Restaurants

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Mr Fish
You’ll find plenty of fish options in this functionally modern fish and chip restaurant.You can have your fish grilled, poached, fried in breadcrumbs, in matzo, or in batter. It’s all good quality and Mr Fish has some of the best mushy peas in town.
Mr Fish, 9 Porchester Rd, W2 5DP (020 7229 4161/www.mrfish.uk.com) Bayswater or Queensway tube. Open daily 11am-11pm.

South
Brady’s
A tad old fashioned and genteel, but with a nice line in potted shrimp and toast, cockles and cod’s roe. Fish selection is as per usual (with a few interesting specials cropping up), mushy peas a bit on the sweet side, and puddings (treacle tart, apple crumble) comforting, calorific and difficult to refuse.
Brady’s, 513 Old York Rd, SW18 1TF (020 8877 9599) Wandsworth Town rail/28, 44 bus. Open Mon-Sat 6.30-10pm.

Fish Club
New wave
This is not your standard chippy. For one thing, they have a boiled or mashed option for the potatoes. There is even a sweet potato chip option (delicious, by the way). The range of fish is broad – red mullet, fresh mackerel, tuna, grilled sardines – and without excpetion is of the highest quality. Most of the dishes, from potted shrimp starters to the mayo and tartare sauce to the old-fashioned puddings, is made in house. Summer diners can also enjoy the small courtyard. The fact that it’s on our 2005 Eating & Drinking Awards shortlist for the Best Cheap Eats in London gives you a clue as to how much we enjoy the food at this newcomer – and,it seems, lots of you agree.
Fish Club, 189 St John’s Hill, SW11 1TH (020 7978 7115/www.thefishclub.com) Clapham Junction rail. Open Tue-Sat 12noon-10pm; Sun 12noon-9pm.

Masters Super Fish
Cabbies’ favourite
Another cabbie favourite, serving high-quality battered fare as well as Cromer crab, grilled sardines and such. Chips are piled high and all meals come with french bread, pickled onions (made on site) and gherkins. The fresh prawns you’re given to nibble on while you are waiting for your order are a nice touch.
Masters Super Fish, 191 Waterloo Rd, SE1 8UX (020 7928 6924) Waterloo tube/rail. Open Mon 5.30-10.30pm; Tue-Thur 4.30-10.30pm; Fri 4.30-11pm; Sat 4.30-10.30pm.

Olley’s
Novelty menu
A perennial south London favourite which has cropped up on many ‘best of’ lists, Olley’s is housed in railway arches opposite Brockwell Park and is always lively. As well as perfect fish and chips, it is famed for it’s ‘celebrity’ menus: such as the Jeffrey Archer (cod and chips, ‘tart not included’). Consistently good.
Olley’s, 65-69 Norwood Rd, SE24 9AA (020 8671 8259/www.olleys.info) Herne Hill rail/3, 68, 196 bus. Open Mon 5-10.30pm; Tue-Sun 12noon-10.30pm.

Sea Cow
New wave
The East Dulwich branch opened two years ago and was an instant hit; the new Clapham branch appears to be equally popular. Choose your fish from the wet fish counter, it’s grilled or fried, chips are added and Bob’s your uncle. It’s fresh, it’s crisp, it comes with minimum fuss. Minted mushy peas may sound poncey but, you know what? They work.
Sea Cow, 57 Clapham High St, SW4 7TG (020 7622 1537) Clapham Common or Clapham North tube. Open Tue-Sat 12noon-11pm; Sun 12noon-9pm.

Something Fishy
It’s self-service with sets of plasic seats attached to each Formica table (and a posher but sterile restaurant upstairs). Chi chi it ain’t but for around a fiver you can feast on some of the best fish and chips in town. Pie and mash, saveloys, sausages, knickerbocker glory and jam roly poly complete a comfortingly traditional menu.
Something Fishy, 117-119 Lewisham High St, SE13 6AT (020 8852 7075) Lewisham rail/DLR. Open Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm.

East
Faulkner’s
Renowned throughout the East End and beyond, Faulkner’s sports a decor of dark wood, fish tank and old photos of fishing scenes. New Turkish owners have added white linen tablecloths and taramasalata, but otherwise it’s business as usual. That means whitebait, jellied eels, Cromer crab, and fish battered, grilled or coated in matzo.
Faulkner’s, 424-426 Kingsland Rd, E8 4AA (020 7254 6152) Dalston Kingsland rail. Open Mon-Thur 12noon-2.30pm, 5-10pm; Fri 4.30-10pm; Sat 11.30am-10pm; Sun 12noon-9pm.

North
Nautilus
Popular with an older, smarter crowd of regulars, Nautilus serves grapefruit halves and prawn cocktail without irony. For the fish, their regular batter’s good, but their matzo meal’s fantastic. Pudding choices are heavy on the novelty ice-creams that are served in scooped out citrus fruits, but, hey, some people like that sort of thing.
Nautilus, 27-29 Fortune Green Rd, NW6 1DT (020 7435 2532) West Hampstead tube/rail then 328 bus. Open Mon-Sat 11.30am-2.30pm, 5-10pm.

Sam’s
Gold chairs, chandeliers and uniformed waitresses are a dying breed but certainly help make Sam’s feel speical. Generations of local Jewish families favour this venue and often come for family outings. Middle Eastern dishes appear on the menu, as do gefilte fish balls, which sit comfortably alongside traditional fish and chips. But save room for the lockshen pudding (egg noodles baked with sugar and cinnamon).
Sam’s, 68-70 Golders Green Rd, NW11 8LM (020 8455 9898) Golders Green tube. Open daily 12noon-10pm.

Toff’s
Great kids’ menu
Named after founder Andreas Toffali, not after its clientele. It’s a dark space with saloon-style swing doors, signed celebrity portraits and old photos. Service is friendly, portions huge and the chips perfectly formed. The kids menu is particularly commendable.
Toff’s, 38 Muswell Hill Broadway, N10 3RT (020 8883 8656) Highgate tube then 43, 134 bus. Open Mon-Sat 11.30am-10pm.

Two Brothers
Fish Restaurant /Non-smoking
A namecheck from Jamie Oliver and a B-list celebrity following have helped to ensure this light, airy restaurant is often packed, even at lunchtimes. The traditional menu is complemented by arbroath smokies in a creamy sauce, salmon fishcakes, and many grilled specials. Fish comes steamed, battered or matzoed. In the evenings, the restaurant is non-smoking.
Two Brothers Fish Restaurant, 297-303 Regent’s Park Rd, N3 1DP (020 8346 0469) Finchley Central tube. Open Tue-Sat 12noon-2.30pm, 5.30-10.15pm.