‘Insanely Delicious’ British Pie Shop Opens in Wappingers Falls

A new pie shop has opened up in Wappingers Falls, New York that will have you craving the tastes of the United Kingdom.

What started as a side business as a way for Oliver Wilkinson to keep his mother, Sue, from having to travel back and forth to work has turned into a full-time pie business that's selling like hotcakes (or hot pies) across the Hudson Valley. After my first bite of Braised Pies, I finally understood what all of the hype was about.

While savory pies are quite common overseas, they're more of a novelty here in the United States. That may soon change, however, as more and more people clamor for the Wilkinsons' Braised Pies. Word of mouth has been spreading after Braised Pies began offering a selection of savory pies at local farmers' markets. Quickly, the mother and son team were selling over 200 pies a weekend.

Braised Pies Opens in Wappingers Falls, New York

On Saturday, Oliver and Sue were hard at work in the kitchen of their new Wappingers Falls shop. As the rain began to fall outside, those gathered for the St. Patrick's Day Parade began to shuffle inside to investigate the new business. Customers were greeted by the smells of home cooking as they saw the Wilkinsons' whole family preparing pies for the oven.

The team of family bakers was preparing shepherd's pie, turkey pot pies and a special Guinness and beef pie to fit with the St. Patrick's Day theme.

'Insanely Delicious' Pies Are Worth the Visit

Disappointed that I couldn't carry a pie home with me while marching in the parade, I returned on Sunday to have my first taste of Braised Pies. After perusing their tempting menu, I opted to bring home the turkey pot pie and the Guinness and Beef pie for the whole family to try.

As instructed, I gave the top pastry a quick egg wash and placed it in a 425-degree oven for about 25 minutes. As the pie began to turn a golden brown, our house was filled with the delicious smells of home cooking.

The pies were insanely delicious. Thick gravy was bubbling under the crispy, hot pastry as we poked through the top to discover huge pieces of tender steak, Mushrooms and vegetables that had been marinated in Guinness beer. The thick, brown sauce married all of the ingredients together into a symphony of comfort-food flavors.

The turkey pot pie contained huge chunks of what appeared to be home-cooked turkey. The tender meat was joined in the pie by potatoes, peas and carrots. I noted how perfectly the pie was seasoned. My only exposure to pot pies was mass-produced frozen entrees. Those oversalted, soggy pies do not prepare you for just how delicious Braised Pies are.

Pick Your Favorite Braised Pie

Aside from the two pies I sampled, Braised Pies also has a rotating menu that includes Chicken and Leek, Chicken and Bacon, Vegetable Pot Pie and Scouse, which is a traditional lamb stew from Liverpool, with carrots, turnip and potato covered in a pastry crust.

If you're interested in giving them a try and take on the task of deciding which pie is your favorite, Braised Pies is now officially open at 2665 East Main Street in the Village of Wappingers Falls. The shop offers both heated pies and refrigerated ones that can be baked at home.