Does the $20 LuMi Pithivier meat pie from posh Surry Hills bakery pass the taste test?

The stakes were … pie. William Tyson lined up the humble Four’N Twenty, a 7/11 servo classic, and the $20 LuMi Pithivier meat pie, to see if the luxe variety passed the taste test.

A posh Crown St bakery in Surry Hills, all vibrant colour, friendly staff and French inspired pastries took me on a pie journey I won’t forget.

I headed to Lodes Pies and Pastries to see foe myself if the $20 LuMi Pithivier was worth the long queues and handing over a lobster, when perhaps the classic Aussie servo pastry could do the trick.

What better way to put things to the test than a good old-fashioned blindfolded taste test? As a self-proclaimed pie enthusiast, I was up for the job.

The first bite came from a cult classic Four’N Twenty pie ($4.50) purchased at Caltex, it had the perfect amount of crunch, complimented well with the hot mince.

Can’t go wrong with the classics. I gave it 7/10.

William Tyson with a selection of pies ahead of doing a blind tasting challenge. Picture: Richard Dobson

The second plain meat pie ($4.50) came from a 7/11 convenience store in Surry Hills.

Although the taste itself was very similar to the Four’N Twenty, it was tougher to bite through the pastry which is why I gave it a slightly lower rating of 6/10.

The 7 Eleven pie did what it said on the package. Picture: Richard Dobson

The faithful Four’N Twenty proved an enduring classic. Picture: Richard Dobson

Up next was the one we had all been waiting for, the iconic $20 LuMi Pithivier.

The tasty pastry and mouth-watering beef brisket made this one stand up head and shoulders above the others.

Even from one bite, you could tell that a lot of time and effort was put into this one. I can certainly buy into the hype that surrounds this dish, which is why I gave it a 9/10.

The only reason it didn’t receive a perfect score was because of the $20 price tag connected to it.

Last, and certainly least, was the plain pie from BP service station ($5.00). In my opinion, this was the worst out of the bunch due to how sturdy the pastry was.

The price is certainly not reflective of the taste considering it’s more expensive than the other Aussie servo classics. It gets 4/10.

Overall, the brilliant-tasting tricked-up pie from Lodes is the one I would recommend.

You can see why they have lines forming outside the door daily. It just might sting the bank account if you indulge there that often.

Despite having a soft spot for the servo classics, this one overshadowed them due to its sheer flavour. — William Tyson

POSH PIES PASS MUSTER

Our journalist isn’t the only one who thinks the posh pies pass muster.

Sydneysiders join queues regularly stretching more than 100m to pay $20 to try the LuMi Pithivier.

Lodes Pies and Pastries on Crown Street was opened in 2021 by celebrated Sydney chefs Federico Zanellato and Lorenzo Librino from the top rated LuMi Dining.

Their $20 pithivier has gone viral on TikTok and caused a frenzy at the venue.

A pithivier is similar to a pie, although much more labour intensive.

It’s a French version of a pie made entirely from puff pastry. This one is filled with beef brisket, shiitake and has a chimney where a decadent chicken jus (or gravy!) is poured down into the filling.

Lodes Pies manager Benji Spencer believes the LuMi pithivier is like “nothing else”. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The LuMi pie is a take on the pithivier, which features on the degustation menu of LuMi Dining.

The intricate pie itself takes three days to make, which is the reason for the high price point.

The lines forming at Lodes Pies in Surry Hills today. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“The pies need the love and attention of a lot of people,” said Manager Benji Spencer who added there is a misconception about pies in Australia.

“People hear pie and think of one at the footy or a servo. But if you make one with the finest Australian ingredients it’s like nothing else and worth every dollar,” he said.

People travel from across Sydney for the treats, with one couple taking the day off and travelling from the central coast first thing to try the pie before it sold out.

The viral nature of the pie has been “wonderful” for Lodes, however it comes with downsides.

“So many people travel far and plan their day around us but at times we’ve sold out by 10.30am and it’s not like we can quickly make more. As a business, we don’t like not being able to give customers what they want,” said Spencer.

Other highlights on the menu include a chocolate croissant and a doughnut-shaped croissant filled with white chocolate crème, glazed with raspberry, and dusted with pistachio and rose petals.