The 17 best fish and chip shops in the UK

Porthtowan, Cornwall

Seasmiths is a bit more modern than your trad fish and chip shop (all orders are placed via click+collect, which means no waiting in queues). But the offering from this family-run joint is simple: perfectly cooked, sustainably sourced cod or haddock, on a bed of undeniably crispy, never soggy, thick-cut chips, always served with a wedge of lemon and a sprig of parsley. All the homemade dips – mushy peas, katsu curry sauce – are fantastic, but it’s their signature tartare sauce that really makes the difference; it’s so tangy and peppered with big, crunchy chunks of pickle. Divine.

Brighton

Rybka lubi pływać, Polish for ‘the fish likes to swim’, is the namesake of this charming little restaurant. Sure, Brighton’s cracking collection of pubs and chippies make tough competiton for the best fish ‘n’ chips in the city, but you’d be hard pressed to come by a zestier tartare or crispier batter. Rybka serves have-in portions on retro canteen trays, and it’s quaint Lanes location means it’s something of a lesser-known gem – there’s even a DJ on occassionally. 

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Whitby, Yorkshire

Established in 1937, The Magpie Café is widely and rightly known as one of the best places to eat fish and chips in the UK. It’s no frills, all gills at this spot that tenderly overlooks Whitby harbour. Responsibly-sourced local fish populate the menu and it’s the freshness of that fish – as well as the oil they use to fry it – that makes The Magpie so special. An order of a large cod and chips here will net you a supper of whale-like proportions: a fitting comparison, considering the fact that the striking black and white building which The Magpie Café calls home used to be owned by an actual whaling family.

Southwold, Suffolk

Head to this harbourside chippy if you’re after the freshest of the fresh. The team at Sole Bay (which actually has two locations: The Sole Bay Fish Company, and The Little Fish & Chip Shop in Southwold) have been selling their daily catches at what is now a thriving little takeaway since back in 2001, and once you’ve tasted the cod, the crab, and the oysters, you’ll understand why this place is so goddamn popular.

Anstruther, Fife

If there’s a general rule of thumb to follow when it comes to finding good fish and chips, it’s that the closer a chippy is to a body of water, the better it’s likely to be. That rationale certainly rings true for the Anstruther Fish Bar. Looking out over the harbour, this award-winning takeaway and restaurant specialises in fresh fish and seafood – of both the fried and non-fried variety. Fried-wise, you’ve got to go for the tender Scottish haddock that comes encased in an ethereally light, crispy batter. If you’re after something that hasn’t touched a drop of oil, though, then the dressed crab should be what’s on your radar. Chips are non-negotiable.

Fochabers, Moray

The Fochabers Fish Bar is regularly touted as being Scotland’s number one fish and chip takeaway. That information should be reason enough to have you planning your maiden voyage to the village that’s also home to the Baxters soup factory, but if you needed a little more convincing, just know that the Fochabers Fish Bar more than lives up to their lofty reputation. Not only does the fish look (and taste) great, but so do the chequered tables and white tiles that make up the refreshingly retro interior that hasn’t changed since the day it opened. What’s more, the service at Fochabers is friendly, efficient, and will see that you get your supper in a flash.

Cardigan, Ceredigion

More than just somewhere to get a golden tranche of fish and a mound of chips made from Pembrokeshire potatoes, Môr Ffein is a family-run chip shop that aims to preserve the traditions of the good old-fashioned chippy. That doesn’t mean, however, that they’re afraid of pushing the boat out. As well as your tried-and-tested cod, you can also get your laughing gear around half a locally-caught Cardigan Bay lobster served cold with chips. It’s a hot and cold combination that’s second-to-none.

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Get in, get out, don’t fuck about. John Long’s is the longest established fish and chip shop in Belfast and describes itself (rightly so) as one of the city’s ‘top seven wonders’. The portions are generous considering the friendly price point and it’s rare to get served a wedge of battered fish here that doesn’t arrive in the perfect shade of amber. John Long’s is basically what you’d get if you told an AI to create the perfect chip shop from the ground-up: we wouldn’t change a thing.

Brae, Shetland

Not only is Frankie’s Fish & Chips the UK’s most northerly fish and chip shop, it’s also one of its best. Sourcing premium and sustainable Shetland seafood, this spot was set up in the bucolic village of Brae to provide locals and tourists with the ultimate chish and fips experience. You can’t go wrong with a classic order of crisp battered haddock, but we’d also recommend saving some stomach space for a battered sausage on the side. Why? Because why not.

Fitzrovia, London

London’s rep for a good portion of fish ‘n’ chips is a bit soggy, shall we say, but for a solid option (that’s been around for almost 70 years), head to Gigs. It’s slap-bang in central London, just behind Goodge Street station, and proudly serves proper, traditional fish ‘n’ chips at ‘traditional prices’. Here, you can branch out and curate your own mezze board situation (something for everyone, eh?), but we’d recommend keeping it classic and ordering their cod. There’s a reason this place has been open since the late ‘50s. 

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Whitby, Yorkshire

A lot of the best fish and chips in the UK can be found in the north of England and Trenchers in Whitby has set itself out as one of the must-visit places from that region. Having won numerous awards over the years, Trenchers keeps things simple while paying close attention to the finer details. The fish is all delicate and flaky (well-protected by its bronzed batter armour), while the gloriously chunky chips have more in common with a fluffy roastie than a crispy French fry. A box of those piping-hot chipped potatoes resting on your knees offers all the therapeutic benefits of having a cat in your lap, and then some.

Chorley, Lancashire

Andrew Crook comes from a family of bonafide chippy connoisseurs. His parents had 30 years of frying experience under their belts and Andrew has followed in the footsteps of his father to become president of the National Federation of Fish Friers. So you can't expect anything but great things from their family-run chippy, Skippers, an award-winning local favourite. Expect copious portions and feel good knowing the fresh fish has been caught sustainably (it's got a badge to prove it).

Exeter

When it comes to the best fish and chips in the UK, you should expect nothing but perfection. That means hot and flaky fish, encased in a golden glassy batter, served with a generous heap of chips. That’s what you’ll get at The Fish Shed. And that’s why you need to get there ASAP. Located on Darts Farm in Exeter, The Fish Shed doubles as a chippy and wet fishmongers shop, where the team works directly with a small handful of day boats who selectively line-catch the best of the best. Order a fish supper here and you can sample the catch of the day within 12 hours of it leaving the sea. How’s that for a USP?

Tenby, Pembrokeshire

Nestled on the wonderfully named Lower Frog Street, D. Fecci & Sons is a historic chippy that’s been in business since 1919. Tenby, where D.Fecci & Sons calls home, is a Welsh seaside town that specialises in the kind of sweetly grey and understated beauty that is all too easy to take for granted. All of the fish at this chip shop are sourced sustainably and cooked to order, providing punters with a fresh and affordable fish supper that can stand up, quality-wise, to any pan-fried square of hake you’ll find at a stuffy Michelin-starred restaurant.

Amble, Northumberland

Offering idyllic views of the sea and an accompanying soundtrack of waves crashing on the shore, The Fish Shack is a harbourside restaurant that’s perfect for alfresco dining in the summer and bolting yourself inside to stay warm during winter. Regardless of what the weather is saying, though, the one thing that’s a given at The Fish Shack is their delicious beer-battered cod and chips with mushy peas. There’s an episode of The Hairy Bikers where they call this fish and chips the best in the UK. It’s hard to disagree.

Nottingham

Robin Hood. Sherwood Forest. Fish and chips. Nottingham might be better known for the former than the latter, but The Cod’s Scallops is a local chippy that’s slowly turning Nottingham into something of a destination spot for crispy battered fish. The menu changes daily depending on the catch, but you can always expect it to be swimming (sorry) with the highest standard fish about. Everything is cooked to order and is best consumed when piping hot – alongside enough slugs of vinegar to singe your sinuses.

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Portstewart, County Londonderry

Leading the charge of a new wave of chip shops taking over the UK, Chipmongers has a number of outlets in Northern Ireland that are all capable of divvying out cracking fish suppers without needlessly reinventing the wheel. It’s easy to feel sceptical when seeing a monkfish and prawn thai curry on the menu at your local chippy, but Chipmongers are dedicated to keeping their prices keen and doing justice to the traditions of the chipper with their craggy battered cod.