Often referred to as the original street food, pie and mash is a cockney classic and a staple of British cuisine – but the number of shops are dwindling. However, M. Manze, which constantly crops up on lists of the best pie and mash shops in the country, is changing with the times and continuing to thrive despite recent challenges.
The firm, which has three London locations including Tower Bridge, Peckham and Sutton, has been trading in the capital for 123 years. It was founded by Michele Manze, who arrived in the UK from southern Italy with his family at the age of three back in 1878. They opened a shop selling ice-cream, but soon realised they would have to branch out to survive in post-Victorian London.
A traditional working-class meal for dock workers, the first shop to bare his name was on Tower Bridge Road, Bermondsey, which opened in 1902. Over time, the family expanded and at one point had 14 shops opened, however most of these burnt down during World War Two. The shop is now run by Emma Harrington, Michele’s great granddaughter, with the help of her father, as well as her husband Tom.
Emma believes that part of the reason people love M.Manze is how authentic the shop is. She told the Daily Express: “It’s like stepping back in time, we still have the interior from 123 years ago which is pretty unique, it’s also still family run which is really nice to have for such a long running business.”
She said that it is hard to predict the amount of customers they will get in a day, adding: “Sometimes we have queues out the door by 10.30am when we open and similarly during the lunchtime rush.”
They have a basement kitchen which allows them to cook pies for the demand they are experiencing on any given day, with Emma admitting: “It is rare that we run out of pies.”
Despite only selling one main dish, traditional minced beef pie with mash and liquor, they have had people travel all the way from Australia to taste the delicacy after seeing the shop on YouTube. Emma says that the usual order is either a double pie and single mash or double pie, double mash. They also sell stewed and jellied eels and puddings.
Another unique thing about M.Manze is they offer chilled and overnight delivery, as the business changes with the times. Emma said: “We realised that a lot of loyal locals were moving out of London but still wanted their pie and mash fix.”
They started this service about 18 years ago and now have customers all over the UK who regularly order from them.
As a small business, they have been affected by Rachel Reeves’s increases to national insurance and the national minimum wage, but Emma says they have tried to swallow a lot of the additional costs themselves. She said: “It’s the original fast food I suppose, we can’t sort of keep increasing our prices because that’s not what we’re about.”
They have had to increases prices by around 10% not only due to tax rises but the price of beef and packaging which has also risen in the last few years.
London, once the heartland for Pie and Mash, now has less than 40 shops open in 2025. Reviews of M.Manze consistently rate it 5 stars, with one review saying that the meal was “wonderful” and “full of flavour”.
Another said: “It brought back so many memories growing up when we had Pie and Mash every week. Great tradition. I will be a regular customer now I know I can get it delivered so easily.”
Customers not only go for the food but also the nostalgia and community surrounding the shop.