Ask anyone in the know about London’s best pie and mash restaurants, and the name L Manze was bound to get a mention.
They lasted a bloody long time – 93 years to be precise, so they must have done something right! – but sadly, the beloved spot has closed down.
They dealt in the classics – serving up pies, mash, jellied eels and green liquor for nearly 100 years. Plus, they even brought the party, giving us a hidden cocktail bar for when we needed an after hours haunt, and serving up fantastic cocktails and croquetas.
The authentic wooden building-front for the iconic Walthamstow High Street spot was preserved, and the building was Grade II-listed. Owner Tim Nicholls still owns the lease after the decision to close was made last week, but reopening as a Pie And Mash shop is not in the plans. L Manze had closed temporarily during the pandemic, and will now close permanently.
Nicholls previously told Eater London that there are “no customers down there anymore” and that parking difficulties have also been in a factor in the difficulties for the business. He still owns three other Pie and Mash shops but, following the closure of L Manze and the shutting down of Manze in Islington in 2017, none of these remain in London. His Pie and Mash businesses continue to operate in Braintree, Hoddesdon, and Dunmow.