No South Coast summer holiday road trip is complete without pulling over for a pie stop along the way, and this part of the country is blessed with some of the best.
Here we've pulled together some of the most popular as voted by locals who live on the coast.
Hayden's Pies, Ulladulla
This pie shop is very, very, very popular in summertime.
Most customers crave a visit to Hayden's for its unforgettable butter chicken pies (always on the menu), while vegan and game-loving foodies prefer the spinach and mushroom combination and the unique kangaroo, kale and sweet potato recipe.
The bakery is known for changing up its menu and including pie fillings like a Jamaican-style goat curry, chicken tikka masala, Peking duck, alpaca, and even rabbit paw.
Most people who try its pies can't stop with just one. Steve and Sharon from the Central Coast were fully impressed with Hayden's chunky beef and butter chicken pie.
"Best butter chicken pie I've ever tried," Sharon said, while her husband went back in to get another chunky beef.
Owners Hayden and Caroline Bridger celebrated the bakery's 20th anniversary in 2023.
"We had a bit of a passion for pies. We travelled around Australia a bit trying pies and some inspired us to sort of do our own style," Mr Bridger said.
Its offerings attract tourists from all over and the couple couldn't be more thrilled or proud to promote Ulladulla.
Wild Rye's Baking Company, Pambula
"What makes a good pie all comes down to personal preference," founder Sarah Chisholm said.
"Some people like mince and gravy, others prefer mass-produced with a smiley face, but at Wild Rye's we believe a good pie should be a combination of quality ingredients made by people who care."
Its pies are popular for fresh, flaky crusts consistently cooked to golden brown perfection. The creative chefs make the pie brews from scratch using locally sourced ingredients. The result is a diverse range of flavours for everyone who visits, at an affordable price.
"We think a good pie speaks for itself as do our customers who keep on coming back for more," Ms Chisholm said.
Nimmitabel Bakery, Nimmitabel
Although this iconic bakery is not quite on the coast, holiday makers returning from the Far South Coast, via the Snowy Mountains Highway, make it a point to stop at Nimmitabel for the pies.
Caroline and Will Jardine have been running the bakery for the past 13 years and have put all of their heart and soul into creating and delivering quality pies.
While they're known for their signature beef pies, they have also added a few delicious vegetarian and chicken pies to cater for all tastes.
"Our meat pies contain high-quality chunky beef which is slow cooked for 15 hours to make our pie filling tender and delicious. It's then thoroughly mixed with a variety of flavours not just added on top," Ms Jardine said.
"Our pastry is all handmade by our team of qualified bakers."
Southlands Butchery, Moruya
Previous proprietors of Southlands Butchery John and Robyn Gamble first began baking their own pies and sausage rolls in store back in 1997.
"At the time, there were multiple butcheries in Moruya but their hearty home-made cooking with original recipes really made them stand out above the rest," current owner Hayleigh Kidd said.
"Southlands pies has quickly become a town favourite, supplying locals with lunch, dinner, and those passing through with full bellies."
With Mr Gamble passing on his knowledge of butchering and baking, the oven has been ticking over with small and family-size pies. Since the Kidds took over in 2020, they've added to existing pie flavours and now include quiches and dessert pies on the menu.
"The pies and sausage rolls are only a small part of the butchery. Slow-cooked daily with nothing but premium beef [and lamb and chicken] you get beautiful tender beef pies, rich in flavour and so much filling, and sausage rolls made with nothing but meat and seasonings," Ms Kidd said.
You can now find Southlands' pies in a number of coffee vans dotted up and down the coast, and of course in-store six days a week.
Also on our best pies list:
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East Lynne Store along the Princes Highway, try its popular blueberry pie
- Rainbow Bakery at Milton, well known for roast lamb pasties and custard tarts
- Tathra Bakery in Tathra
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Mogo Pies in Mogo
