M. Manze
The oldest surviving “eel, pie and mash” shop in London, known for the infamous jellied eels.
Pie and mash, a classic Cockney staple, originated in the Docks of London in the Victorian era. Often accompanied by jellied eels, the dish typically consists of a minced beef pie, mashed potato, and a parsley sauce called liquor.
While “eel, pie and mash shops” have been common throughout London, the number is in steady decline, many of the old establishments closing permanently over the years. Today, the title of the oldest surviving eel and pie shop belongs to M. Manze, a family business founded in 1902.
The Manze family immigrated from Italy to Britain in 1878, settling in Bermondsey and establishing themselves as ice-merchants. Later, they entered the eel, pie and mash trade, occupying the building of another pie shop that opened in 1892, the year now attributed to M. Manze itself.
The Manze family proved quite successful and owned a total of fourteen shops in London by 1930, though none of which (save for the original Tower Bridge Road location) has survived the test of time. Since 2019, M. Manze is run by the fourth generation of the family, carrying on the legacy of a (once) popular Cockney trade.
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