Last month, the annual National Fish and Chip Awards awarded the crown of 'Britain's best fish and chip shop' to the excellent Ship Deck in Caerphilly, Wales, and we're sure it's a worthy winner. But let's face it, fish and chips is a subjective (if serious) business, and is sometimes about a bit more than just the freshness of the fish and quality of the cooking. What about location, service, a friendly face? Or even price? We've done a round-up of a few of our own favourites, but also wondered what you would choose. The hunt for Britain's Best Chippie is on!
Adam's Fish and Chips
No ordinary chippie, award-winning Adam's in St. Martin's on the Scilly Isles is worth the helicopter trip – even if it only opens on Tuesday and Thursday (and sometimes Saturday) nights. On these select days you can tuck in to fish caught by Adam and his mates – either as a takeaway or in the contemporary restaurant they've built near the beach.
Stein's Fish & Chips
A true favourite in Padstow, this proper fish shop focuses on superb battered fish and tremendous, crispy, hand-cut chips, mushy peas and all the trimmings. As Rick Stein says, when done properly, fish and chips is "one of the greatest dishes of the world". It's hard not to like, especially given the pleasant surroundings of the sit-down restaurant and prices that aren't through the roof.
Anstruther Fish Bar
Lovely old-fashioned fish restaurant in Fife, Scotland, with spotless indoor seating and a selection of both traditional and more exotic fare straight off the boats in the harbour.
Flora Tearooms
The fish and chips at this chippie in Dunwich in Suffolk is pretty good, but its location, almost bang on the sleepy town's shingly beach is brilliant, and they have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. A great stopover if you're walking the coastal path.
Frankie's
Frankie's in the village of Brae, Shetland, is the most northerly chip shop in the British Isles. This sustainable and locally sourced restaurant and takeaway is always there or thereabouts when you're talking about the UK's best chippies. Deservedly so: alongside fabulous haddock, they also do monkfish, hake and even scallops, deep-fried with chips.
Yorkshire Fisheries
You can't come to Blackpool and not have fish and chips, and thankfully among many mediocre choices Yorkshire Fisheries stands out. It does takeaway or sit-down, and has halibut and other such exotica alongside the usual cod and haddock. Most amazing, though, is the fact these Yorkshire folk have even forced the Lancashire peeps of Blackpool to admit their fish and chips is the best.
Palm Court
In a town stacked full of chippies, the Palace Pier's Palm Court still reigns supreme, serving crisp and golden fish and chips in an elegant dining room. There's nothing quite like eating fish and chips on the pier, and if you have anything left over, you can always throw it to the seagulls.
Magpie Cafe
The Quayside's rival in fishy Whitby is this old-established fish and chip restaurant, from where you can stare out the window at the boats that might have landed the fish on your plate. Crispy cod and haddock in three sizes, plus lots of lesser-known varieties, and not just pollock (gurnard anyone?), and if the food doesn't convince you, the queues outside will.
Squires
Proper chunky chips and the freshest fish in ultra-light batter at this Braunton stalwart, close enough to the beaches of the North Devon coast to pop in for a takeaway to eat on the beach – though it has a nice next-door restaurant, too.
Aldeburgh Fish and Chip Shop
Alway a queue at this popular old perennial in swanky Aldeburgh, and if you want to sit down they have a proper restaurant just down the street – though beware of the queues here too. Worth the wait, whichever you choose.
Can you do batter?
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