Wilsons Champion Pies and Pasties

If I ever thought the Armley shop was busy, then this Morley shop takes the biscuit, as the older brother of the Wilsons Champion Pies and Pasties store really does work up a storm. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this place quiet.
Wandering in, uncertain of what you want, then one of the staff will shout over at you and invite you to come closer and tell him what you’re in the mood for, and with a recommendation, you realise, yes you are in the mood for a cheese and onion pasty to take away, and you thank him kindly for his service.
Wilson’s was once upon a time a butchers, but has now changed status to focus solely on the pies and the pasties. On a high street heavily burdened by the likes of Greggs pasties, it’s almost too easy to lump in all pastries in the same pot, as stodgy, tasteless, greasy affairs, that you chomp down on but don’t taste. These pasties really are a cut above the rest in that respect, and no matter if you order the cheese and onion, or the steak and ale, you’re left full to the brim for starters, and you actually enjoy the taste and texture of what you’re eating. All making for a pleasant change and an even more enjoyable eating experience.
Once again, like Armley, Morley does provide the wedding cake pie option, in addition to gorgeous gala pies, and even personalised large «growlers» a nice and friendly (!) word for a pork pie, even the Leeds Rhinos agree, as they’ve been seen, spotted and snapped snaffling down a Wilson’s pie. Nice to see that the quality is still so high in both of the pie and pastie shops.

Pies anyone? This shop boasts that it has the best pork pies, if it’s not Wilsons then you’re not easting pies’. Hard to know what to believe these days but the through flow of people was a good indicator. I went for the steak pie and reports come back as it being a good’un.
Quality sausages, pasties (sweet and savoury) sausage rolls and a smörgåsbord of pies and meat-​eater and pastry lovers haven.

As someone who is often on the move, I often fall into the trap of buying food out. I went through a phase of buying pastries, Greggs and Ainsleys in particular. When it is winter and they are wofting baking goods aroma in your face as you walk past it is just so hard to resist! Whilst in Morley I was facing this same dilemma, nostrils wide, hunting for the food. When I came across an Ainsleys, but right next door to a shop I had not seen before. Wilsons.
Wilsons are definitely more than a few notches above the likes of Greggs and Ainsleys. They sell pork pies, sausage rolls, and cornish pasties that are all made with award winning ingredients, and also some lovely little sweet pastry bits too. I had a small sausage roll, it was delicious and you could tell the meat was of good quality. It tasted like a proper farmers market type gem.
Their pork pies have one the Yorkshire Pork Pie Competition twice, and they are also Pork Pie Appreciation Society Annual Award winners. I didn’t know these things existed! Amazing. Another thing I didn’t know is that you can buy hand crafted tiered wedding pies. NO JOKE. (See photo) Hilarious!