“Pie” covers a lot of ground. In one Singapore mall you can find a $3.20 chicken pie, a $14 slice of apple pie a la mode and a box of Christmas mince pies, and they come from four different baking traditions. This guide sets out what each one is, so that menu descriptions start to make sense. For chicken pies beyond Singapore, from Moroccan bastilla to the Jamaican patty, chickenpie.net keeps an atlas of chicken pies around the world, a useful international reference.
The Singapore old-school chicken pie
The Singapore old-school chicken pie is a single-serve, pastry-lidded pie filled with diced chicken, potato, carrot and peas in a creamy or gravy-based sauce, seasoned with plenty of pepper. Hainanese-style versions often include a piece of hard-boiled egg. It is a snack or light meal, usually eaten warm from a paper bag.
The crust varies by baker: some use a rich, flaky pastry, others something closer to a short, biscuit-like crust, and the old argument of puff pastry vs shortcrust still divides fans of shops long gone. The style is commonly said to descend from Hainanese cooks who learnt Western baking in colonial-era kitchens; the Don Pie kitchen tells its own version of the Singapore pie’s heritage on its brand site, singaporepies.com. Today it ranges from about $1.80 at a heartland bakery to $6.80 or more for a larger premium pie. See the best chicken pies.
The British pie
A British pie is usually a meal: braised meat in gravy, baked under a pastry lid and served with sides. The family includes:
- Steak and ale or steak and kidney pie: chunks of beef in a rich gravy under puff or short pastry.
- Pork pie: cold pork in a firm hot-water crust, eaten at room temperature.
- Cornish pasty: a folded pastry of beef, potato, swede and onion, a hand pie for working lunches.
- Shepherd’s and cottage pie: minced lamb (shepherd’s) or beef (cottage) with a mashed potato top instead of pastry.
In Singapore you will find these at pubs such as Pig N Whistle and from online makers such as Simply Good Pies. See beef and meat pies and shepherd’s pie.
The Australian meat pie
The Australian meat pie is a hand-held pie of minced beef in thick gravy, with a sturdy shortcrust base and a flaky lid, eaten as a snack with tomato sauce. It is smaller and more portable than a British pie and designed to be eaten without a plate. Australian chains have tried Singapore before (Pie Face closed its outlets here years ago); today the style is mostly available from specialist online makers.
The American fruit pie
American pies are mostly sweet and served by the slice from a whole round pie. The main types:
- Double-crust and lattice fruit pies: apple, cherry and berry, with a pastry base and a lid or woven lattice top.
- Custard and nut pies: pecan, pumpkin and sweet potato, with an open top and a set filling.
- Cream and chiffon pies: banana cream and chocolate cream, filled with custard and topped with whipped cream.
- Key lime pie: a tart lime custard on a graham cracker crust.
Windowsill Pies, Elijah Pies and Wheathead are the Singapore names to know. See the sweet pies guide.
Pie styles compared
| Style | Size | Crust | Typical filling | How it is eaten | Singapore price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore chicken pie | Personal | Flaky or short pastry lid and base | Chicken, potato, peas, carrot, creamy sauce, sometimes egg | Warm, by hand, as a snack | $1.80 to $9 |
| British steak pie | Personal or family | Puff or short pastry lid | Braised beef in ale or wine gravy | Plated, with sides | About $20 at a pub |
| Australian meat pie | Personal | Short base, flaky lid | Minced beef in gravy | By hand, with tomato sauce | About $10 to $21 |
| Shepherd’s or cottage pie | Tray | Mashed potato top, no pastry | Minced lamb or beef | Scooped, as a main | $39.90 to $84 a tray |
| American fruit pie | Whole, sliced | Double crust or lattice | Apple, cherry, berry | By the slice, often with ice cream | $3 to $14 a slice; $65 to $80 whole |
| American custard or nut pie | Whole, sliced | Open, single crust | Pecan, pumpkin, key lime | Chilled or room temperature | $65 to $80 whole |
Prices are typical ranges from our directory as of October 2026.
Pot pies, hand pies and minis
A pot pie is baked in a deep dish, often with only a top crust, keeping the filling saucy: Marymount Bakehouse’s drunken chicken pot pie is a good modern example. A hand pie is any pie made to be eaten without cutlery. Mini pies, sold in party boxes by Polar and Elijah Pies, are scaled-down personal pies built for buffets.
Pie, tart, quiche or puff?
A tart is shallow and lidless with stand-up sides. A quiche is an open tart with an egg custard filling. A curry puff is a folded turnover, not a tin-baked pie; chickenpie.net’s entry on The curry puff of Malaysia and Singapore traces where it came from. Kueh pie tee is a Peranakan pastry cup and not a pie at all; our page on what pie means in Singapore explains that and other mix-ups.
A short glossary
- Blind baking: baking a pastry case before adding a wet filling, to stop a soggy base.
- Egg wash: beaten egg brushed on pastry for a glossy, golden top.
- Laminated pastry: dough folded with layers of butter to create flaky layers, as in puff pastry.
- Levain or sourdough crust: pastry made with a naturally fermented starter, sturdier and slightly tangy.
- Personal vs whole: in Singapore menus, a personal pie feeds one; a whole pie usually feeds four to six.
- “++”: on restaurant menus, prices plus service charge and GST. See our price guide.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a pie and a tart?
A pie usually has a deeper dish and often a pastry lid or topping, and it is cut into slices or eaten whole as a personal pie. A tart is shallow, has no lid, and has straight or fluted sides that stand on their own once baked. Many dessert pies, such as lemon meringue, sit between the two.
What is a pot pie?
A pot pie is a savoury pie baked in a deep dish with a pastry lid but often no bottom crust, so the filling stays saucy. Chicken pot pie is the classic. Singapore cafes such as Marymount Bakehouse make modern versions.
What is a hand pie?
A hand pie is a small pie designed to be eaten without cutlery, either a mini round pie or a folded pastry such as a Cornish pasty. Singapore's party mini chicken pies are hand pies.
Is a curry puff a pie?
Not quite. A curry puff is a folded, sealed pastry, usually deep-fried or baked, filled with curried potato and often chicken. It shares ingredients with a curry chicken pie but is a turnover rather than a pie baked in a tin.
What is a quiche?
A quiche is an open savoury tart filled with an egg and cream custard plus ingredients such as bacon, cheese or vegetables. It is baked until set and served in slices, warm or at room temperature.
