The best fish and chips in London

You don't need to be at the seaside to enjoy a warming fish and chips. Here are the best fish and chip places in London for a piled-up plate of crispy batter and fluffy potatoes

By Ashleigh Arnott

18 April 2024

There aren’t many seagulls looking to pinch your chips in London, but there are plenty of pretenders eager to feed you soggy batter and pallid potatoes. Done well, a portion of fish and chips in London is a crispy, piping-hot plate of joy. Whether you want traditional cod or a surprisingly satisfying vegan alternative, crunchy classic beer batter or spicy panko breadcrumbs, or a cheeky side order of saveloy or scampi, there are plenty to choose from. Just be sure to always order extra chips and be liberal with that salt and vinegar. Our expert editors have ranked their 9 favourite fish and chip spots in London which are more than up to scratch.

What is the most popular fish and chips?

The most popular fish used for fish and chips is cod, and it's our favourite too. However, you can expect to see haddock, skate and pollock offered across London and the UK.

The best fish and chips in London

1. Oliver's Fish & Chips
Appropriately for its Belsize Park postcode, Oliver's offers traditional battered goodies to eat in or take away, but also salads, open sandwiches and fillets from the grill: salad Niçoise with grilled tuna steak isn't your average chip-shop fare. Gluten-free fish and chips are available on Wednesdays, to ensure that coeliacs can eat with confidence, and chips are topped with scraps (the crispy bits of batter that have escaped during frying) on request.
Price: Cod, chips and tartar sauce, £13.95
Address: Oliver's Fish & Chips, 95 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4RL
2. Golden Union
Neon signage, bright yellow tabletops and squeezy, tomato-shaped ketchup bottles give this modern restaurant all the retro charm of an American diner but with the menu of a good old-fashioned British caff. All fish and potatoes are from British soil and sea and cooked fresh rather than frozen, and the pies are proudly homemade; the steak and ale is a certified British staple.
Price: Cod and chips, £17.95
Address: Golden Union, 38 Poland Street, London W1F 7LY
3. Kennedy's
About as true an example of a British fish and chip shop as you'll find within the M25, Kennedy’s is the kind of place whose patrons tend not to eat in – the exemplary chips dished up here are scoffed straight from the newspaper after 10 minutes of self-steaming on the walk home. This is not enforced, obviously, and you may well want to stick around to enjoy the staff’s cheerful chat while you get stuck in.
Price: Cod and chips, £12.90
Address: Kennedy's, 184-186 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7DT; Kennedy's, 169 Whitecross Street, London EC1Y 8JT; Kennedy's, 44 Tooting High Street, London, SW17 0RG; Kennedy's, 609-611 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5UA
4. Seventeen
It has the filament light bulbs, craft beers and white wall tiles of a hipster pop-up but the generous portions and welcoming atmosphere of your nan's kitchen. A winning combination, especially when the wares are fried with such care: even often-ignored standards such as scampi and onion rings are fresh, light and super-crisp.
Price: Cod and chips, £16.90
Address: Seventeen, 17 Chestnut Grove, Balham SW12 8JA
5. Sutton and Sons
It’s a family affair at this Stoke Newington-based chip shop – Mrs Sutton makes the pickled quail eggs and balsamic baby shallots herself. It has its own fishmonger, so you can be sure of a fresh catch, and there are now branches in Islington, Hackney as well. Vegans will be happy here as well – seaweed-marinated banana blossom makes a delicious stand-in for traditional fillets, and there’s even a plant-based battered sausage.
Price: Large cod and chips, £14.30
Address: Sutton and Sons, 90 Stoke Newington High Street, London N16 7NY; Sutton and Sons, 218 Graham Road, London E8 1BP; Sutton and Sons, 356 Essex Road, London N1 3PD
6. The Golden Hind
This isn’t a competition, but the Marylebone Village stalwart, having opened in 1914, is the only restaurant on the list that’s been around for more than a century. Though originally owned by Italians, it has been run by Anthony Christou since 2002, and there are little hints of both lines of descent on the menu – feta-cheese fritters and Greek mixed pickles in the side orders, affogato and limoncello among the puddings.
Price: Large cod, £16.50
Address: The Golden Hind, 71a, 73 Marylebone Ln, London W1U 2PN
7. Gigs
Tucked just far enough off Tottenham Court Road that knowing it's there will make you feel special, Gigs is a timeless little spot amid the increasingly trendy food offerings of Fitzrovia. And it’s been frying and grilling since 1958. Run with pride by owners with Cypriot heritage, it's a wonderfully reliable stop for a chippy tea and also for fresh taramosalata and grilled halloumi.
Price: Cod and chips, £18
Address: Gigs, 12 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RE

8. Poppies
Pat 'Pop' Newland started his East End chippy career aged just 11, when he got a job cutting up old newspapers so they could be used to wrap chips. More than 50 years later, he finally opened his first restaurant in Spitalfields, combining the traditional – jellied eels! saveloys! – with a modern eye for quality. The fish comes from Billingsgate Market, and the aesthetic is cheerful Fifties chic.
Price: Cod and chips, £18.95
Address: Poppies, 6-8 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR
9. Brockley's Rock
This reliable chippy lives up to its name. A decade since opening, Brockley's Rock remains one of south-east London's best-loved fish and chip spots (and has the awards to prove it). But while the restaurant does its standard dishes well, its inclusive menu draws in newcomers. The gluten-free batter is as crisp as anything (even better than the original), and the vegan battered sausages (made with wheat, starch and protein) are just salty, moreish and mouth-wateringly delicious.
Price: Regular cod and chips, £15.45
Address: Brockley's Rock, 317 Brockley Road, London SE4 2QZ
Thomas Alexander
10. The Mayfair Chippy
For an elevated take on a British classic, look no further than The Mayfair Chippy. The location is self-explanatory, and the W1 postcode entails a few treats you wouldn't expect to find in your average chip shop. Favourites take pride of place on the menu, from fried haddock and cod with crispy chips to battered sausages and house pickles. However, should you be inclined, pair oysters, soft shell crab burgers and servings of lobster macaroni cheese with glasses of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne.
Price: Cod or haddock and chips, £22.50
Address: The Mayfair Chippy, 14 N Audley Street, London W1K 6WE

TopicsEating & Drinking London UK Europe