The Black Friar is bringing back its Pie Festival for 2026, dedicated to proper comfort food. Now in its fourth outing, the festival will once again be serving up generously filled pies priced at just £10 a pop.
This year’s set menu introduces four fresh arrivals inclyding a Mushroom Keema Pie crowned with an onion bhaji, confit garlic chicken and leek, truffle dauphinoise wrapped in shortcrust, plus a straight-up meat and potato pie that needs no explanation. Alongside those sit rotating daily specials, which will include the likes of lasagna pie, spanakopita pie and pigeon pie, depending on the mood of the kitchen.
Bigger tables are catered for with oversized sharing pies, feeding up to four people and available to pre-order from £65. Options include ox cheek and bone marrow, plus confit garlic chicken. These need at least 24 hours’ notice, which feels pretty fair when bone marrow is involved.
Dessert pies are back too, with treacle, Mississippi and lemon meringue making repeat appearances.
The festival first launched in 2022 after national critic Jay Rayner praised head chef Ben Chaplin for serving up 'pies done proper'. Since then, it has quietly become a winter fixture for pie devotees across Greater Manchester.
The Pie Festival runs from 5 January until Friday 27 February. Winter plans, sorted.
Find out more here.