# What are the best savory pastries? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2012, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380 "2012-10-01T12:10:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/1 "2012-10-01T12:10:20Z")
And what are some that I might be able to find (in the DC area) that I don’t know about? I like empanadas, I love saltenas, and both are here, but I can’t find kolaches anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/2 "2012-10-01T12:17:25Z")
Pepper biscuits! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/3 "2012-10-01T12:32:47Z")
I have no idea if they’re available in your area (I suspect not), but by far the finest savoury pastry on this earth is a steak and kidney pie. If you disagree, it’s only because you’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/4 "2012-10-01T12:34:59Z")
Indian Samosas! ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/5 "2012-10-01T13:02:04Z")
I found this [kolache shop](http://kolachekreations.com/menu.jsp) in Maryland! The savory version of the _kolache_ is officially called the _klobasnek_. Except they’re usually called kolaches too, down here in Texas. Kolache Kreations offers jalapenos in some of their kolaches/klobasniki–I’m betting they have Texas roots. Shipley’s, a Houston donut shop chain, offers [boudain kolaches](http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2011/09/100_favorite_dishes_no_3_boudi.php), offering a mix of Tex/Czech/Louisiana flavors. Haven’t had them yet, although the one outlet that sells them isn’t far. Just haven’t gotten over there early enough on a Saturday morning… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/6 "2012-10-01T13:22:13Z")
I understand [Pie Face](http://pieface.com.au/food/?cat=pies&product=breakfast-pie) are opening stores in the US. One of life’s baffling mysteries is why the British and Aussie tradition of savory pies wasn’t taken up by America. Perfect food for anyone that likes hot fast food but doesn’t want a burger or pizza. Served in a bag you only need one hand to eat it and can devour one while walking. You can get a passable one from the hot box most places you fill your car and the supermarket has frozen ones to keep at home. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/7 "2012-10-01T14:12:03Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > One of life’s baffling mysteries is why the British and Aussie tradition of savory pies wasn’t taken up by America. Savory pies have a foothold in a place or two in the US. They’re pretty common in Louisiana, for instance. Natchitoches is known for pies made from beef, pork, and crawfish (not necessarily all in the same pie). Many gas stations throughout the state offer Natchitoches-style pies, but almost no other fast-food places do; I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in a chain place. At least one company produces frozen Natchitoches pies; I see them in the grocery stores occasionally. There are also pie shops that do both savory and sweet pocket pies in Texas and Oklahoma, but they’re specialty places, and there aren’t many of them. I agree that it’s odd they haven’t caught on more. It may be too late now–I’m afraid Hot Pockets have permanently damaged the image of savory pie-like things. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/8 "2012-10-01T14:43:22Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > I found this [kolache shop](http://kolachekreations.com/menu.jsp) in Maryland! The savory version of the _kolache_ is officially called the _klobasnek_. So far as I can tell, only if they have sausage in the filling, as “klobasa” means “sausage” in Czech. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/9 "2012-10-02T04:22:52Z")
I also bemoan the dearth of savory pies in the US, and find it baffling. Look for Jamaican meat pies or patties. They’re smaller, with no gravy, but very tasty if you like spicy. You might have to look in Adams-Morgan, or out in Alexandria somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/10 "2012-10-02T05:52:49Z")
Try looking for bourekas. You’ll find them wherever you find concentrations of Greeks, Turks or Israelis. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/11 "2012-10-02T06:29:27Z")
Does Beef Wellington count? It comes in puff pastry ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/12 "2012-10-02T06:43:41Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > Look for Jamaican meat pies or patties. They’re smaller, with no gravy, but very tasty if you like spicy. You might have to look in Adams-Morgan, or out in Alexandria somewhere. When I was in the DC area, I bought beef patties from several different 7-11s, of all places. And they weren’t bad, either. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/13 "2012-10-02T13:27:25Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Try looking for bourekas. You’ll find them wherever you find concentrations of Greeks, Turks or Israelis. Or Serbs and Bosnians under the name _burek_. Apparently, Bulgarians have something similar, too, called byurek. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/14 "2012-10-02T14:00:17Z")
There’s also the [_knish_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knish). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/15 "2012-10-02T14:08:26Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > I also bemoan the dearth of savory pies in the US, and find it baffling. > > Look for Jamaican meat pies or patties. They’re smaller, with no gravy, but very tasty if you like spicy. You might have to look in Adams-Morgan, or out in Alexandria somewhere. I never heard of these, but, damn, looking up some recipes online (like Emeril’s), they look awesome. I might have to make a versino of the meat filling tonight and just put it in a bun (feeling too lazy to make a pastry.) ---
**Author:** ![Tara57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Tara57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tara57)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/16 "2012-10-02T22:41:40Z")
cheese straws ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/17 "2012-10-02T23:37:47Z")
Pasties from The Cornish Pasty Company in Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/18 "2012-10-02T23:46:15Z")
You should be able to find an Ethiopian restaurant in D.C. Try the Sambussa, a yummy pastry filled with lentil beans. Or if you can find a Cuban bakery, the potato ball is always delightful. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/19 "2012-10-03T01:13:11Z")
**Pulykamell** , for Jamaican patties: Caribbean American Bakery 1539 West Howard Street Chicago, IL 60626 (773) 761-0700 This is the only place I will get them in Chicago; all the others are either pale tasteless things or they get them from there to begin with. For AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING savory pies: Pleasant House bakery 964 West 31st Street Chicago, Illinois 60608 Their mushroom kale pie is to die for. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380/20 "2012-10-03T01:18:27Z")
I had a lamb-and-mint Cornish pasty in England that was just about the best thing I’ve ever tasted. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-best-savory-pastries/636380.md?page=2)