I recently visited Wigan with my two young kids as part of a whistlestop train trip around the…read moreNorth West. As we were pushed for time we opted for a quick take out lunch and as we all know Pound Bakery very well we decided it would be a safe bet. And true enough it was just like every other branch we've visited offering decent enough food at bargain prices. I personally felt a bit disappointed that we'd been to Wigan and missed the opportunity to try a genuine Wigan pie but my Pound Bakery pasties filled a gap.

I was told this was the land of pies! So, surely we had to pick some up! We bought 3 different…read morekinds, and they were all amazing and well priced. I sure do love pies! There was quite a little line for this place, but it went quickly, and we even bumped into some friends we had just finished visiting, in line here too! They live close by, so clearly, we must have ended up at a good pie shop if they went here too! The variety of pies was great and they were tasty!

The best pies in Wigan. They are conveinently located near the bus station. They do all pies and…read morepastries. Small open plan shop. The chunky steak pie is excellent.

Formerly The Urban Chocolate Co, Choc-la-Te is a charming and pleasant cafe on Westhoughton's…read moreMarket Street, which specialises in chocolate by the in-house chocolatier, as well as offering tasty food and drink. I walked into the little cafe, which was bright and fresh on a lovely sunny day, and was warmly greeted and given a big beaming smile by Tracy, the chocolatier and owner. I looked at the food and drinks menu, and the specials menu which offered summer drinks. As a tea lover, I was really impressed at the tea menu, which had a good variety of loose leaf teas to enjoy, from your standard English Breakfast to Darjeeling and beyond. I chose an Earl Grey with cornflour, which was very refreshing and tasty... but as I was sipping it, I spotted rose and bergamot black tea on the shelf... I'll definitely be trying that next time! The tea was excellent quality and even came with suggested timers for brewing times. I've not seen this quality or variety of tea offered outside of Manchester City Centre's tea rooms, but most definitely not for Manchester's prices! The venue itself has a fabulously semi-modern design to it, with beautiful big 70s style geometrics on the walls and crockery, bright colours, and fun little signs. For a small (4 table) cafe, it didn't feel too small! They also sells their own chocolates, little gifts, and greetings cards, which are placed around the edges of the main dining area to catch your eye as you make inappropriate noises of appreciation about your chocolate fondue. From the tasty and tempting food menu I chose a classic ham and cheese toastie, and as well as being offered my choice of bread, and whether I'd like fresh coleslaw or onion chutney, it also came with some crisps and a fresh side salad. I was even asked if I'd like dressing for said salad. I was starting to like this place, they had everything, and after I found out they also took cards as payment, AND had free wi-fi? Definitely a quick way into my good-books even before I've eaten! My ham and cheese toastie was lovely and fresh, and very tasty, especially considering it was very good value considering the quality offered. This is the quality of a city centre venue but at prices reflecting the area. Westhoughton, you're very lucky to have them! At this point I realised that it would surely be a crime to come to a chocolate specialist and not partake, especially given that the quality of the food was so good! Tracy gave me a run-down of what cakes and bakes were on offer (and they all sounded incredible!), as well as which chocolates were available, which you could purchase for a price per individual chocolate, which is a genius idea! I went for Turkish Delight, Limoncello, Salted Caramel and Passionfruit, which Tracy picked out of the display case using a special chocolate-handling glove! Very swish! They were given to me in a cute little teacup, and as you can imagine, they were absolutely sublime! I will most definitely be returning here, not just due to it being close to where I live, not just because the chocolates are lovely and I want more and know I can get them boxed up for gifts, not just because there's lots of other tasty chocolate gifts, not just because of the tasty food and the tea range which I definitely want to try more of, not just because of the friendly and happy customers and staff who gave the place a lovely atmosphere, nor the customer who highly recommended the chocolate fondue, and not just because of the idea of their afternoon teas... ...wait where was I? ...oh yes! I have to come back, because I've been told great things about their hot chocolate... the other things just happen to be a nice side-point! ;) Go along. You'll love it.

Seriously, forget Greggs, Sayers and Greenhalghs - it's Galloways all the way! (Sorry for the…read morebun... er, pun). This particular Galloways outlet is located in the historic Wiend, close to the train station, the church, the Face of Wigan, and the shopping centre. Their chicken and sweetcorn pastry is a work of art: tasty, well-baked, not too flaky, and hot in just the right way! And Venice fingers somehow restored in me the faith in British cakes and bakery. If I could, I'd try every single cake there, but I had to limit myself to this Italianate piece of confectionery. Highly recommended!

This is a bit of a silly one really, but I am fascinated by the amount of press certain businesses…read morecan receive on Yelp! and like to give shout outs to less known/cared about places. As a southerner, I had to be introduced to 'proper' pies by the boyf (who is from Wigan, hence the change of scenery from Manchester) and Galloways is our traditional pit stop before or after getting the train in or out of Wigan Wallgate. The ladies here are always lovely and the food is always hot. Now, I say this because Gregg's, your high street version of these smaller bakeries, often serves me up cold sausage rolls and lacklustre pasties which leave me feeling, quite honestly, a bit sad. Galloways pies always fill me up and leave me feeling warm inside, as if I become more northern with every bite. I have always gone for the meat&potato here, which I am assured is the most Wigan option, in order to hide the fact I am obviously not from round 'ere. I liked pies before I went to Wigan, but now I love them, and make sure to have one from Galloways every time I go. Healthy lifestyle, me? Of course. A small review for a small place, but nonetheless a place to go and refuel if anyone happens to venture into Wigan.