It has been a meteoric rise for Paisley Pie Co since opening up shop in spring 2023. So instantly popular were their pies that they quickly outgrew their tiny premises on Bridge Street, and have now opened a second location on the corner of Causeyside Street and Forbes Place. With considerably more space than the original shop, the new restaurant has plenty of tables for sitting in, as well as an expanded offering of sandwiches, cakes, salads, drinks - and pies of course.
The premises, formerly coffeeshop BLEND, has been completely refurbished (Image: Newsquest) Such is the hype that a congratulatory motion was even lodged in the Scottish Parliament by West Scotland MSP Neil Bibby. “The Parliament congratulates the Paisley Pie Company on its successful first year and announcement of plans to expand its operations,” it said, noting the company’s “strong reputation for its wide variety of pies.” High praise indeed! With Paisley Pie Co the talk of the town - and the Parliament - I decided to pop into the new shop to see if the pies were selling like hotcakes or just half-baked.
Choosing between all the good looking pies is no easy feat (Image: Newsquest) The shopfront looks sharp and bold, with fresh black paint and stylish gold lettering. Inside, it feels big and bright, with lots of seating and natural light - though I’m not quite sure why there’s a decorative moped parked by the fridge. Words to live by (Image: Newsquest) Making your way to the counter, you’re immediately struck by the selection of pies and sweet treats available.
One counter has a range of hot pies and pizzas (some donner-covered!) ready to go, while on the other side are goods that can be eaten cold, or heated up if you’re sitting in. The interior feels fresh and stylish..
. but why is there a moped? (Image: Newsquest) There’s a number of tasty-looking sandwiches, croissants and pasta dishes on display - but I didn’t come to the Paisley Pie Co for a baguette. After careful consideration, I opted for a steak and haggis and a South Indian chicken, with an empire biscuit to treat myself for no good reason.
With the addition of a cup of tea, the total came to a reasonable, if not exactly cheap, £12.30. Pies and a cuppa, what more could you want? (Image: Newsquest) Tucking into the pies, the pastry is fantastic - soft and buttery on top, crisp around the sides and firm on the bottom; delicious all over.
The steak pie is loaded with huge succulent pieces of beef and a generous stuffing of haggis, with a hearty gravy to moisten proceedings. It tastes fantastic, pretty much everything you’d want from a meat pie. The steak and haggis pie - delicious (Image: Newsquest) The South Indian is also enjoyable, with a pleasantly spiced curry sauce that contains just a hint of tangy sweetness.
It’s a good pie, though unlike the massive chunks of steak, the pieces of chicken here feel a little small, and don’t make the same carnivorous impression as you bite into them. The South Indian chicken pie - also good (Image: Newsquest) The empire biscuit had me feart at first; it looked a little dry. Thankfully, I can report that this was not the case.
The dry appearance belied what was a very nicely baked biscuit, with a surprising but enjoyable coconut flavour to it. The empire biscuit looked a wee bit dry..
. (Image: Newsquest) But was actually great (Image: Newsquest) Overall, I very much enjoyed this filling and satisfying lunch. The pies certainly did not disappoint.
If I had one complaint, they could have been heated a bit more evenly, but the textures and tastes were top-notch. One of the better lunches you can have in Paisley..
