BITES ON A BUDGET is a toothsome and tasty series where members of the OC family forage for great food––under $10!
While Americans have mac 'n' cheese or mashed potatoes as a comfort food, Australians believe in meat pies. Think chicken pot pie, but with beef bourguignon-esque filling and cheese, or a lamb and vegetable stew. As much as I hate to broadcast this on the Internet, I went through school in New Zealand looking forward to the days when my mum was too lazy to pack a lunch and I'd get a fiver to spend on a mince 'n' cheese pie and an ice cream at the school tuck shop. Needless to say, seeing the Tuck Shop sign today in the East Village stirred up something in me that compelled me to convince fellow OC blog intern Anthony to come and try it.
It's rare in New York when a small eatery gives more space to the kitchen than to seating, as was the case at the Tuck Shop. We marveled as large trays of freshly handmade pies were sent into huge ovens while fumes that belonged to particularly delicious and buttery baked goods floated around us. Both of us went for the lunch special—any pie with a kale salad for $9.50. Anthony chose the chicken pot pie (because he's American) and I went for the pulled pork pie with coleslaw, out of curiosity. We were served almost immediately and out of habit I picked up the thing with my hands––in New Zealand you eat them straight out of brown paper bags––before remembering I was in an actual restaurant where people use forks. In about ten minutes we had polished off our pies and felt properly comforted by this Australian treat. But like always, the school bell rung and we had to get back to work.
TUCK SHOP
68 East 1st St
New York, NY 10003
MAP
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A pulled pork pie with coleslaw and a chicken pot pie at the East VilTuck Shop![]()
Anthony contemplates which pie to choose.![]()
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All of the Tuck Shop's pies are handmade and baked throughout the day.![]()
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While Americans have mac 'n' cheese or mashed potatoes as a comfort food, Australians believe in meat pies. Think chicken pot pie, but with beef bourguignon-esque filling and cheese, or a lamb and vegetable stew. As much as I hate to broadcast this on the Internet, I went through school in New Zealand looking forward to the days when my mum was too lazy to pack a lunch and I'd get a fiver to spend on a mince 'n' cheese pie and an ice cream at the school tuck shop. Needless to say, seeing the Tuck Shop sign today in the East Village stirred up something in me that compelled me to convince fellow OC blog intern Anthony to come and try it.
It's rare in New York when a small eatery gives more space to the kitchen than to seating, as was the case at the Tuck Shop. We marveled as large trays of freshly handmade pies were sent into huge ovens while fumes that belonged to particularly delicious and buttery baked goods floated around us. Both of us went for the lunch special—any pie with a kale salad for $9.50. Anthony chose the chicken pot pie (because he's American) and I went for the pulled pork pie with coleslaw, out of curiosity. We were served almost immediately and out of habit I picked up the thing with my hands––in New Zealand you eat them straight out of brown paper bags––before remembering I was in an actual restaurant where people use forks. In about ten minutes we had polished off our pies and felt properly comforted by this Australian treat. But like always, the school bell rung and we had to get back to work.
TUCK SHOP
68 East 1st St
New York, NY 10003
MAP
A pulled pork pie with coleslaw and a chicken pot pie at the East VilTuck Shop
Anthony contemplates which pie to choose.
All of the Tuck Shop's pies are handmade and baked throughout the day.
