KO Catering and Pies

They're famous for their Braised Lamb Pie, but I think the real winner was their monthly special: a Beef Pie with raisins and goat cheese.

My friend and I ended up sharing 3 different pies: Braised Lamb, Monthly Special, and the Irish Beef Stew. All were super meaty and hearty, but I did find the Braised Lamb and the Irish Beef a bit one-dimensional and I got a tired of their flavors after a few bites. The Monthly Special had a bit more of a sweet and cheesy kick to it which kept things interesting.

The pie crust was beautifully buttery and the pies were served warm. The portion sizes were a bit small. I felt satiated afterwards, but my friend was ready to go find a second dinner elsewhere. Come for a snack, not for a full meal!

The pie falls far from the pie tree here. Speaking of which, if you ever owned a pie tree, what type of pie would you have?

I came to the original Eastie location a while back with a friend and definitely enjoyed their braised beef pie. The pie crust was warm and flaky. The beef inside was flavorful, moist, and tender. The offering I received at this location was anything but that.

I tried the braised lamb shank pie. First, the pie crust was awful. It wasn't warm at all and not flaky. Rather, the crust tasted bland and soggy.

The lamb itself was dry and flavorless. The vegetables inside were mushy and sort of resembled that frozen vegetable mix you'd see at your local supermarket - made popular in the swingin' 60's. The whole pie required a copious amount of Sriracha sauce to make it edible.

Perhaps I caught a bad aberration, or perhaps this spot just isn't as good as the other place. I guess I'll just have to suck-it-up and drive a little farther out (and pay toll *sigh*) for my Australian pie fix.

I've been eyeing the place for a while but haven't had a chance to stop by until today, since I don't typically drive out to south Boston. They have some seating here but it's super small and more for take out. The pies are pre-made so you can walk in, order, and leave in two minutes if there's no line.

I like the concept of the food here and the variety of pies. I got the Irish beef stew pie. I thought the crust was great, it was very crispy. I thought the beef inside was a bit salty. I found myself trying to eat all of the beef quickly so that I can enjoy the crust.

The size is good for a larger snack but I'm not sure if I would be completely full if I got it for lunch. I may be back to try a different pie, which I hope will be less salty.

The pie was so tasty I can't wait to go back and try others! It was my first time there and the cashier was so friendly! She gave me some recommendations and a little background about KO pies. I took an Irish stew and Lamb shank home with a side of sauce and ketchup. She told me to try the pies without the sauces and then add them if I feel inclined!

The lamb shank...which I think had the veggies? Was just ok. I wasn't too blown away because there wasn't much lamb and the veggies didn't have much flavor. The Irish stew? The one that she said didn't have veggies, was AMAZING. It had so much flavor and deliciousness it was definitely my favorite of the two. These pies were small so 1 per person is good, but I grabbed two to split with a friend. Thank god for meat pies because it's a delicious filling lunch for $7. I can dig that!

Got the classic beef pie. They asked if I wanted brown sauce with that and I said yes (not knowing it cost extra) to try it. Sauce was too sweet for my liking so I won't choose sauce again. Total was $7.56.
Pie was excellent and I woofed it down. Will try other pies if I have chance.

Hi I'm Minh

When you're in need of food around umass Boston, KO pies will pop up as an option and I think it's pretty decent!

First of all it's only about a 4 minute walk away from broadway station and thats fantastic for commuters! When you walk in you're thrown into a cramp and homey little shop that is full of Australian memorabilia, drinks and of course food.

I got the braised beef pie (special of the month) and my friend got the lamb shank! I also got their chicken schnitzel sandwich because why not!

My pie bursted with beef, hints of blue cheese and nice flaky crust! The brown sauce on the side is a more acidic taste and something not really for my taste. The lamb pie had some nice lamb but with green beans and peas. If I'm getting a meat pie I want a MEAT pie. Sorry mom and dad, was not in the mood for veggies!

But oh man the schnitzel sandwich with guacamole, melted Swiss cheese, fried egg, and a spicy Indian sauce was AMAZING. It was melty, cheesy, grease and delicious in every way. There was no way to eat it properly and it was getting everywhere.

Gross.

But that sammy was the piece de resistance of the entire experience. So come for the pies but stay for the week specials! Solid place to grab a quick bite and a taste of Aussie!

Any pie is an instant win, but the braised lamb shank with veggies is an overtime win at Home.

There's one heavy ass wooden table, five stools against the window counter and a plethora of Aussie takeaway that'll melt your heart just before stopping it.

Buttery, flakey, going-Andrew Zimmerny-with-all-the-ends-in-Y-descriptors crust hiding anything from curried vegetables to savory spiced ground beef in a rich, peppered gravy to the aforementioned lamb, in massive tender chunks wine-braised off the bone not hours before. The "How To Eat A Pie" sign says to give a dollop of ketchup, but you owe it to owner Sam, the island of Australia and your tongue to go bareback at your first rodeo.

The goods run $6-7 each, and I hear they feature things like "salads" and "baked goods" and "grilled fish sandwiches" and "sweet corn fritters" and... wait, hold up. That last one. Yes, that last one. Where was I? And "chicken schnitzel" and other non-pie related items that'll knock your teeth out with a flavor roundhouse, but really, get a pie. Get all the pies. Bring me one. Then get all the pies again.

Just before your ticker explodes, try the mushy peas - they may save your life. Vegetables do that, right?

So you're asking if this place lives up to the hype. Yes it does! KO is Boston's only authentic Australian cuisine. At the time I'm writing this they have been open about 2 weeks. The inside of KO is small. There is seating in here for about 10 people, not ideal for eating in but you didn't come here for comfortable seating. You came here for the most delicious meat pies this side of Australia. I got:

The Classic Pie - Fluffy pastry dough filled with a marinated meat sauce. The owner says you eat it with your hands and it is common to put ketchup on it. I wanted the cheese one but they were sold out.

Sausage Roll - Basically a really good sausage wrapped in pastry, also excellent and better than I can describe.

Anzac Cookie - The Australian version of an oatmeal cookie.

Just a warning that this place can get very busy and a little hectic

Why 3 stars? Because it was a long journey for nothing special.

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I wasn't sure what to expect, since I don't think I'd ever tried anything "Australian" before.

The GOOD: The owner was helpful and entertaining.

The AVERAGE: The food. It tasted like a frozen pot pie that was heated up in the microwave. As I was eating it, it reminded me of something you would buy from a rotisserie rack at a gas station. And no, not a cool Yelpy gas station with a taco stand attached to it - more like a generic 7-11.

The BAD: Maybe we just came from the wrong direction since we weren't very familiar with Boston, but it seemed to be in the middle of absolutely nowhere. It was in some kind of industrial district and not near anything else relevant.

I would recommend this: If you're a tourist, don't waste a meal on KO. There is just nothing special about it unfortunately.

If you're a local and thinking about using them for catering, they would be a cool choice to use from time to time. It's something fun and different. I haven't seen many places that claim to serve Australian food.

Delicious pot pies with a soft pastry shell. Stopped by this location while in Southie. Right around the corner from the Broadway T stop. Always something new! I tried the Irish stew pie....absolutely delicious! Definitely a meal themselves!! Eat them with your hands....its proper!! Always a fun place to eat. Try their much bigger Eastie location too!