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So the last review is from 4yrs ago. I think they pivoted to pies since then because I didn't see any burgers or fish & chips on the menu. All I saw was pies, and the butter chicken one caught my eye. I've been obsessed with butter chicken pies since a lovely South African couple I met on tour told me about them. So naturally that's the one I got from PJ's. And it was the best one I had! The crust was buttery and flaky. The chicken was juicy. And the curry sauce had depth and was so flavorful. The toasted cumin seeds on top was a nice touch. It was so filling, too! I wish I had the opportunity to try more pies because the butter chicken one exceeded my expectations. According to their website, they use the water from the alpine spring in Hanmer Springs. That's probably why their pies are so good! Because PJ's operates out of a small building (I think they renovated a park ranger station or something), there's only outdoor seating which consists of bench tables. Since it's cabinet food, service is quick. I've only been here once, but I highly recommend getting a pie here even if you've eaten elsewhere. You won't regret it!
We kept seeing PJ's meat pies in supermarkets New World and PAK'nSAVE and noticed they originated in Hanmer Springs--so we had to try the original shop. The small walk-up hut is located right across the road from the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools, with plenty of free street parking and a few outdoor picnic tables with umbrellas. We visited on a day when the special was Silverside, which the cashier described as "like Spam, but much better." I ordered the pork belly with apple ($9.30 NZD). The crust was perfectly flaky, and the pork belly was tender and moist. The only downside was that I couldn't taste any apple. A nice surprise, though, was the three pieces of crispy fried pork skin (chicharrones) on top. The cashier was extremely friendly--he's originally from Switzerland--and took the time to explain the pies and daily specials. Prices range from about $9-$10 NZD, and note that they close at 3pm daily. If you're in Hanmer Springs, especially visiting the Thermal Pools, PJ's Pies is an easy walk and definitely worth trying. read more
We visited Hanmer Springs and after trying the meat pies at Fairlie Bakehouse, we knew we had to give PJ's a try as well. We'd seen their pies in various stores and figured this was the original location, so why not? We ordered the pork belly and apple pie. The crust was nice and flaky, though we didn't really taste the apple. We chatted briefly with the cashier, possibly the owner, originally from Switzerland and the service was quick. There were only a couple of people in line, and the pies were priced around $9, which felt fair for the quality. If I had to compare PJ's with Fairlie, I'd say they're equally good overall. It really depends on what you're looking for. PJ's offers only outdoor seating, and you'll want to keep an eye on your food because sparrows and other birds do swoop by occasionally. The selection at PJ's also seems a bit more limited but price-wise they're similar, roughly $8-$10 per pie. Overall, a solid stop if you're in the area and craving a good meat or vegetarian pie. read more
So the last review is from 4yrs ago. I think they pivoted to pies since then because I didn't see any burgers or fish & chips on the menu. All I saw was pies, and the butter chicken one caught my eye. I've been obsessed with butter chicken pies since a lovely South African couple I met on tour told me about them. So naturally that's the one I got from PJ's. And it was the best one I had! The crust was buttery and flaky. The chicken was juicy. And the curry sauce had depth and was so flavorful. The toasted cumin seeds on top was a nice touch. It was so filling, too! I wish I had the opportunity to try more pies because the butter chicken one exceeded my expectations. According to their website, they use the water from the alpine spring in Hanmer Springs. That's probably why their pies are so good! Because PJ's operates out of a small building (I think they renovated a park ranger station or something), there's only outdoor seating which consists of bench tables. Since it's cabinet food, service is quick. I've only been here once, but I highly recommend getting a pie here even if you've eaten elsewhere. You won't regret it! read more
7 years ago
Crispy chips, decent price for fish with fish of day option. Also tried a PJ Burger, which has processed cheese instead of traditional cheddar :-/ Take away only, but a few nice tables on side of restaurant. Ice-Cream flavors (4) avail as well. Just across from Hanmer Springs on same side of road. read more
