By Eloise Empleton
Whether you’re a tourist, new to the UK or a local, the great British traditional fish and chips is a must have meal! The great thing is that it is also available everywhere and not just by the seaside. In the past it has been considered a cheap take away but this doesn’t always seem to be the case nowadays. It is possible to order the famous fish and chips dish in a swanky restaurant or at your local takeaway. So in order to save you time and effort from going around the town asking “where are the best fish and chips near me?” from a local take away, pub or restaurant…let’s look to see where we can find the best but also cheap fish and chips in London. Quality and price both being equally important. As London is such a large city there are so many fast food establishments to choose from and it can be difficult to know where to start and where to head to. Let’s try to narrow it down a little…
Fish Lounge in Brixton
If you’re looking for the best fish and chips in South London there are many places to try but do consider the Fish lounge in Brixton which has been mentioned in Time Out as worth a visit. Dinner for 2 is around £15 which is a fair price.
- Dine in or take away.
Pic taken from Fish Lounge’s Facebook page
Golden chippy in Greenwich
Another worth a mention is the Golden chippy in Greenwich with a five star Tripadvisor rating, suggesting this an excellent place to dine. There is also a write up on the LondonEater, giving us all a nudge to head there and tuck in. There are different prices to dine in or take away. Cost: Take away cod & chips £6.50 + £2.50. Dine in £10.00 + £3.50. If the weather is nice you may want to take your fish and chips out and sit in Greenwich park nearby, approximately a ten minute walk but only a few minutes away if you’re on wheels.
- Dine in, take away and home delivery available.
Pic taken from Golden chippy’s Facebook page
Godfellas in Peckham
There is also Codfellas in Peckham, which offers an awesome vegan alternative to the fish and chips meal. There is an appeal to visit this chippy from the name alone, taken from the famous film ‘Goodfellas’. It seems us Britons sometimes like to give the fish and chip shops a name involving a pun! So this is something you may already be aware of or will begin to notice. Regular fish £8.50 & chips £2.80. Plus there are a number of reasonably priced vegetarian and vegan options available, we recommend you check out the menu!
- Dine in or take away.
Golden Hind in Marylebone
If you’re in Central London or West London there is the Golden Hind not far away in Marylebone. This fish and chip shop has received a mention in the best London fish and chip restaurants of Time Out and has a 4 star Tripadvisor rating. Cost: Cod £10.95 + chips £2.95, which isn’t a particularly low price but bear in mind this is an expensive area of London so a visit here could actually result in a more filling cheap eat in this location.
- Dine in or take away.
- Nearest tube station: Bond Street.
Pic taken from Golden Hind’s Website
Golden union fish bar in Soho
If you happen to be out in Soho there is the Golden union fish bar. This restaurant has a “retro” feel and is even hosting a jukebox! It is not super cheap with Cod & chips for 2 people coming in at nearly £30 but for this area of London it could be considered a reasonably priced meal in a nice setting. It has a 4 star rating on Tripadvisor and features in the Londonist for being a top-notch place to go for fish and chips.
- Dine in and curbside pick up only.
- Nearest tube station: Oxford Circus.
pic taken from Golden union’s Intagram
Every fish bar in Harrow
If you’re more in the direction of North West London there is Every fish bar in Harrow. Cost: standard cod £6.20 + £2.30 chips (small cod £4.20 + £1.80 chips). They note on their website that they use a separate fryer for Chips (good for veggies and vegans). It is also highlighted that the fish is sustainably sourced.
- Dine in, take away and home delivery available.
Every Fish Bar ‘Vish’ n Chips
Fish central in St Luke’s near Shoreditch
If you’re over towards East London there is Fish central in St Luke’s near Shoreditch. This chippy is mentioned on LondonEater as worth a visit and has a 4.5 star Trip Advisor rating. Cost: Cod £7.95 & chips £1.95. I like that there are daily specials, there is a varied menu and even a reasonably priced 3 course meal option of prawn cocktail, fish and chips & dessert of your choice for £16.95. Located very close to City University, it could be a great place for students and staff to grab a bite when they need some brain food.
- Dine in, take away and home delivery available.
- Nearest tube stations: Angel and Old street.
The wonderful thing about fish and chips is that it is popular with all walks of life from different generations, from students to those suited and booted. Everyone is welcome. I remember times when I would come out of the office for a lunch break and meet someone at my local chippy, other times I would run in for a takeaway and dash back to the car. Some peeps are running in for a cheap eat and others are dining in and taking their time along with a cuppa or alcoholic beverage. Your fish and chip experience can alter depending on what you want it to be.
Fridays tend to be busy evenings as we have somewhat of a tradition for fish Fridays, however any day can be a fish and chips day. Another great part of the modern fish and chips experience is that the menu in such places is very varied now, and certainly doesn’t only cater for the fish and chips lover. There are typically many fish and meat options as well as vegetarian (such as battered halloumi), vegan (such as battered tofu) and gluten free dishes on offer too these days, so you can be sure to find a hearty meal you fancy on your visit to the traditional British fish and chip shop.
Helpful tips when ordering to reduce the cost and any waste:
If you’re eating with another person or in a group, depending how big your appetite is…it can be worth sharing chips with another/others. I sometimes do this when ordering fish and chips. Often the fish and chip shops offer a very generous amount of chips even for a standard portion. There is normally the option to order a large portion of chips so this could also be a way to keep the cost down whilst sharing when you have a bigger appetite. Some fish and chip shops will allow you to order a small cod and chips which can be found at a cheaper price. Or it could be that you and another person order large fish and chips and share this.
