Now our national dish these days can be up for debate there are several options to choose from such as the Sunday roast or the mighty chicken tikka masala, some of us would even go as far as to suggest that it may well be beans on toast. As much as I adore all of these options (yes even beans of toast for those of you reading from overseas) I have to say in my humble opinion the dish that represents Britain on the world stage the most has to be the classic Fish and Chips.
Now the United Kingdom has over 11’000 Fish and Chip shops located on one tiny little island (it’s actually two as we are including Northern Ireland in our results) so there is a plethora of options to choose from and which one is best could be debated on our shores until the sun finally burns out and our planet ceases to exist. We here though at Heart Home Magazine have done our best to source the nation and have chosen a few that we feel sling fried spuds better than all the rest. Hopefully, you lovely readers will find this article a catch (I’m so sorry about that awful joke).
John Long’s – 39 Athol St, Belfast BT12 4GX, United Kingdom
We are going to start off in Northern Ireland as this space pops up on social media all the time and with good reason, John Long’s is easily one of the best chip vendors about. They market themselves as the best-kept secret in Belfast, but I can’t say this is true anymore as this spot’s popularity has ballooned over the last few years.
John Long’s Fish and Chip Shop is actually Belfast’s oldest, and it’s one of the city’s iconic landmarks, standing proudly alongside the likes of the Europa Hotel, Linen Hall Library, Peace Walls, Ulster Museum, Harland and Wolff, and the Crown Liquor Saloon.
For over a hundred years, John Long’s has been the go-to spot for locals craving a proper fish supper, and now tourists are getting in on the act too. The secret to their longevity? It’s simple: great food, exceptional value, and a welcoming atmosphere that keeps people coming back. They use only the freshest fish, coat it in a light and crispy batter, and pair it with Maris Piper potatoes and their renowned homemade pasties are well worth indulging in. It’s good food in generous portions, which pretty much ticks all the boxes for a decent chippy tea (that’s dinner for you Southerners).
In 2016, during the NI Year of Food and Drink, John Long’s introduced gluten-free fish suppers, adding options like chilli cod, lemon haddock, and naturally smoked hake to their menu, ensuring everyone can enjoy their famous dishes. This is a particularly nice touch as a wider variety to choose from is always good for punters.
While it may be marketed as a local secret, John Long’s has caught the attention of a few celebrities over the years. Brendan Fraser, Sean Bean, and the members of Take That (before they “got too old”) have all stopped by for a bite. Eamonn Holmes once declared that if he had just a couple of days left to live, he’d spend one of them at John Long’s for his last meal. We can’t really argue with those endorsements. I’m sure a local will already know about this spot but if you find yourself visiting Belfast this one is well worth checking out.
Magpie Café – 14 Pier Rd, Whitby YO21 3PU, United Kingdom
Off to Yorkshire now to the home of Dracula for another fantastic fish fryer. Lots of chip shops serve you your supper then send you out the door as they are primarily tale away, but the Magpie Cafe is a fully seated restaurant and even has a wine list for customers to peruse at their leisure if they fancy a tipple with their chips. The Magpie has been going for a fair while as well as they first opened their doors in 1939!
Now as we stated this place is a bit more up-market and the menu reflects that they even serve fresh oysters which I know isn’t a dish for everyone, but I absolutely love them. A regular Cod and chips will set you back about 17 quid here, but you can guarantee the freshness and I feel it’s well worth it if you are visiting g for a sit-down meal. This place is there for a nice meal with family or friends and it’s well worth booking a table as lines for this spot are out the door.
Marlboro – 46 St Thomas St, Weymouth DT4 8AW, United Kingdom
Founded on June 4, 1974, by Ray and Clive Johnson, along with their friend Len Kirby, The Marlboro Restaurant has become a beloved institution in its corner of town.
When The Marlboro first opened its doors, Ray, Len, and Clive Johnson worked tirelessly to ensure its success, often sleeping above the shop on mattresses before heading back to Bournemouth to see their families. That’s some dedication for you right there. Today, the restaurant is run by their descendants—Lauren Johnson, known as Loz, her brother Craig, their parents Vinny and Lou, and their aunt and uncle, Mike and Kay.
The family continues to innovate as well and introducing popular new items like Crab Cakes to the menu. I always find things like this welcome as one I love crab and it’s nice to see people getting a bit creative with such a simple idea like a fish and chip shop.
Manager Shaun Hatton even has the honour of creating the sustainable Mackerel Baps, which were a hit with TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall during the Channel 4 series “Hugh’s Fish Fight.” The restaurant has also won the Best Fish and Chip Shop award in the Best of Dorset competition so it has taken home quite a few honours. Well worth a visit to Weymouth we reckon.
Frankie’s Fish & Chips – Brae, Shetland ZE2 9QJ, United Kingdom
Frankie’s has the honour of being the most northern fish and chip shop geographically in the United Kingdom, it also helps that with this badge of honour, they also serve up some of the finest fish and chips in the country. You Scots should be proud of this one as the food is fantastic.
This is a newer spot as it opened its doors in 2008 ( 2008 doesn’t seem like that long ago to me but it’s almost been 16 years!). In 2015 the shop was voted best independent fish and chip shop in the United Kingdom so it has some credentials as well. This is another spot where customers can reserve a table and dine in and we would say as good as takeaway chips are this is the best option as everything is a little fresher and hotter when you eat on-site. Haddock and chips here (they don’t do cod) will set you back about £15 quid but the portions are generous and the fish is super fresh.
So that brings us to the end of this nice little list. We have given you some spots in various locations across the country but I am sure there are some we have missed so if you know of any then please let us know and we will try our best to get to those ones as this is a topic we will most likely cover again. I mean who doesn’t love fish and chips?