded their homespun operation looks instantly appealing, particularly alongside the strip-lit sign crimes of the kebab and chicken joints all around. Craft beers line the windows enticingly; traditional tiling and faded Arsenal memorabilia make for the ideal earthy kind of ‘caff’ setting in which to devour a pastry, tatties and gravy combo.


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It was just warm enough for us to sit – on an impromptu visit – at one of the outdoor tables which, on closer inspection, have been fashioned from heavy iron 1930s turnstiles. The constant flow of road traffic and occasional interventions from the odd bug-eyed, dishevelled passer-by were, somewhat surprisingly, not a major distraction.

Crisp, flaky, golden and quite small: the Piebury Pies
Crisp, flaky, golden and quite small: the Piebury Pies

Ordering our pies was a little fraught though. There was confusion over which varieties were hot and ready to be served directly, and which would require a 20-minute wait. Further issues came over the £6.95 lunchtime deal, involving potatoes, which we deemed too risky of producing an afternoon food coma, versus a salad bar selection. But once we’d negotiated the complexities of the options and their prices (all pies can also be had alone as an on-the-go snack for £4.50) – and waited quite a bit more than the mooted 20-mins – the pies duly arrived, hot and golden.

Portions were surprisingly dainty for an operation so aligned with traditional heath-challenging football foods. This is no bad thing of course, and the quality of the fillings revealed these particular pies to be only vaguely distant cousins of the hunky gristle and giblets terrace staples of old.

Each pastry creation owes its name to an Arsenal legend, so we wolfed down a succulent Dennis Bergkamp (chicken, leek and ham) and ploughed into a broody minced beef and onion ‘Charlie George’.

The 'Dennis Bergkamp'
The ‘Dennis Bergkamp’

The pièce de résistance however was the large pot of gravy, burnished in colour and with beautifully umami red wine richness. It made us want to return to try another pie (the pun-tastic Sole Campbell fish variety, perhaps), this time with the full potato ensemble over which to slather more of the gloopy good stuff.

Even the slices of pudding – sticky staples such as banoffe or cherry pie – are served small. Combined with the Farrow & Ball colours it makes for one posh pitstop on the way to the game, or a genuine destination on Holloway Road for the more adventurous organic Islingtonite.

We ordered coffee, which came served in unnecessarily thick mugs that didn’t bode well. It was even more watery and insipid than it appeared, a truly forgettable americano. Shame really, as Piebury Corner offers an affordable, healthy and heart-warming spot for lunch. And with such a decent range of its main product, it means there’s no fear of repeat visits ever becoming boring.

Certainly premier league pie, although on this particular game’s performance, end of season silverware may remain elusive.

Kentishtowner Rating 6.5/10. Piebury Corner 209-211 Holloway Road, N7 Lunch plate with a drink and coffee, around £24 for two.

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