The National Fish & Chip Awards has announced this year’s winners. The top-scoring chippies were evaluated based on sustainability, menu innovation, catering for special dietary requirements, customer service, marketing and most importantly, taste. Read on to find out who made it to first plaice.
Winning the Best Newcomer Award, Lewis’s Fish & Grill in the heart of Maidstone is a quaint little chippy run by brothers Gavin and Craig Lewis. It serves sustainable hook-and-line-caught fish, as well as peri peri chicken and burgers, at fabulous prices. It also has a five-star rating with the Food Standards Agency. It’s no wonder it's won an award this year and is a favourite in the local area.
This award goes to a fish and chip shop that is accredited by The National Federation of Fish Friers. The Real Food Café is a friendly restaurant serving classic haddock and chips, as well as a gluten-free version, nuggets, fish cakes, soups, salads, burgers, baguettes and chowder. Customers are in awe of the food and service at this quirky place.
Penaluna’s Famous Fish & Chips in the Welsh village of Aberdare has been recognised for its effort in promoting Seafood Week. It prides itself on bringing a taste of the ocean to the Brecon Beacons, serving classics such as cod, battered plaice, scampi, battered sausage, pie and chips, from its wonderful blue shop and van.
This award goes to a restaurant where fish and chips is on the menu, but is not the only offering, and was based on sourcing policies, cooking techniques and menu innovation. Mary Lambert Artisan Bakery in the coastal town of Hartlepool snagged the prize. The shop, which has been around since 1960, serves freshly-baked bread, sandwiches, cake and prize-winning fish and chips.
Previously voted the UK's Healthiest and Most Sustainable Fish and Chip Restaurant in 2018, this year Fish City Belfast in Belfast has been recognised for its menu innovation. It champions seasonal ingredients and makes sauces in house. Diners can opt for cod or haddock in "light 'n' tasty ‘Fish City’ batter" or try something different like Thai red curry mussels and Japanese-style oysters.
Shap Chippy has firmly cemented itself as a fish and chip favourite in the North West of England. Expect sustainably sourced fish and even sustainable vegetable oil which ensures their seafood and double-cooked chips are fried to perfection. More unusual menu items include salt and pepper squid, and breaded haggis balls.
An award purely dedicated to the quality of a chippy's chips, the From Field to Frier accolade goes to eco-conscious Fish & Chips @ Weston Grove. Opened in 2016, the Upton-based restaurant is run by potato merchant Richard Foster and his wife Josette. They say, "from our potatoes to our sausages, we strive to source the best available on the market", and it obviously shows.
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The Good Catch Award is assessed based on sustainable sourcing policies, traceability and awareness in the fish and shellfish industry. It went to Fish & Chips @ Weston Grove which serves Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified seafood and allows you to track the fishing trawlers on its website. It also uses bio-degradable takeaway products and is working towards becoming completely plastic-free.
The award for the business who goes the extra mile when it comes to staff training and development opportunities goes to The Wetherby Whaler, a family-owned chain with six outposts around York and Leeds. It was founded in 1969 as a takeaway, but then expanded to have a number of full service restaurants with a focus on ambience and decor. Another of its aims is to serve the crispiest haddock and offer the friendliest service.
Judging this award involved an intensive process where candidates had to demonstrate skills in potato preparation, making batter, frying and more. The prize went to Charlie Collins of Frydales, a traditional fish and chip shop that has only been running for seven years. It serves battered cod, haddock and scampi, along with a selection of pies, burgers and kebabs, to the people of Leicester.
Out of the three finalists, The English Indian scooped the prize for Best Mobile Operator. Based in Staffordshire, the blue food truck is known for its classic fast food dishes with an Indian twist. If you ever come across it, expect to enjoy the best fish and chips with curry sauce, battered halloumi, spicy fries, curried beans and coleslaw. All served with fresh herbs and lime.
For succulent fish, fluffy chips and fresh seafood in London, head to one of three cosy dine-in and takeaway Sutton & Sons restaurants in north and east London. If you’re up for traditional fish and chips, choose between cod, haddock, plaice, coley, skate and scampi, to name a few options. There’s also breaded whitebait, calamari, tempura prawns, moules marinière, crab on toast and oysters on the menu.
Tucked away in the tiny village of Milborne Port, Something Else Fishy is run by fishmongers with a decade of experience. It has won the Seasonal UK Seafood Award, a new category for 2020, to recognise its work promoting seasonal seafood choices. Look out for menu items such as Drunken Prawns (king prawns cooked in Jack Daniel's and sweet chilli sauce) and Mushroom Dippers (chunky breaded mushrooms with garlic mayo).
This award celebrates an individual who has made a significant contribution to the fish and chip industry. This year it goes to Richard Ord, the man behind Colmans of South Shields and Colmans Seafood Temple. Respected in the community, he grew his grandfather’s business that began in 1905, giving jobs to many people and catering to the Queen and celebrities along the way.
Trenchers Restaurant, the winner of Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year 2019, has done it once again. It's a well-established fish and chip shop and swanky seafood restaurant overlooking Whitley Bay. Go classic with cod, haddock or plaice, or choose a fillet of poached salmon or a zesty crab salad.
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Nominated for both Fish and Chip Shop of the Year and Best Fish and Chip Restaurant Award, The Cod's Scallops succeeded in catching the esteemed title of Fish and Chip Shop of the Year. With four locations in the UK, head here to treat yourself to some award-winning barbecue spiced cod; garlic, lemon and herb-baked haddock; or a plate of battered oysters with red wine and shallot vinegar.