The Best Chippy

[Marka Ragnos]

What's the best chippy you know anywhere? Why is it the best?

When I lived in London, I think I tried them all lol, from the super-posh "boutique chippies" (no thanks) to takeaways that cooked several different cuisines in the same two fryers (nothing like cod that tastes like an eggroll!). I tended to like the very down-to-earth fish and chip shops, often run by Greek families, it seemed. I wasn't a chippy to me if it didn't offer chip butties and fried saveloys -- the bedrock of a nutritious diet, obviously. Never really had patience for mushy peas. I liked one chippy on Essex Road in Islington that seems to have closed. Just very clean and unpretentious but probably very unfashionable. Even a few years ago, it seemed harder to find shops like this.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[fightoffyour]

Sea Queen in Burntwood for the battered chips. Of those in the area that don’t do battered chips, Aldridge Chippy is the best for their good value meal with mini fish, mini battered sausage, chips, and a sauce.

[Marka Ragnos]

30 minutes ago, fightoffyour said:

Sea Queen in Burntwood for the battered chips. Of those in the area that don’t do battered chips, Aldridge Chippy is the best for their good value meal with mini fish, mini battered sausage, chips, and a sauce.

I looked it up. Wow. You don't know how lucky you are. Chip butties, saveloys, plaice -- AND side orders of cockles! And gravy, too. And chip curry. The cockles seem like exotica to me.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[Loxstock92]

My one 200yds up the road is ok, even has its own theme tune

 

 

[sidcow]

Dad's Lane chippy in Stirchley is generally regarded as one of the best, if not the best chippie in Brum. 

It used to be my local chippy and I went to school with the current owner, his Cypriot dad ran it before him. 

They have queues down the road at busy times.

Its up for sale now though so I guess the family ownership ends. Sadly most chippies these days seem to turn into kebab joints with frozen chips which I can't fathom. 

[rjw63]

Grendon Fish bar on the A5, chips there are amazing, prices are good too.

[AVFC_Hitz]

Dad's Lane

Dolphin fish bar 

[ferguson1]

Fish and chips always seem better when on holiday, especially when we’re down south in Dorset, Devon or Cornwall. Couple of favourites of ours are Bennett’s in Weymouth, Simply Fish in Brixham, Saltwater in Torquay and Cousin Jacks in Illogen/Redruth. Never the cheapest of places nowadays but decent cod and chips.

Closer to home, Majors in Bilston have a good reputation, but even though I’m a Black Country guy, I’m not a fan of the battered/orange chips anymore. Just too greasy for me. 

Edited July 26, 2023 by ferguson1

[Seat68]

Just now, ferguson1 said:

Fish and chips always seem better when on holiday, especially when we’re down south in Dorset, Devon or Cornwall. Couple of favourites of ours are Bennett’s in Weymouth and Cousin Jack’s in Illogen/Redruth. Never the cheapest of places nowadays but decent cod and chips.

Closer to home, Majors in Bilston have a good reputation, but even though I’m a Black Country guy, I’m not a fan of the battered/orange chips anymore. Just too greasy for me.

I would agree with Bennetts, there is a reason I suppose that there is always a queue. 

I will add a few to this, away from home, No1 Fish and Chips in Cromer, South Beach Vegas Fish Bar in Hunstanton, Harbour Garden Cafe in Whitstable gave me the best battered fish I have ever had. Locally we are not that well served in all honesty. 

[bickster]

There's a local chain in Liverpool called The Good Catch and then there's a family that own two shops called Byrnes. Both of these are North liverpool based and are nowhere near me anymore  Definitely the two best around here, both are just chip shops, no kebabs and other stuff, fish, chips, pies, sausage etc. Most chippies in Liverpool are Chinese and are mostly shit at Fish and Chips.

My local one now isn't Chinese owned but does have a Chinese cook but he does his stuff out the back and the chip shop food is cooked out the front. It's OK probably the best around but its still a notch down from the one's in the north.

I tend to judge my chippes by the curry sauce they sell. There are two types and one is far more common than the other, the rarer one is better and more flavoursome. The Good Catch as well as selling very good F&C also sold the right curry sauce. I miss it.

[fightoffyour]

49 minutes ago, bickster said:

There's a local chain in Liverpool called The Good Catch and then there's a family that own two shops called Byrnes. Both of these are North liverpool based and are nowhere near me anymore  Definitely the two best around here, both are just chip shops, no kebabs and other stuff, fish, chips, pies, sausage etc. Most chippies in Liverpool are Chinese and are mostly shit at Fish and Chips.

My local one now isn't Chinese owned but does have a Chinese cook but he does his stuff out the back and the chip shop food is cooked out the front. It's OK probably the best around but its still a notch down from the one's in the north.

I tend to judge my chippes by the curry sauce they sell. There are two types and one is far more common than the other, the rarer one is better and more flavoursome. The Good Catch as well as selling very good F&C also sold the right curry sauce. I miss it.

Yep, fish and chip shops cooking Chinese food too are invariably bad and the "Chinese-style" curry sauce is crap compared to "chip shop" curry sauce as well.

Edited July 26, 2023 by fightoffyour

[tonyh29]

never been there but whenever I see images of it " The Elite " Fish and chip shop always has a massive queue outside it, so it must be good 

Edited July 26, 2023 by tonyh29

[Follyfoot]

The chip box 4 in Aberystwyth is bang on although very busy 

[chrisp65]

Not massively relevant to anyone else on here, but the best chippy in my town breaks the rule of following the queue.

On Park Crescent there is Irene’s Supper Bar, it’s got a clean white exterior and all the stainless steel inside is gleaming. There is always a queue. But its bang average and annoyingly the queue is actually because every customer appears to come as a surprise to them. It’s not a clever ‘freshly cooked’ gimmick, it’s disorganisation. It’s a chip shop, you’re in a queue, get to the front and ask for chips and invariably the answer will be ‘I don’t think we’ve got any, I’ll get Mark to come out and prep some more’. Surly Mark resents this waste of his time.

Just around the corner, on a terraced street is an end of terrace house with the ground floor converted to a chippy. Harveys. It looks a little, sad. Through the window, the looming presence of a huge Asian guy that appears out of proportion to the counter he stands behind staring out at the world, angrily. 

His chips are cheaper, more plentiful, and excellent. And he always wants to talk about cars and football. And has a signed photo of Derek the Weatherman which is his pride and joy. No competition, if you’re prepared to risk that first visit.

 

[Genie]

Maybe @blandy knows about these places but we always used go visit Bispham or Cleveleys kitchens for fish and chips when up near the grand parents in Fleetwood. Are they still open? Fish and Chips used to be amazing.

[Lichfield Dean]

Perfectly happy with Beeches Walk chippie in Sutton Coldfield. Does the job just fine.

[ml1dch]

1 hour ago, Seat68 said:

I would agree with Bennetts, there is a reason I suppose that there is always a queue. 

Shout #3 for Bennetts.

Chesil Chippie on the other side of the causeway is really good too.

[sidcow]

Big shout out to Harbour Lights in Falmouth.

I actually made a second trip into Falmouth on holiday one year specifically to get more chips from there.  Meanwhile Rick Stein's Chippy 2 minutes walk away was charging 3 times the price for the same thing that I would bet £100 was no better.  I certainly wasn't going to pay the price to find out.

Actually shout out to Falmouth generally.

[ferguson1]

17 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Big shout out to Harbour Lights in Falmouth.

I actually made a second trip into Falmouth on holiday one year specifically to get more chips from there.  Meanwhile Rick Stein's Chippy 2 minutes walk away was charging 3 times the price for the same thing that I would bet £100 was no better.  I certainly wasn't going to pay the price to find out.

Actually shout out to Falmouth generally.

Will try that chippy whilst in Cornwall over the next two weeks! Agree re Falmouth in general, great place to stroll around.

I now remember another good one down the road in Mevagissey called The Fishermen’s Chippy. Very tasty, but a bit touristy with the prices. 

[sidcow]

My current chippy and undoubtedly the best in the area is Dovehouse on Dovehouse Parade in Solihull.

Chips are usually good but occasionally for no reason I can tell they will do a bad batch.  Rarer rather than a common occurrence, but still more often than I'd ideally like.

The other annoyance if they have swapped to "posh" pies.  They're OK, probably better than Pucka EXCEPT that I like a pasty.  The never ever have a pasty ready and if they do I don't think the pasty is actually as good as a Pucka.  I'm not a big fish man so I generally have to go with a pie which I never enjoy as much as a good pasty, or kebab meat.  Their kebab meat is superb though.

They will only sell fresh fish though, not frozen.

Edited July 26, 2023 by sidcow