Pie Face

The next time students walk out of lab, utterly drained and craving carbs, they should hop on the 1 train and do as the Australians do—head to Pie Face, the NYC branch of the renowned Australian pie purveyor.

It functions just like a typical takeout joint. You place your order at the cash register, receive a bag or box, depending on how many things you bought, and take the subway home. However, if you’re starving or eating in a hurry, there is a narrow ledge lining the storefront window where customers can place their meal. If students want a classic dining experience, complete with wait staff and tablecloths, they should look elsewhere.

For such a small place, Pie Face has an impressive number of offerings. There are seven types of regular-sized pies, each about 5.5 inches across. The tempting choices include a “chunky steak” pie, chicken and mushroom, tandoori vegetable, mince beef and tomato, and a bacon, egg, and cheese pie. Pie Face offers a “mini” size of all these pies, with the exception of bacon, egg, and cheese. One mini pie, only about 2.5 inches across, is perfect as a quick snack. It can also be paired with a bowl of soup or a salad to create an immensely satiating winter meal. I decided to try a mini chicken and mushroom and a mini cherry pie. Before the food descriptions, it should be noted that Pie Face needs to get its act together in terms of efficiency. The mini chicken and mushroom pie was one of only two savory varieties available when I arrived. Pie Face offers a great deal, where a pie and soup cost only $9.45.

One bite of the chicken and mushroom and all my worries and cares evaporated. A hot, decadent mixture of white-meat chicken, sliced mushrooms, and thick gravy oozed out of a delicate, flaky, buttery pie crust. It was gone in about six bites, though customers will find themselves making those last two bites last as long as possible. The tart and sweet cherry pie was an ideal foil for the creamy, meaty chicken. A dollop of tangy, deep-red, lightly sugared cherries was enveloped in a pie-crust similar to the one described above. This pie was a marvel on its own, but it could work beautifully as an accompaniment to a steaming cappuccino or hot chocolate.

If you don’t share my enthusiasm, there are options here for the pie-averse. The sandwiches that sit next to the pies in a glass case include a chicken baguette, a cheese and tomato croissant, and a toasted ham sandwich. Soups range from a fancy-sounding chicken and cous-cous variety to a standard cup of lentil. Desserts other than pies are aplenty. With cinnamon scones, peanut butter cookies, pecan-raisin swirls, blueberry danishes, and carrot cake, to name a few, Pie Face will leave no sweet-tooth unsatisfied.

But get it while it’s hot—when I asked what their soup of the day was, I was told that they had run out. It was not even 6:30 on a Wednesday night.

I sincerely hope that Pie Face can work out the kinks, because its pies, at least the ones I tried, are phenomenal.

Since Pie Face is in the theater district, it is best to come early on a weeknight.