Australia's only full-time pie eater crowns the best bakery pie of 2026 - and reveals where to find it
Australia's leading pie expert has named what he considers to be the best bakery pie of 2026, but you won't find it at your local supermarket.
Shaun Pyne, also known as 'Pyney the Pie Man' has crowned a Crayfish & Prawn pie as the best pie he has eaten so far this year.
This "perfect pie" is made with fresh crayfish and prawns, and can only be found in a convenience store in a small country town near Mount Gambier called The Rocks Shop at Carpenter Rocks in South Australia.
The Crayfish & Prawn pie can be found at The Rocks Shop at Carpenter Rocks in South Australia. Facebook @pyneyspiereviews
"So you've got fresh crayfish that's come off the boat with the prawns. It's really, really impressive," Pyne told nine.com.au.
When it came to the final verdict, he gave the pie an impressive nine out of ten.
One of these delicious pies costs $12, which is pretty reasonable for one that includes fresh seafood.
The Rocks Shop also makes pies with a range of fillings including meat lovers, chicken parmigiana, pepperoni, and cheese.
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Shaun Pyne during his recent visit to The Rocks Shop. Facebook @pyneyspiereviews
'Pyney the Pie Man' has been travelling the country for the past several years, sampling some of the best pies Australia has to offer and creating a Pie Map on his websites that locals can use to find their perfect pie.
You can visit his website here: Pyney's Pie Reviews & Travels.
"There's a lot of businesses out there in these little towns that are really suffering," Pyne says. "That's why I built the website, that's why I built the Pie Man website."
He has added over 500 pie reviews to the site so "people can plan their trips around visiting pubs, visiting bakeries, and helping these little towns stay alive, because if we don't support them, they won't be there".
To find pies, Pyne says he does "a lot of research" and also receives tips from across the country, inviting him to try local pies.
"There's a lot of hidden gems out there too that I get tipped on," he says.
This includes a spaghetti bolognaise meat pie at Shear Delights Bakery in Donald, Victoria, located on the Richardson River.
Then there was a meat pie from Goolwa Bakery in South Australia that he describes as having "flavour, flavour, flavour" thanks to a combination of 16-hour caramelised onions, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a little bit of Vegemite.
He says the most pies he has ever eaten is 11 in four days.
Meat pies for sale in a bakery. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Typical lunch on the run for Australians. Getty Images/iStockphoto
"I remember having eight or nine pies in one day when I was judging, but you are just having one or two bites in every pie. I did get my cholesterol tested yesterday and my results are fantastic!" he adds.
Pyney feels "very lucky" to do what he does.
"Then there's a lot of pubs, a lot of butcher shops making pies too, which is phenomenal. They've added an extra income stream to their business and it's so good for them."
The best pie he has ever had out of all of the pies he has tasted over the years was at Whittlesea Bakehouse which is located 35 minutes north of Melbourne.
Pyney feels 'very lucky' to do what he does. Instagram @pyneyspiereviews
"It was a slow-cooked chunky beef pie with caramelised onion, and Camembert cheese. It was really nice," he adds.
He's also been eating a lot of "cheeseburger pies" on this current trip, and beef stroganoff.
"I had a lamb and rosemary with garlic and seeded mustard at Mount Gambier. Some people just put lamb and rosemary, but they added garlic and seeded mustard."
Pyne previously named Villis pies as the best supermarket meat pies in the country.
He urges Aussies to visit little towns and communities and support them by "having a pie, going to the butcher shop, going to the pub, having a beer".
He urges Aussies to visit little towns and communities and support them by tucking into delicious pies. Instagram @pyneyspiereviews
"There's a lot of country pubs that have done pies that are closing. It's really sad. And there's a lot of bakeries too that are doing the same."
There is one pie that remains out of reach for the pie expert; a Camel Pie made in Birdsville Bakery in outback Queensland.
"The Big Red Bash has been cancelled this year and I haven't yet had a chance to get to Birdsville to try their iconic Camel Pie, but I will get there."
If a pie is a bit of a dud, Pyne is happy to offer his advice and has found that his feedback is appreciated.
Pyne is happy to offer his advice and has found that his feed back is appreciated. Getty
"I give them feedback about their pastry, about their body, about their colour, egg washing ... the colour of pies is so important.
"So using a really good glaze to egg wash the pies, having good lighting in your cabinets ... they do appreciate my feedback and they obviously want to get better."
Next, Pyne is heading to the US to sample some pies being made there by Aussie locals, including at the Stagecoach event.
If he were to choose one pie only to eat forever, Pyne says the choice is easy.
"It would be chunky beef and pepper. The hotter the pepper, the better."
'It would be chunky beef and pepper. The hotter the pepper, the better.' Getty Images/iStockphoto
He thinks Australia makes the best pies in the world.
"Everyone's pie experience is different and that's okay. I don't like sauce. People love sauce. I love a square pie. My favorite is a square pie.
"It's not about the score, it's about getting people travelling, and putting the most iconic Australian dish, the meat pie, on the stage."
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