Mr Pies & Fries is a bakery on Mana Esplanade in Mana, Porirua, holding a 4.0 Google rating. As the name suggests, it sits squarely in the New Zealand bakery tradition — no-frills, hearty counter food in a seaside suburb.
Every good bakery in this country is judged first on its pies: pastry that shatters rather than bends, a filling that reaches the edge, and a cabinet that thins out by mid-afternoon. Pies travel well and reheat badly, so the ones worth having are baked that morning, ideally on site. Hot chips, sausage rolls, slices and fresh sandwiches are the usual companions, and this is where a bakery shows its range — but regulars watch the pie case first. Timing matters too: the lunchtime rush clears the best batches, and latecomers take what is left.
In Mana, right on the Esplanade, Mr Pies & Fries puts that classic counter — pies, and yes, fries — within easy reach.