This is Australia’s most popular fish and chips shop – but not for the reason you’d expect

Nothing says ‘summer in Australia’ like a greasy box of fish and chips by the beach. Chuck in some prawn cutlets, potato scallops, battered oysters and pineapple fritters, and you’ve reeled in the perfect feast. In Australia, you’re never too far from a seafood shop slinging the classic fish and chips combo. But what’s hotter than a batch of thick-cut chippies fresh out of the fryer? The sizzling debate over Australia’s best fish and chips shop.

We’ve got the answer to that. The results come from a detailed data analysis by Google Maps, which ranked the most-reviewed fish and chips shops in Australia over the past 20 years.

One Gold Coast fish and chips shop made the top spot, with 5,100 reviews and counting, plus an average 4.05-star rating. That honour goes to Charis Seafoods, a bustling takeaway joint and one of Queensland’s biggest seafood markets, located on the waterfront in Labrador.

For more than 13 years, this family-run business has been scaling, battering and frying up the freshest seafood from Australia and beyond. Both locals and tourists swing by to pick up fresh fish, prawns, lobsters, oysters, crabs and sashimi, or grab a cooked-to-order fisherman’s basket to enjoy overlooking the water (just watch out for the cheeky seagulls).

However, Charis Seafood is perhaps best known for its daily pelican feeding sessions. At 1.30pm, large crowds gather on the beach to watch the staff feed lunch to around 100 hungry birds. You’re pretty much getting lunch and a free show!

The title of Australia’s second most popular fish and chips shop went to Mures Lower Deck in Hobart, which currently boasts more than 4,000 Google reviews. Victoria takes the lead for having the most talked-about fish and chips shops overall, claiming positions three to five – those spots went to San Remo Fishermans Co-Op, Blu by Australian Seafood Group and Tommy Ruff Fishbar. You can check out the full results here.

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