By
James
Updated on
If you are in the UK, specifically Essex, and haven’t tried the fish and chips yet, you are missing out on a big treat.
A Friday night tradition, fish and chips are popular in the UK. People who like to tickle their taste buds with a heavenly food combination should try fish and chips at least once.
Fish and chips can also satisfy your appetite if you stay at one of Essex’s top campgrounds and don’t feel like doing the dishes.
Flaky fish in a crispy frying, thick, crisp fries, and delicious mushy peas are all served with fish and chips. If you’re feeling classy, you can eat fish and chips with a hardwood fork. However, oily fingers work just as well.
So, here is the list of Essex chip shops named best in the UK
Best Fish and Chips Places
- Churchill’s Fish and Chips, Chelmsford
- Ye Olde Chippy, Southend-On-Sea
- Yates Fishbar, Walton-On-The-Naze
- Southend Pier Fish and Chips- Southend-On-Sea
- Pier One, Frinton-On-Sea
- Geo’s Fishbar
- Islanders, Canvey Island
- The Fish House, Southend-On-Sea
- Oldham’s, WestCliff-On-Sea
- The Bells Inn Bistro, Essex
1. Churchill’s Fish and Chips, Chelmsford
It might sound too good to be accurate, but during the Second World War, the great Winston Churchill came up with the name fish and chips as “the people’s buddy.” Due to its capacity to cheer people up in tough times, the meal was one of the few items soldiers ate during the war.
Churchill’s in Chelmsford is the location to go if you want to boost morale among your soldiers.
This family-run company is located in Essex in Romford, Pitsea, Stansted, and Witham. It is located just a short walk from Pitsea. It is on the top of our list because it just received the crown of the greatest fish and chip restaurant chain in the United Kingdom. They are popular for serving traditional fish.
If that isn’t enough to impress you, let us tell you that you won’t regret visiting this Place!
Pros
- Appetising menu
- Good starters
- The traditional look of the eatery
Cons
- Not much variety
2. Ye Olde Chippy, Southend-On-Sea
Ye Olde Chippy has been a staple of Southend for decades thanks to its once (and quite well-known) turreted exterior.
When Eastenders arrived, the fish and chip store transformed into a movie set. Several years ago, the popular British soap opera spent two weeks in the coastal town, when two characters had six plates of the local specialty—famous fish and chips—while recording many takes of the same scene.
Ye Olde Chippy had to vacate its former location due to construction but triumphantly returned in time for the summer of 2021. The lines are as long as they have ever been, but the fish and chips are well worth waiting for. It’s one of the best Essex chip shops.
Pros
- Crispy fish and chips
- A good reputation as a business
- Nice views on the beach
- Dine-in, takeaway, and delivery available
Cons
- The waiting time is too long
3. Yates Fishbar, Walton-On-The-Naze
Yates Fishbar is the most famous chippy in the area, and it’s only a short stroll from Walton Pier and the beach. You can sit indoors if the weather changes. Moreover, ensure you have enough space in your tummies because the eatery serves huge quantities.
As you wait, place your order at the register and cross the street to the Victory bar, which is located across the street. Many tourists to the old coastal resort enjoy the duo of long-standing Walton businesses together, just like salt and vinegar.
Pros
- Family restaurant
- Best fish and chips in town
- Kid-friendly
- Wheelchair accessibility
Cons
- Parking space issue
4. Southend Pier Fish and Chips- Southend-On-Sea
There is something unique about having a fish dinner by the sea, and Southend is Essex’s fish and chip capital.
The 1.3-mile structure ends at Southend Pier Fish & Chips. Darren Latimer, who had successfully passed a beach hut food operation, started the takeout in 2009. Soon after, a trade organisation selected his pier-end chip store as the “best newbie.”
Apart from the views, you will remember the best fish and chips from this Place for a long time.
Pros
- Excellent customer reviews
- Crispy and crunchy fish and chips
- Amazing experience
- Nice ambiance
Cons
- No luck in finding any con
5. Pier One, Frinton-On-Sea
There was a time when it was contentious to open a fish and chip store in Frinton-on-Sea.
Locals were worried that a chippy would alter the peaceful beach town’s appearance. It was thought that Frinton’s distinction from other livelier Essex coastal villages was due to the absence of such a restaurant.
When Pier One opened, everything was different. There is an excellent takeout menu, even though it is more of a gourmet seafood restaurant than a chippy. The batter mix and the twice-fried chips were meticulously crafted to produce the fish and chips at this eatery. They are one of the best fish and chip shop operators.
Pros
- Super clean restaurant
- Nice vegan options
- Good pricing
- Well-trained staff
Cons
- The waiting time is too long
6. Geo’s Fishbar
The fish and chip shops in Clacton-on-Sea, where you can choose from John’s, Reg’s, Colin’s, and Andy’s, have a simple quality. Geo’s Fishbar, though, is arguably the best. Xenophon Georgiou founded Geo’s in 1961; his sons currently operate it.
Originally a Greek restaurant and steakhouse, Geo’s changed its name to a fish store in 2000.
The fish servings are enormous; newspaper readers chose them as the finest in Clacton. Geo’s is only around the street from the beach for coffee and a meal by the water.
Pros
- Quick service
- Well-mannered waiters
- Cracking fish and chips
- Huge variety on the menu
Cons
- A bit pricey
7. Islanders, Canvey Island
Champion local chippy since the 1980s, Islanders on Canvey Island was leased out for a time before returning to its previous family fold a few years ago. The restaurant and takeout have been provided with new, fresh air, although the menu still focuses on classic fish and chips.
However, there is plenty more to choose from on the dine-in menu, including salmon, sea bass, and skate wings. Or try an “Island Grill” with chips and spam cakes made in the style of Canvey.
Even though their specialty is fish and chips, they still have several other mouth-watering options on their menu.
Pros
- Specialists in seafood
- Amazing service
- All the seafood is cooked and caught fresh
- Friendly atmosphere
Cons
- No con as such
8. The Fish House, Southend-On-Sea
This is a true ‘one size fits all’ type of eatery. The family-owned Fish Inn has been serving food enthusiasts for over 30 years. It is a Southend classic close to the esplanade and a short distance from the Roots Hall football stadium.
When you visit the supermarket, be aware of a little-known truth about British people’s love of fish and chips: Australians also enjoy the meal.
This is obvious given that a couple that immigrated to Britain from Australia owns the Fish House.
Sam Economou, the head fryer, learned the British technique to make fish and chips while working at his friend’s chippy in London in the 1970s. You can grab the local music eel for an authentic taste of Essex; it’s rather well-liked here.
Pros
- Huge portions for a low price
- Convenient location
- Popular fish shop
- Nice sitting space
- Great ambiance
Cons
- No home delivery
9. Oldham’s, WestCliff-On-Sea
As it runs down the esplanade, Westcliff-on-seafront Sea is lined with several cafés and eateries. Since 1967, this location has offered fish and chips from Oldham’s, a family-run chippy that often takes home prizes for its classic coastal meal.
Each of the potatoes is produced locally, and you can swap a fried sausage for the fish if you like by purchasing it directly from Jim’s Joint Butchers in neighbouring Leigh-on-Sea.
If you choose, you may eat indoors or stroll a short distance to the beach for an outdoor traditional fish dinner. The food has reasonable prices and is cooked fresh in the restaurant, regardless of whether customers choose to eat there or take it away.
Pros
- Reasonably priced items
- Traditional sitting area
- Polite staff
- Quick service
Cons
- The location isn’t that convenient
10. The Bells Inn Bistro, Essex
We’re not sure where to start, but this is a stunning restaurant with excellent, attentive service everywhere! The cuisine is extraordinary, but their fish and chips are incomprehensibly good.
They put a lot of effort into ensuring everyone’s needs are met. Beautiful and spotless bedrooms provide for a highly comfortable stay. They now offer a brunch menu in addition to fish and chips.
There are several options, and the breakfast is exceptionally significant. The deck is lovely and roomy. You won’t be able to find cuisine and service of this calibre in the neighbourhood after you’ve visited this beautiful restaurant for casual meals, cocktails, or an occasion.
Pros
- Efficient service
- Best fish and chip shop
- Great food
- Relaxing atmosphere
- Wide variety of food choices
Cons
- A bit costly
Buying Guide
Multiple other eateries serve excellent fish and chips that haven’t been mentioned in this article. However, there are also ones that serve low-quality food that can harm you. Thus, it is essential to consider a few things before buying a meal from anywhere.
- The Food
The variety in the kitchen and the grade of the raw resources are essential aspects. The restaurant must also provide us with some tasty fish and chips we cannot make at home.
- Comfort
The restaurant should be comfortable or have enough space to line up if you order takeout. Moreover, an eatery with both indoor seating and an option for takeout is ideal.
- The Service
The quality of the food offered should be above par. In addition to the culinary crew, hosts, waitresses, and waiters have a crucial role to perform.
A good restaurant’s service staff must possess specific abilities, including being attentive without interfering, holding a brief conversation, and serving a table elegantly and hospitably.
- Price
The ideal balance between quality and pricing is essential, and it is about paying an appropriate amount for the goods and services companies provide, not cutting corners.
You also need to evaluate quantity at this stage since a restaurant with enough portions of delicious cuisine is a better option.
FAQs
What is fish and chips?
An English meal known as “fish and chips” consists of smoked salmon deep-fried and served with chunks of deep-fried potato. The food must be presented as sizzling hot.
Fish and chip industries hire special tools and cook at heats that are challenging to replicate in a home kitchen, according to those who refuse to admit that making authentic fish and chips at home is feasible.
Although there are currently several chain fish and chip restaurants, fish and chips have been a takeout meal rather than a delivery service or a full sit-down meal.
The fish and chips are laid out on a sheet of grease-proof paper for takeout and then covered in the news to keep them warm. These days, cardboard cartons or clamshell containers are typical.
Fish and chip stores are called “chippies” or “the neighbourhood chippy.” A traditional chippy will also sell additional items like sausages and pork pies.
Since Friday was usually a vegetarian day as a holdover from some religious calendars, it was frequently a popular day at the chippie.
Are there any side dishes available with fish and chips?
Traditional dipping sauces, including salt and malt vinegar, are available at fish and chips restaurants.
Some individuals are hesitant to add vinegar because they like their chips to be crispier. In October 2010, an American company called J&D’s introduced Malt Salt to address this seeming conundrum, which is salt with a flavour of malt vinegar.
The less common choice is ketchup. In the UK, mushy peas are often an extra-cost side dish.
These days, some individuals also enjoy mayonnaise on the sides. In North America, cabbage slaw and fish sauce are common side dishes.
Are fish and chips nutritious?
The impression that fish and chips are unhealthy foods and the growing price of fish have hurt the fish and chip industry since the late 1900s.
Many believe that a fish and chip supper still offers good value for your money because it is complete and contains a substantial amount of fish, which is still regarded as nutritious.
People usually cooked them in oil made from cow fat. Since vegetable oil cannot be cooked to the same extreme temps as beef suet, vegetarians and vegans sought a switch. This suggests that the foods cooked in it require more time, absorbing more oil.
Additionally, some vegetable oils might generate cancer-causing free radicals when cooked too much or used too frequently.
What is the history of fish and chips?
National Fish & Chips Day is celebrated annually on the first Friday in June.
Fish and chips have long been regarded as a traditional British dish. The most iconic dish of British home cooking is a chunk of battered fish perched on a pile of sizzling hot chips.
A supper of fish and chips is just like a dish of deep-fried memory in the UK, whether consumed from a homemade styrofoam cup on the walk back from the bar or a plastic container on your lap while watching “Netflix.”
There were 35,000 fish and chip outlets in the UK when the dish reached its height of popularity during the late 1920s.
The United Kingdom still has 10,500 “chippies” that serve 360 million fish and chips dinners annually. Every man, woman, and kid in the United Kingdom would get the value of six meals of fish and chips.
It might not be easy to picture a period when there weren’t fish and chip shops in every neighbourhood since the golden fried combination is so ingrained in British society.
But if you went back only 200 years, it would have been difficult to locate fried fish and chips anywhere in the British Isles.
According to food history, everything started hundreds of years ago, not in the United Kingdom. But when Christian forces began capturing the region, the power of Moorish control waned over time.
Also, it was a huge success. Jewish immigrants to England quickly started to sell fried fish on platters hanging from their necks by leather straps in the streets.
A British recipe from 1781 mentions “the Jews’ manner of preserving various kinds of fish,” and Thomas Jefferson wrote about eating “fried fish in the Jewish form” after visiting England.
Conclusion
If you are on a trip to Essex, don’t forget to try the best fish and chips restaurants to experience your life.
The starters and mouth-watering food of all the fish and chips outlets are beyond the premium. Remember that fish and chips aren’t as easy as they seem. Therefore, don’t trust every fish and chips maker; only buy from quality eateries.
Other than these, Fish Inn is your best bet if you are looking for something traditional. The Fish Inn describes itself as “passionate about serving traditional fish and chips at their finest.”
About The Author
Reviewed by
James
James is a writer who is a self-confessed kitchenware and coffee nerd and a strong advocate of Sundays, good butter, and warm sourdough.
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