Baketown Cafe is a bakery and cafe at 4 Botany Road in Howick, Auckland, rated 4.5 on Google from 45 reviews. Customers mention the pies most often, including chicken and cranberry, butter chicken and sour cream, along with savouries, doughnuts and friendly owners. Reviews are mixed on freshness, with some sandwiches described as dry and some doughnuts wrapped in plastic.
A good pie should have a crisp base and a filling that is moist but not wet, so check the pastry and the inside when you open the bag. Sandwiches dry out quickly once they are made, so eat them on the day you buy them. Ask how often the cabinet is restocked, since a steady turnover usually means fresher food. Pies and savouries are best eaten warm, so reheat them gently at home if they have cooled.
For Howick and Botany families who want a filling pie or a savoury for lunch close to home, Baketown on Botany Road is worth a stop, with a quick check of freshness first.