Edinburgh's Pie Not? Bistro announces shock closure due to Covid pandemic difficulties

It’s the end of an era for the bistro which has been open for a decade

A city bistro known for its handmade pies has told customers it is shutting its doors after 10 years due to the business having been hit hard by the Covid pandemic.

Pie not? Bistro on Comiston Road posted the news on Facebook on Wednesday that they had made their last pie after they struggled to recover from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Owner Stephen Lindsay, who started the business from scratch, said the past few years had been ‘brutal’ and he’d taken the hard decision to close the bistro last month.

"It has been brutal since Covid hit us like many small businesses,” he said. “It just knocked the stuffing out of us. I had started off supplying farmers markets, wholesalers and pies for Hearts and Hibs. Then five years ago we opened the sit-in bistro.

The pie business was hit hard by the pandemic

"I had to take out bounce back loans to survive and be able to pay the rent and wasn’t paying myself a wage for months by the time I paid staff. We did manage to get catering work with a golf course in Bonnyrigg but it just wasn’t enough to survive. We’re still doing the pies for the golf course for another couple of weeks but that’s it. It is sad but I’ve had an amazing time doing it. It has been a labour of love.”

It will be sad to make the last pie but Stephen sad he is looking ahead to the next chapter after landing top job as executive head chef at The Dome.

He added: “I’ve been in tears thinking about how my business was going down the tubes. I gave it my all for a decade, with help from my business partner who joined me five years ago. Then this job came along. I’m very chuffed about that and looking forward to the opportunity. Since I posted the news on Facebook, people’s messages of support have been very heartwarming. Thank you to everyone who supported us over the years. It means a lot. “

Notifying his customers on social media, Stephen said: "Well after 10 long years and about 100,000 pies, we have decided to make the last pie. To all the friends, family and pie lovers that have supported us over the years, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

And many were shocked and saddened to hear the news, with one saying they would miss the “best pies ever”.