Piehole

Piehole is a bakery listed in Pokolbin, Newcastle, with the business operating two Hunter Valley shops: the original on Wollombi Road in Cessnock and a second shop on Wine Country Drive in Nulkaba, near the route to the wineries. Both locations focus on handmade pies, cakes, sausage rolls and pasties, with baking done fresh each day.

The menu centres on classic Australian bakery fare alongside more substantial and inventive pie fillings. Standouts include the Plain Steak Pie, made with chunky slow-cooked steak in gravy; the Brisket, Bacon & Cheese Pie; and The Works, topped with mash, cheese, bacon and tomato. There are also options such as Pepper Steak, Steak Diane, Chicken & Chilli, Pulled Pork and Potato pies, plus traditional pasties, sausage rolls and sweet pastries including Cherry Pie and Cherry Turnover. Milkshakes and soft serve are available for an old-school bakery finish.

The appeal is in the straightforward, made-on-site approach. The business says its products are handmade from scratch, baked fresh in both shops and never served in foil trays. Its story began in 2020, when Matt and Kylie opened the first Pie Hole after Matt’s earlier career as a pastry cook and more than a decade in real estate. The current owners have backgrounds running food businesses, mostly bakeries, and describe the transition as a continuation of the original recipe book and pastry tradition. That gives the shops a distinctly independent, family-run feel without overcomplicating what they do.

Piehole suits a quick solo lunch, a bakery stop with the family or a group needing food to take away. Phone pre-orders are welcome when you want a particular flavour held, and catering trays and platters can be arranged for events. The custom cake service adds another reason to plan ahead, covering birthday cakes, cupcakes, weddings, celebrations and corporate orders, with edible photo printing available from supplied JPG or PNG images. Standard custom cakes and edible prints need at least three days’ notice, while larger or wedding cakes require more time.