Britain is very old. For such a small island, we have a pretty wild and varied history, so it’s difficult to find things which everyone from the UK would agree is part of our culture. But there is one thing that bridges borders and the Irish Sea, one thing which connects bagpipe wielding Scotsmen at the top of Loch Ness to the poshest English aristocrat in Winchester. That’s right, we’re talking about fish and chips.
Chippies are universal. The lingua franca of the British Isles, a good chip shop is a thing we can all understand, so it’s understandable that the title of ‘Best Chippy’ is highly coveted and much debated. Luckily, there’s an entire board dedicated to naming the best fish and chips in the country every year. Last year’s winner was Whitehead’s in Hornsea, and this year’s nominee shortlist was revealed in October. It’s been a tense few months to be a chipperia.
But the wait is now over! The biggest night in deep fried fish happened this week, with winners being named in multiple categories including takeaway and restaurant of the year. This year’s big win went to Ship Deck in Caerphilly, Wales, which is officially the best takeaway chippy in the country.
Yarm Road Fish and Chips in Darlington and The Fish Works in Largs were a close second and third, with all three being worth a try if you’re in the area. Knights Fish Restaurant in Glastonbury was named the best sit-in restaurant, for those days you’re feeling a bit fancier.
Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, said he was ‘bursting with pride’ for all the nominees, and was very happy to see the industry thriving in a time where so many businesses are being forced to close down due to rising costs.
Winners of the awards are being sent to fish in Norway. On their two-day trip they’ll learn all about the process of getting high quality fish from sea to plate, and hopefully bring back some of that Scandi wisdom home with them.
You can find out more about this year’s National Fish and Chip Awards on the official website here.
Fish and chips with Time Out
We love a good chippy too. Check out our picks for the best UK chip shops if you’re not convinced by the Ship Deck, or have a read of Time Out’s specific guides to the fish and chip scenes in London and Brighton.
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