It was surprisingly difficult to find the best fish and chips in London.
As a commenter noted on our video review, “London doesn’t do good chip shops. You need to come north and try true English fish n chips.”
For the uninitiated like myself, a “chip shop” or “chippy” is a place that cooks and sells fish and chips. During our recent two trips to London, we tried three of them, plus two additional places that were more traditional British brasseries and pubs. We’ll review all 5 different versions here and you can be the judge on whether any of these are the best fish and chips in London.
The Americans’ quest for the best fish and chips in London
Below is a list of the chippy shops and restaurants we tried:
To assess quality, we came up with this rubric, which we applied to each of the places we tried:
Let’s get into each of the different dishes we tried in our quest to find the best fish and chips in London.
- Poppie’s Fish and Chips (Shoreditch)
The first version London fish and chips that we tried was from Poppies. This shop is a traditional chippy with three locations in London: Shoreditch, Soho, and Camden. We tried the Shoreditch/Spitalfields location, which was a short walk from our hotel at the Pan Pacific.
The interior gave 1950s vibes, although most of the music was classic rock from the 1970s, with a few light grunge ballads mixed in.
I loved the crispiness of their fish batter, which to me is the most important element of the dish. The fish tasted fresh, falling apart easily in my mouth.
Unfortunately, and this will be a consistent theme at all of these places, the fries were too thick for my liking (although I think this is more of a British style preference) and they were also underseasoned.
The most significant offense of the visit, however, was being charged extra for a bowl of watery mushy peas. Most chippy shops include mushy peas as part of the meal, but Poppies charged extra. Weak and cheap.
The experience was saved by a great ambiance, attentive customer service, and charming retro decor.
OVERALL: 7/10
- Shoreditch Fish and Chips (Shoreditch)
This chippy is located near the Poppies we tried in Shoreditch. It’s a smaller shop that was a bit challenging to navigate with our giant American stroller (or pram/buggy as they call it in London). We made it work though and were fortunate to have the place largely to ourselves for lunch. There’s a lunch counter for takeaway too (the same was true for Poppies).
I loved the nautical theme inside the shop. There were lights hanging from ropes that transported us out to sea. Great overall London decor as well.
The crunchy batter and well-seasoned fries placed this chippy immediately above Poppies. And not only were mushy peas included, they threw in a little bowl of beans as well! I was happy to pay a little extra for those touches.
There was a great casual vibe about this shop that made it perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. Great eats – I would definitely go again.
OVERALL: 9/10
- The Mayfair Chippy (Mayfair)
I was really excited to try this place for an “elevated” fish and chips experience. Unfortunately, it was our one big fail on this list. We couldn’t even get through the front door.
If I thought the interior of Shoreditch Fish and Chips was hard to navigate, The Mayfair Chippy was impossible.
It didn’t help that the waiter and host who “greeted” us looked irritated seeing a pram/stroller trying to get through their tight front door. I could have deconstructed it, but when they gave us attitude about whether they had space, I didn’t even try.
Big fail.
It was a shame because this place has good ratings/reviews online, and the interior looked sophisticated and inviting. A chippy in lovely Mayfair, after all.
Maybe we’ll try it next time without the stroller.
OVERALL: N/A
- Tuttons (Covent Garden)
I was surprised by this place. I went in not expecting much given its touristy location next to the London Transport Museum and in the middle of Covent Garden. But I was pleasantly surprised.
The fish was very well-executed: crispy, crunchy, and fresh. Similar to the other spots, the fries were a bit too thick, but they were perfectly seasoned. To top it all off, the mushy peas (which came with the dish!) were creamy and tasted delicious.
The ambiance was elegant and sophisticated inside. I loved the red upholstered seating. The perfect British brasserie. I’m surprised Tuttons doesn’t have better ratings online, although I was there for lunch while they were relatively slow. I can imagine how crazy this place must get during the tourist high season.
A final note on this place: very accommodating to children. They gave our son crayons and paper for drawing. Incredibly welcoming and warm.
OVERALL: 9/10Â
- The Ivy (City Garden – The City of London)
This place was probably my favorite overall fish and chips experience. It offered an elevated style of fish and chips, something I missed not being able to get through the door at The Mayfair Chippy.
The batter here was perfectly light and crispy. It wasn’t overwhelming and struck the right balance.
I enjoyed the stylish plate of tartar sauce, malt vinegar, and lemon that arrived with the dish.
The fries were a bit thick for my liking per usual in the U.K., but they were seasoned well. And thankfully this dish came with mushy peas, which achieved the ideal amount of creaminess.
The Ivy has locations all over London, so if you’re looking for a more elevated version of fish and chips – or other great British classics for that matter – stop in and enjoy.
 OVERALL: 10/10
Our conclusion on the best fish and chips in London
I like to think we found the best fish and chips in London at The Ivy, but I’m sure at least some locals would disagree. One thing I think most of us can agree on is the surprising difficulty of finding a great fish and chips shop – or chippy – in central London. It’s your classic dish, London!
It would be like New York City not having a good hot dog cart or hamburger joint. Blasphemy.
One thing we learned was the importance of doing research before trying any of these spots. I should have asked ahead about The Mayfair Chippy, for example, before venturing out and not even being able to get through the front door.
I’ve also fallen victim before to pubs in more touristy areas like Leicester Square advertising “best fish and chips in London” only to receive a disappointing and heartless effort at the British classic.
Hopefully, this review has helped at least provide some ideas on where you might find quality fish and chips in London. But if you have a favorite spot that I didn’t mention or a well-respected chippy that I missed, let me know in the comments. We need to get back to London again soon.
Cheers, mates.
FOR ANOTHER GREAT LONDON TRAVEL ADVENTURE, CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE ON LONDON’S BATTERSEA POWER STATION (IT’S A SHOPPING MALL!)
