Top 10 Best Fish & Chips in the UK
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VOICE OVER: Phoebe de Jeu
WRITTEN BY: Savannah Sher
We've crunched the numbers (and the batter) and found the best chippies, so you don't have to. Welcome to MojoTravels and today we're counting down our picks for the Best Fish and Chips in the UK. For this list, we're looking at Britain's most well respected, popular and of course, delicious places to get this iconic dish.
Top 10 Best Fish & Chips in the UK
We’ve crunched the numbers (and the batter) and found the best chippies, so you don’t have to. Welcome to MojoTravels and today we're counting down our picks for the Best Fish and Chips in the UK.
For this list, we’re looking at Britain’s most well respected, popular and of course, delicious places to get this iconic dish.
#10: Fylde Fish Bar
Southport
The beautiful seaside town of Southport in the North West of England is home to this relatively new chippy. While the restaurant itself may have only opened in 2008, co-owner Banico Zeniou actually comes from a long line of fish and chippers, and his family has been working on their stellar recipe since 1962. In the 2018 National Fish and Chip Awards (yes, those are a thing), Fylde Fish Bar made the cut and was voted as a regional winner. While the decor in the restaurant may feel fresh and modern, the dish you’ll get here is purely classic.
#9: The Bay Fish & Chips
Stonehaven
Located in the town of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, The Bay was voted by CNN Traveller as Best Fish and Chip Shop in Britain in 2013. They based their ranking on a wide variety of factors, including sustainability and customer service. They recommend the haddock and chips, which comes straight from the bay beside the restaurant, with a side of their deep fried black pudding, which may sound intimidating but is definitely worth a try. And if you love it, they even sell their batter mix for you to take home!
#8: Harbourside Fish & Chips
Plymouth
Another restaurant that made the 2018 National Fish and Chip Awards list was Harbourside Fish & Chips in Devon, coming in third in their ranking. This restaurant has been around since the ‘70s, but it’s only in recent years that changes they’ve made to the way they operate have caused them to receive national recognition. They pride themselves on sustainability, and offer all your standard chippie favorites alongside some healthier items. They even offer gluten free fish and chips which can be pretty hard to come by!
#7: Millers Fish & Chips
Haxby
Early in 2018, it was announced that this York restaurant was voted best fish and chip shop in the UK in the National Fish & Chip Awards. It’s run by a father and son team whose family has been manning the shop for more than three quarters of a century. Even though they were chosen as the best, they aren’t nearly as well-known or popular as many of the other entries on our list. At the time of writing they had fewer than 200 viewers on TripAdvisor (and most of them were glowing). It seems like the best is yet to come for Millers!
#6 Burton Road Chippy
Lincoln
In 2015, this shop took home the very same award, and has experienced a surge in popularity ever since. In the city of Lincoln in the English East Midlands is Burton Road Chippy, which is legendary in the region for their unbeatable fish and chips. Many a-fish-iandos maintain haddock is the finned creature of choice to make fish and chips with, and that’s exactly what you should order here. On the first Tuesday of the month they also offer gluten free fish and chips and their menu is normally filled with classic options aside from their signature dish.
#5: Golden Union Fish Bar
London
We’re heading to the nation’s capital for this next pick. Golden Union Fish Bar in trendy Soho is relatively new, having opened in 2008. But in that short time, it has accumulated a bevy of devotees who flock there to grab some of their delicious (and sustainably sourced!) fish and chips. The beer batter used here creates a light and crisp coating which makes for a meal that doesn’t feel too heavy. Time Out said “chances are you’ll be planning your return visit before you’ve even paid the bill,” and we’d have to agree.
#4: Chez Fred
Bournemouth
In the South of England you’ll find the charming seaside town of Bournemouth, which is home to Chez Fred, a beloved fish and chips shop which opened in 1989. Their motto is “traditional style, served with a smile”, and that’s just what you’ll get when visiting. Their website offers information on exactly where all their ingredients are sourced from, letting you rest easy when it comes to the sustainability of what ends up on your plate. Don’t forget to get a side of the mushy peas here, because visitors love them almost as much as the main attraction.
#3: Poppie’s Fish & Chips
London
With over 2100 reviews on Tripadvisor and an average rating of 4.5 out of 5, we’re really getting into the top tier of chippies as we approach the top of our ranking. Poppies, named for its owner Pat (or Pop) Newland, is located in London, with several locations scattered throughout the city. Newland has been in the fish and chips business since the 1950s, and his stores are modeled with that decade in mind. Many Londoners and visitors alike consider this to be the best fish and chips in the city, but we’ve still got two entries left on our list...
#2: Magpie Café
Whitby
Be prepared for a wait at this popular Whitby spot, because it isn’t uncommon for lines to form before the restaurant even opens for the day. Celebrity chef Rick Stein called it "the place that opened my eyes to how good a chip shop could be". Magpie Café stands out her because, alongside fish and chips standards like cod and haddock, they offer more rarely-seen fish like gurnard, pollock and hake. So far, this is the oldest establishment on our list, having opened in 1937, in a building that dates back to the 1700s. It’s said that “A trip to Whitby isn’t complete without a visit to The Magpie Café”. So true.
#1: The Golden Chippy
London
It’s not easy to maintain a five star rating on TripAdvisor, but this unassuming London restaurant pulls it off, even with more than 1100 reviews. For a time, it was even ranked as the #1 restaurant in all of London on the site! One reviewer said of The Golden Chippy, “ . . .forget what you believed about fish and chips”. The interior only seats 12 customers, meaning that it’s not uncommon to find long lineups here. But it’s surely worth the wait, with the affordable signature dish, homemade and bursting with freshness, costing no more than 7 pounds.
We’ve crunched the numbers (and the batter) and found the best chippies, so you don’t have to. Welcome to MojoTravels and today we're counting down our picks for the Best Fish and Chips in the UK.
For this list, we’re looking at Britain’s most well respected, popular and of course, delicious places to get this iconic dish.
#10: Fylde Fish Bar
Southport
The beautiful seaside town of Southport in the North West of England is home to this relatively new chippy. While the restaurant itself may have only opened in 2008, co-owner Banico Zeniou actually comes from a long line of fish and chippers, and his family has been working on their stellar recipe since 1962. In the 2018 National Fish and Chip Awards (yes, those are a thing), Fylde Fish Bar made the cut and was voted as a regional winner. While the decor in the restaurant may feel fresh and modern, the dish you’ll get here is purely classic.
#9: The Bay Fish & Chips
Stonehaven
Located in the town of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, The Bay was voted by CNN Traveller as Best Fish and Chip Shop in Britain in 2013. They based their ranking on a wide variety of factors, including sustainability and customer service. They recommend the haddock and chips, which comes straight from the bay beside the restaurant, with a side of their deep fried black pudding, which may sound intimidating but is definitely worth a try. And if you love it, they even sell their batter mix for you to take home!
#8: Harbourside Fish & Chips
Plymouth
Another restaurant that made the 2018 National Fish and Chip Awards list was Harbourside Fish & Chips in Devon, coming in third in their ranking. This restaurant has been around since the ‘70s, but it’s only in recent years that changes they’ve made to the way they operate have caused them to receive national recognition. They pride themselves on sustainability, and offer all your standard chippie favorites alongside some healthier items. They even offer gluten free fish and chips which can be pretty hard to come by!
#7: Millers Fish & Chips
Haxby
Early in 2018, it was announced that this York restaurant was voted best fish and chip shop in the UK in the National Fish & Chip Awards. It’s run by a father and son team whose family has been manning the shop for more than three quarters of a century. Even though they were chosen as the best, they aren’t nearly as well-known or popular as many of the other entries on our list. At the time of writing they had fewer than 200 viewers on TripAdvisor (and most of them were glowing). It seems like the best is yet to come for Millers!
#6 Burton Road Chippy
Lincoln
In 2015, this shop took home the very same award, and has experienced a surge in popularity ever since. In the city of Lincoln in the English East Midlands is Burton Road Chippy, which is legendary in the region for their unbeatable fish and chips. Many a-fish-iandos maintain haddock is the finned creature of choice to make fish and chips with, and that’s exactly what you should order here. On the first Tuesday of the month they also offer gluten free fish and chips and their menu is normally filled with classic options aside from their signature dish.
#5: Golden Union Fish Bar
London
We’re heading to the nation’s capital for this next pick. Golden Union Fish Bar in trendy Soho is relatively new, having opened in 2008. But in that short time, it has accumulated a bevy of devotees who flock there to grab some of their delicious (and sustainably sourced!) fish and chips. The beer batter used here creates a light and crisp coating which makes for a meal that doesn’t feel too heavy. Time Out said “chances are you’ll be planning your return visit before you’ve even paid the bill,” and we’d have to agree.
#4: Chez Fred
Bournemouth
In the South of England you’ll find the charming seaside town of Bournemouth, which is home to Chez Fred, a beloved fish and chips shop which opened in 1989. Their motto is “traditional style, served with a smile”, and that’s just what you’ll get when visiting. Their website offers information on exactly where all their ingredients are sourced from, letting you rest easy when it comes to the sustainability of what ends up on your plate. Don’t forget to get a side of the mushy peas here, because visitors love them almost as much as the main attraction.
#3: Poppie’s Fish & Chips
London
With over 2100 reviews on Tripadvisor and an average rating of 4.5 out of 5, we’re really getting into the top tier of chippies as we approach the top of our ranking. Poppies, named for its owner Pat (or Pop) Newland, is located in London, with several locations scattered throughout the city. Newland has been in the fish and chips business since the 1950s, and his stores are modeled with that decade in mind. Many Londoners and visitors alike consider this to be the best fish and chips in the city, but we’ve still got two entries left on our list...
#2: Magpie Café
Whitby
Be prepared for a wait at this popular Whitby spot, because it isn’t uncommon for lines to form before the restaurant even opens for the day. Celebrity chef Rick Stein called it "the place that opened my eyes to how good a chip shop could be". Magpie Café stands out her because, alongside fish and chips standards like cod and haddock, they offer more rarely-seen fish like gurnard, pollock and hake. So far, this is the oldest establishment on our list, having opened in 1937, in a building that dates back to the 1700s. It’s said that “A trip to Whitby isn’t complete without a visit to The Magpie Café”. So true.
#1: The Golden Chippy
London
It’s not easy to maintain a five star rating on TripAdvisor, but this unassuming London restaurant pulls it off, even with more than 1100 reviews. For a time, it was even ranked as the #1 restaurant in all of London on the site! One reviewer said of The Golden Chippy, “ . . .forget what you believed about fish and chips”. The interior only seats 12 customers, meaning that it’s not uncommon to find long lineups here. But it’s surely worth the wait, with the affordable signature dish, homemade and bursting with freshness, costing no more than 7 pounds.
