Whether you want the traditional takeaway, or would like to try one of the new bread of chippies, our experts have tried and tested the capital's tastiest fish and chip shops.
Central
Fish Bone
New
A
change of ownership in June has seen standards soar at this chippie.
All the fish is fresh and cooked to order: grilled, or breaded in matzo
meal then fried in groundnut (ie peanut) oil. We found the haddock in
matzo grease-free, in a batter that was crunchy yet fragile, and our
sea bream was perfectly grilled. Fish Bone’s chips are hand-cut to the
size of fat fingers. Mushy marrowfat peas are refreshingly
un-artificial too. Fight over the two tiny outdoor tables when the
sun’s out.
Fish Bone, 82 Cleveland St, W1T 6NF (020 7580 2672) Great Portland St or Warren St tube. Open Mon-Fri 11am-11pm; Sat 5-11pm.
Fish Central
A
modern revamp has moved Fish Central up a notch from local chippie.
Good-quality staples such as cod and haddock have been joined by
grilled dover sole, mussels à la tarrantina (that’s with a sauce of
white wine and tomato), fish soup and char-grilled scallops – all of
which can be washed down with a decent chardonnay.
Fish Central, 149-151 Central St, EC1V 8AP (020 7253 4970) Old St tube/rail or 55 bus. Open Mon-Sat 11am-2.30pm, 4.45-10.30pm.
Fishcotheque
Feature continues
Advertisement
Ignore
the unenticing exterior, location and reputation for boozy clientele,
and try this one when you’re sober. The fish is fresh and the portions
generous, but if you’re a naysayer then the chicken kebabs are
terrific, complete with the sensational own-made chilli sauce. Few
frills, then, but comfortable seating and the boisterously welcoming
ambience should persuade you to eat in.
Fishcotheque,
79a Waterloo Rd, Southwark SE1 8UD (020 7928 1484) Waterloo tube/rail.
Open Mon-Sat 11am-12midnight; Sun 12noon-10pm.
Fryer’s Delight
Cabbies’ favourite
The
cabbie’s choice and, it transpires, Time Out readers’. And for all of
you who wrote in complaining that London lacked any good fish and chip
shops (mostly those of you from Yorkshire), this is the place for you.
Chips are fat , fish comes in a chunky batter and everything is
deep-fried in beef dripping. Just don’t go expecting any healthy
options.
Fryers’ Delight, 19 Theobald’s Rd,
WC1X 8SL (020 7405 4114) Holborn tube. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-10pm,
takeaway until 11pm. Unlicensed; no corkage charge.
Golden Hind
Good for BYO
An
unassuming little place with busy service and signed celebrity photos.
Food quality and portion sizes seem to be slightly hit and miss, though
we have had some superb meals here. With the range limited, the big
draw for chip-shop nerds is the decommissioned art deco fryer by F Ford
of Halifax. The own-made tartare sauce is excellent.
Golden
Hind, 73 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2PN (020 7486 3644) Bond St tube. Open
Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm, 6-10pm; Sat 6-10pm. Unlicensed; no corkage charge.
North Sea Fish Restaurant
A
longstanding Bloomsbury legend, with old-school decor of red velvet
seats and dark wooden furniture. Main courses are substantial, with
fish portions coming as standard (huge) and jumbo (family sized – and
that’s a Catholic family). If you can squeeze in some pudding, we
recommend apple crumble and custard or the distinctly boozy trifle.
North
Sea Fish Restaurant, 7-8 Leigh St, WC1H 9EW (020 7387 5892) Russell
Square tube or King’s Cross tube/rail or 68, 168 bus. Open Mon-Sat
12noon-2.30pm, 5.30-10.30pm.
Rock & Sole Plaice
London’s
oldest surviving fish and chip shop was established in 1871 and is
still bustling (though admittedly under different ownership). Tourists,
luvvies, suits and trendies – no one cares when they’ve got chunky
chips and crisply battered fish in front of them. Outdoor tables,
strung around with coloured lights, come into their own on a balmy
summer’s evening.
Rock & Sole Plaice, 47 Endell St, WC2H 9AJ (020 7836 3785) Covent Garden tube. Open Mon-Sat 11.30am-11pm; Sun 12noon-10pm.
Seafresh Fish Restaurant
Some
of London’s best chippies are run by Greeks; this one was founded in
1965 by Marius Leonidou and is now run by his son. A celebratory decor
change this year from wood panelling and fishing nets to pine tables
and white walls has reassuringly not been accompanied by a price hike.
If you’re eating in the restaurant rather than taking away, try the
fish soup or deep-fried king prawns. And if you want a change from the
standard fried fish (though it is awfully good), might we suggest the
hearty fish pie.
Seafresh Fish Restaurant,
80-81 Wilton Rd, SW1V 1DL (020 7828 0747) Victoria tube/rail. Open
Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm, 5-10.30pm; Sat 12noon 10.30pm.
Sea Shell
The
decor (monochrome marble-effect tiles, light salmon walls and
gilt-framed pictures) suggests that the Sea Shell is going for classy.
To wit, fish can be ordered poached as well as pan-fried or battered.
Recommended are the salmon fishcakes, whitebait with aïoli and,
bizarrely for a fish restaurant, the vegetable soup.
Sea
Shell, 49-51 Lisson Grove, NW1 6UH (020 7224
9000/www.seashellrestaurant.co.uk) Marylebone tube/rail. Open Mon-Fri
12noon-2.30pm, 5-10.30pm; Sat 12noon-10.30pm.
West
Costas Fish Restaurant
Distinctly
Cypriot taverna with friendly service, a couple of pavement tables and
a menu that gives room to houmous, calamares, baklava and retsina.
Doesn’t stop them making some of the best fish and chips in town though.
Costas
Fish Restaurant, 18 Hillgate St, W8 7SR (020 7727 4310) Notting Hill
Gate tube. Open Tue-Sat 12noon-2.30pm, 5.30-10.30pm.
Geales
Posh eats
Crab
and leek tart, smoked salmon, caviar, oysters… Geales is an upmarket
chippie for upmarket Notting Hill types. Heavens, there’s even
broccoli. So it pains us to say that they also fry a damn good bit of
fish. Wash it down with a pint of draught London Pride and you’re
looking at a pretty good meal.
Geales, 2
Farmer St, W8 7SN (020 7727 7528) Notting Hill Gate tube. Open Mon-Fri
12noon-3pm, 6-11pm; Sat 12noon-11pm; Sun 6-10.30pm.
Time Out London magazine (Issue 1826)|
|
The best of London in your inbox
|
|
4 comments
What a find.. FISHERS FISH AND CHIPS IN FULHAM, brill portions, lovely chips, LOVELY PEOPLE !!!!! and and fully licenced resturant as well...Well DONE GUYS Will BE BASCK AGAIN AND AGAIN.....
I can recommend North Sea Fish in Bloomsbury without reservation.
It is one of the few that has Middle Skate, the portions are not for the diet conscious; great chips too.
Lovely ambience and great that it is licensed.
Restaurant run by son - a real pro.......
Grease proof paper, either wrapped or on a polystyrene dish. Tons of salt and vinegar - you can't beat English fish & chips!
Please help.
I manage a high end club in Kansas City, in the heart of America.
We are serving shoe string potatoes. I want them to be served in news paper or grease proof paper they looks like news paper....
Any ideas?
Many thanks.
Barrie Larvin