Did you know that it’s tradition to tuck into fish and chips on Good Friday? For centuries, Christians have avoided eating meat on the Friday before Easter, the day that it’s believed Jesus was executed on the cross. Instead, they eat fish.
Explaining the age-old custom, the Marine Stewardship Council says: ‘Fish is viewed as a different kind of flesh, and so is favoured over meat on Good Friday. Additionally, fish shapes were used by Christians to identify each other, and it is believed that many followers of Jesus were fishermen.’
Nowadays, even people who aren’t religious use Good Friday as an excuse to pick up some battered cod and fries from their local chip shop. So, to mark the occasion, the National Fish and Chip Awards has created a handy map showing all of the best places to get your fish and chips this bank holiday Friday.
Every spot marked on the map is a winner is one of the nation’s top 40 chippy takeaways, as chosen by the National Fish and Chip Awards 2025. They include Yarm Road Fish and Chips in Darlington, which was the overall winner, the Fish Works in Lard, Scotland, which came second, and Kellaway’s Fish and Chips in Cornwall, which placed third.
Do you have some of the country’s finest fish and chips near you? Take a look at the map here to find out. And see the full list of winners from the 2025 National Fish and Chip Awards here.
Find more fantastic takeaways with Time Out’s pick of the 17 best fish and chip shops in the UK.
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