Food: Pie, Pasty, Chips and a Pint
A trip to the football is never just about what happens on the pitch. For me and Eva, the Swansea City Carabao Cup tie against Birmingham City was also an opportunity to meet up, have some lunch and try something different from the usual matchday food at the Swansea.com Stadium.
I’ve been a Swansea City season-ticket holder for a few years now, but surprisingly, I’d never sampled the pies or pasties. My usual stadium choice has always been the chips! So, this matchday, I decided it was finally time to see what else was on offer.
The Pie Recommendation
Before the match, my brother had told me about a conversation with a family friend who is a Portsmouth supporter. Having attended plenty of away games, he had made quite a surprising claim: Swansea City had the best pie in the Championship!
Naturally, that caught our attention.
The Welsh Steak & Ale Pie certainly lived up to the expectation.
It was a generous size, with a lovely crisp pastry top and, importantly, a good amount of meat filling inside. That’s something you don’t always find with takeaway pies, where sometimes the pastry seems to take up most of the space!
The filling was hearty and satisfying, making it exactly the sort of food that works well on a football matchday.
Having finally tried it for myself, I can understand why our Portsmouth friend had such good things to say about Swansea City’s pies.
Bhaji Boyo – The Traditional Welsh OGGIE
I decided to try something completely different from my usual chips and went for the Bhaji Boyo – The Traditional Welsh OGGIE.
Filled with warmly spiced cauliflower, chickpeas and crispy onion, the OGGIE is wrapped in melt-in-the-mouth pastry. It had a distinctive curry flavour, with a mild level of spice that added plenty of warmth and flavour without being overpowering.
The combination of cauliflower, chickpeas and crispy onion worked really well with the curry-style seasoning. It was flavoursome, filling and made a welcome change from my usual matchday chips.
I also liked that it didn’t feel overly heavy despite the pastry. The filling gave it a more wholesome feel while still being a satisfying football-stadium treat.
For someone who had been sticking to chips for several seasons, the Bhaji Boyo was a tasty discovery!
The Fries
Of course, I couldn’t completely abandon my old matchday favourite.
The fries were still part of the lunch, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. The portion was larger than average, elevating the humble chip into a rather tasty matchday treat.
They made a great accompaniment to the food and, let’s be honest, football food without chips just wouldn’t feel quite right!
Drinks
To accompany our lunch, I went for a Madri on draught, while Eva chose a Cold River on draught.
Both were refreshing on what was a particularly hot and lovely day.
There’s something about sitting at the stadium with a drink, good food and the anticipation of kick-off that adds to the whole matchday experience.
The Result Wasn’t Quite as Enjoyable
Unfortunately, the football itself didn’t provide the result we were hoping for.
Swansea City lost 1–0 to Birmingham City.
Still, despite the disappointing result, the food and drinks helped make the afternoon more enjoyable. You can’t win every match, but at least you can have a decent lunch!
The Verdict
As a Swansea City season-ticket holder of several years, I have to admit I’m slightly surprised it took me this long to venture beyond the chips.
The Bhaji Boyo was a tasty, flavoursome and filling vegetarian option, with a lovely combination of mildly spiced cauliflower, chickpeas and crispy onion.
The Welsh Steak & Ale Pie was equally impressive, particularly the crisp pastry and generous meat filling. Given the recommendation came from a Portsmouth supporter who has experienced plenty of away-day catering around the Championship, I think that’s quite an endorsement!
The generous portion of fries and refreshing drinks completed our lunch nicely.
The match may have ended in a 1–0 defeat, but our food certainly made the afternoon more enjoyable.
⭐ Our Rating: 3 out of 5
There was plenty to like, particularly the pie, Bhaji Boyo and generous portions. However, with a three-star rating, there is still room for improvement and consistency across the wider matchday catering experience.
One thing is certain, though: I won’t be ignoring the pies and pasties next time!
And as for that Portsmouth fan’s claim that Swansea City has the best pie in the Championship?
After finally trying it, I’m beginning to think he might have a point!
Useful Links
Swansea City – First-Time Fans and Family Guide
Swansea City – New and Improved Catering for Swansea City Fans
Location
Stadium, Plasmarl, Swansea SA1 2FA
Home to Swansea City FC, seating 20,500, with a conference and events centre.