Albany bakery’s potato top judged New Zealand’s best pie of 2025
The best pie in the country is officially a potato top.
Rosedale Bakery & Cafe, in the Auckland suburb of Albany, has been declared the winner of the 2025 Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards.
Created by bakery owner Samraksmey So, it is only the second potato top pie to take out the top prize in the history of the competition.
So’s creation isn’t a stock standard mince and mash medley. Instead it has both a potato top and potato middle - comprised of a swirled potato top with a core of fondant-style cooked potatoes finished in au gratin layers.
So developed the recipe after seeing a dish of French-style layered potatoes in a magazine, explaining “We take the time to fry the potatoes and then we put them on a tray with butter, garlic and rosemary and we bake them off. We cut them with a round cutter after baking and put them in the pie and bake again, and they look like a crispy outside.”
So told Herald NOW this morning the secret to a supreme pie is supreme ingredients saying whether it’s the mince inside to the flour used to make the casings, they “use everything that is good quality” when baking their perfect pastries.
Celebrity chef judge Nici Wickes said the potato pie was “a clear winner” during the blind tasting process last week.
“It surprised me because it’s one of the more usual categories and yet really innovative.”
So said he spent a year tweaking and perfecting the recipe after winning a highly commended in the potato top pie category last year and intends on creating something new to enter into the 2026 awards.
This isn’t the bakery’s first brush with glory, in 2023 they were awarded a silver award for their mince and cheese entry in the pie awards, and took home the prize for best sausage roll in the country.
2025 New Zealand Bakels Supreme Pie Award Gold Winners
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Bacon & Egg: Sean Vo, Levain Artisan Bakery, Blockhouse Bay Auckland
Mince & Gravy: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie, Torbay, Auckland
Mince & Cheese: Michael Gray, Nada Bakery, Wellington
Potato Top: Samraksmey (Sam) So, Rosedale Bakery & Café, Albany, Auckland
Steak & Gravy: Sok Heang Nguon, Taste Bakery and Roast, Henderson, Auckland
Steak & Cheese: Sok Keo, Milldale Bakery, Wainui, Auckland
Chicken & Vegetable: Mengheng (Jason) Hay, Richoux Patisserie, Ellerslie, Auckland
Gourmet Meat: Buntha Meng, Wild Grain Bakery, Silverdale, Auckland
Vegetarian: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie, Torbay, Auckland
Café Boutique: Ellie Linton-Brown, Main Street Café, Huntly
Commercial/Wholesale: Dad’s Pies, Silverdale, Auckland.
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Poll: Should we ditch daylight saving? 🕰️
First introduced in New Zealand in 1927 with the passing of the Summer Time Act, it's what we know as 'Daylight Saving' and this year it ends on the first Sunday in April.
While we do get to sleep in this time around, some people would like to scrap the clock tinkering for good.
And why? Some evidence suggests the time changes are bad for our health as they mess with sleep patterns leading to short-term fatigue and affecting mood. Meanwhile the hour change is frustrating for farmers and a nightmare for getting the littlies to sleep. But what's your take?
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40.5% Yes - get rid of the clock changes
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57.6% No, I enjoy it
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Sunday Market at St Johns – Come Say Hi!
Hi Neighbours !!!!
If you’re looking for an easy, feel-good way to start your Sunday, pop down to the St Johns Market it’s on every week and always worth a visit
Expect plenty to enjoy:
Delicious Food and Drink
Seasonal fruit & veg from local growers
Handmade goodies & crafts
Clothes, toys
It’s a laid-back, welcoming spot to catch up with neighbours, support local, and soak up the community vibe.
Stay connected & get updates:
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info.sjmarket@gmail.com
0274 671 446
Bring the kids, bring the dog, or just bring yourself and make a morning of it hope to see you there!
7 Allison Ferguson Drive, Auckland Netball Courts
Poll: Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? ☕
Auckland has a thriving cafe culture, but with costs climbing, that culture is under pressure. We’ve seen the headlines about recent closures across the country, and it’s a tough pill to swallow along with a $6+ coffee.
We all want our favourite spots to stay open, but we also have to balance our own budgets ⚖️
We want to know: How are you handling the "coffee math" in 2026? Are you still heading to your local for a chat and a caffeine fix, or has the cost of living changed your habits?
Keen to read more about "coffee math"? The Post has you covered.
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42.7% I avoid spending money on coffee
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41.1% I still indulge at my local cafe
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16.1% Irrelevant - coffee is not for me
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