The pandemic might have forced Fine Food Australia to postpone its 2021 Sydney event, but organisers of the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition weren’t so easily moved, with the beef over whose pie is best fought and won over two days.

The team of judges faced off against the nation’s best pies of all varieties— including the new category of Great Aussie Potato Top/Shepherd’s Pie—at Southern Cross Supplies, Lidcombe on November 24-26, and the task was mammoth: overall, 200 bakeries entered 1500 products to be sized up, picked apart and ranked.

Without further ado, here are the top pies from all corners of the country:

Plain Meat Pie

Pinjarra Bakery, Pinjarra WA

Plain Sausage Roll

Hope Bakery, Sovereign Hill, Ballarat VIC

Overall Gourmet Pie

Paradise Bakehouse, Moore Park Beach QLD

Entry: Dancing Scallop Pie

Gourmet Sausage Roll

The Little Red Grape Bakery, Sevenhill SA

Entry: Garlic Chicken Roll

Apprentice Gourmet Poultry

The Little Red Grape Bakery, Sevenhill SA

Entry: Thai Satay Chicken

Gourmet Shepherds /Potato Top Pie (Special Category)

Rolling Pin Pies & Cakes, Ocean Grove VIC

Entry: Lamb, Minted Pie & Potato

Gourmet Slow Cooked BBQ pies

Country Cobb Bakery, Springvale VIC

Entry: Lamb, Minted Pea & Potato

Gourmet Game Pie

Paradise Bakehouse, Moore Park Beach QLD

Entry: Red Curry Crocodile

Gourmet Poultry Pie

Paradise Bakehouse, Moore Park Beach QLD

Entry: Creamy Chicken Pie

Gourmet Red Meat Pie

Miami Bakehouse, Greenfields WA

Entry: New York, Reuben

Gourmet Vegetarian/Vegan Pie

Tatura Bakery & Lunches, Tatura VIC

Entry: Cauliflower & Cheese

Gourmet Gluten Free Pie

Beefy’s Pies, Kunda Park QLD

Entry: Steak, Bacon & Cheese

Gourmet Gluten Free Sausage Roll

J&M Catering, Wendouree VIC

Entry: Spinach & Ricotta

Gourmet Apple Section

Toodyay Bakery WA

Entry: Country Apple Swirl

Gourmet Brekkie Pie

CC on the Range Bakehouse, Toowoomba, QLD

Entry: Ned Kelly

Gourmet Seafood Pie

Paradise Bakehouse, Moore Park Beach QLD

Entry: Dancing Scallop Pie

Christmas Fruit Mince Pie

Pie Face, Upper Coomera QLD

Tom Lindsay Pepper Steak Award

Four Seasons Patisserie Bakery, Wycombe WA

Pepper Steak Pie

Since its inception more than three decades ago, the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition has not only brought the baking industry together but has seen winners sell out of products and experience levels of demand that keeps them working overtime for months. After the ongoing lockdowns and border restrictions in the past few months, a pent-up demand for pies and sausage rolls will be very welcomed by small businesses all around the country, as well as those eating them!

Head here for the full list of winning entries.