Restaurants

With unfailingly cheerful staff and reliably good, well-priced grub, it’s little wonder this Golders Green chippie should have made itself so popular since its launch in 2000. The long dining room can seat over 130, but its somewhat institutional dimensions are nicely offset by a decor of wood panels, fishing nets and framed scenes of a nautical nature. Sam’s is usually busy, especially at lunchtime, when it fills with an older bunch of diners drawn by a £6.95 meal deal that dishes up fried cod and chips, a drink and dessert. A la carte, the essential dishes are the fried, grilled or steamed fish – the catch includes cod, halibut, haddock, sea bass and salmon – but there’s also falafel, houmous and a small pick of veggie options such as spring rolls. Every main course comes with a generous if unexciting salad of lettuce, cucumber and tomato. The takeaway counter does bustling business.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008