The Pie Mechanic

If you're driving the New England Highway and want a proper pie, The Pie Mechanic is a bakery in Uralla, New South Wales. It's a small shopfront on Bridge Street, and pies are what they're known for.

The filling is worth trying. We hear it's real chunks of meat rather than mince in a flaky pastry that holds together when you pick it up. Beyond the plain beef, the menu runs to more adventurous flavours: a venison pie with red wine and bacon, a lamb pie with oregano and honey, an Indian goat curry pie, and a beef and mushroom that one visitor called the best they'd had anywhere. The pies come out fresh from the oven, and sausage rolls are also available. There's homemade ketchup and chutney to go with them.

If you're gluten-free, this is one worth knowing about. The gluten-free pies are made fresh to order, so contact them or pop in about half an hour before you want them. Gluten-free sweets like a date slice turn up too.

There's more than pies on the counter. They offer tarts including a Portuguese tart, a crème brûlée tart and a strawberry tart, plus danishes and doughnuts. Coffee is on, breakfast is served, and you can eat in or take away. Custom cake orders are also available. The staff are friendly and helpful, and the prices are seen as good value, especially the take-home packs.

One visitor found a pie on the salty side, and another didn't take to a particular filling, so it's worth choosing your flavour with a bit of curiosity. There's cutlery at the counter if a pie gets messy.

Parking is easy, with free street parking and a free car park, and the entrance and car park are wheelchair-accessible. Cards and mobile payments are accepted. Hours run seven days, with an earlier start on weekdays, but check before you head in.