Life of pies: Here's our guide to some of the best pies in Mumbai

Serving up nostalgiaMini poori aloo piePies are a wonderful carrier of culinary ideas food memories and playful innovation for Rajat Mendhi who runs Bombay Picnics Take for instance his Bournvita milk pie Rs 800 which packs childhood nostalgia in every bite ldquoMy mother used to make a treat of white bread topped with malai and sprinkled with sugar which a lot of us have grown up on She gave it a twist by adding Bournvita on top and it was comfort food for me I wanted to recreate that feelingrdquo recalls MendhiBournvita milk pieHaving grown up gorging on gheeladen shingaras the Bengali cousin of samosa at his cousinsrsquo place in Jamshedpur Mendhi baked those memories into a spicy Bengali shingara pie Rs 380 for mini Rs 1600 for large stuffed with aloor torkari or sabzi peanuts and coconut in a buttery flaky crust ldquoWe also make a pie of caramelised mutton or chicken Rs 490 for mini Rs 2200 for large shallots mushrooms in a red wine and brandy sauce inspired by the puffs of Bandra bakeries Therersquos also a poori aloo pie Rs 380 with a peanutonly jhal muri in a flaky luchi pie crust Itrsquos spicy mustardy and nuttyrdquo he sharesLOG ON TO bombaypicnicApple of her pieThanks to her hotelier parents home chef Rohini Bhowmick who runs Spices and Friends has had access to some of the best confectionery Bhowmick who has a soft spot for bakes realised that not many bakers make apple pies in Mumbai ldquoAnd the few that are made either have an overpowering taste of cinnamon or are too mushy or the pastry is too soggy and pastyrdquo shares Bhowmick who tasked herself with rolling out apple pies Rs 150 In the past nine months she has sold over 700 pieces ldquoMaking an apple pie is a true test of patience I make the pastry dough from scratch with flour sugar and butter Itrsquos rested rolled out at intervals and put in moulds The filling is made with highquality gala apples which add a crunch Therersquos butter caramel a hint of cinnamon with some lemon to lend tartnessrdquo she addsLOG ON TO spicesandfriendsCALL 9920260653Goa callingGoan chorizo and potato pieBaker Rachelle Andradersquos Goan chorizo and potato pie Rs 378 from TwentySeven Bakehouse is the answer to your Goa and pie cravings It features the salty Goan sausage topped with shaved slices of roast potato The bakery also offers a roasted tomato and basil pesto tart Rs 185 and a spinach and mushroom pie Rs 248 that is elevated by the addition of pumpkinAT Unit 27 Shree Laxmi Woollen Mills Shakti Mills Lane MahalakshmiLOG ON TO thrivenowinA holiday favouriteSignature pecan pieChef Rahul Remedios pastry chef at Passcode Hospitality has whipped up a traditional favourite mdash the pecan pie Rs 625 onwards for the occasion at Saz American Brasserie BKC and Saz Cafeacute Lower Parel The signature pecan pie is packed with toasted pecan nuts chocolate ganache salted caramel and pumpkin vanilla anglaise ldquoItrsquos one of my personal favourite combinations Itrsquos not a traditional recipe but my take on the flavours I love We added pumpkin vanilla cregraveme anglaise which is velvetyrdquo he addsTILL December 1AT Saz American Brasserie Jio World Drive Mall BKC Saz Cafeacute NRK House Lower ParelCALL 9920056686Slice of ItalyCrostatinesThose who like their pies mini Bandrabased pastificio Cacio e Pepe bakes Italianstyle rustic pies or crostatines Rs 450 that are made in a variety of fillings mdash lemon curd spiced apple or a traditional ricotta and homemade seasonal fruit jam fillingLOG ON TO cacioepepeinTake the classic routeShepherdrsquos pieA discussion on pies is incomplete without the mention of shepherdrsquos pie Cafeacute Duacute Patraoacutersquos a delivery kitchen known for its spin on Goan fare doles out their take on the classic delicacy Rs 249 Suneet Kirtikar cofounder shares that one version comprises minced meat while the other one features a whole chicken steak inside ldquoThe first one is basically a basil chicken mince with vegetables and a few spices and herbs Itrsquos layered with mashed potato that is infused with crushed garlic We use eggs to puff it uprdquo he addsCALL 9820189482Thankful for butternutButternut squash pieInstead of the usual pumpkin pie executive chef at Slink amp Bardot AliAkbar Baldiwala is serving up a butternut squash pie for Thanksgiving A part of their special holiday feast the pie sits on a traditional shortcrust base ldquoUsing butternut squash is key here as itrsquos much tastier than the local variety of pumpkin Itrsquos also in season Butternut squash has a lovely sweet flavour the key here is to add different notes to the sweetness which comes from the smores with a hint of charred flavour The salted caramel adds a nutty sweetnessrdquo he explains Also available on their menu are roasted turkey honeyglazed ham leg cacio e pepe orzo with mushroom walnuts and goat cheese and more paired with a range of cocktails and live jazz musicON Today 6 pm onwardsAT Thadani House WorliCALL 9326965643COST Rs 2999 onwards for adults Rs 999 for children under 12Try These Menus This SpanishMexican restaurant is doing their bit to ring in Thanksgiving with their extensive menu that consists of salads appetizers mains and their refreshing cocktailsTILL November 27AT Poco Loco Khar At this French restaurant in central Mumbai try a special fourcourse meal comprising burrata with heirloom tomatoes and pesto sponge sourdough brie bake applersquos egg in a nest and more accompanied by a wide range of winesTILL November 30AT Cafeacute Noir Lower Parel