A short walk from the sandy beach on the southern tip of the island, you’ll find Port Erin Chippy. As befits the best and most proper fish and chips, there’s a wait and a hefty bill. But it’s worth it. The batter is crisp, the flesh flaky, the chips perfect. It’s also a clean and fresh spot, not that we’ll dine in; there are benches by the sea for that. After dipping a toe in the ocean it’s a dream train ride back up north.
– William Sitwell, restaurant critic
Longsands Fish Kitchen, Tynemouth
27 Front St, Tynemouth, North Shields NE30 4DZ
I grew up a couple of miles from Longsands, the chippy that stole my heart. It opened in 2017 when I was a sixth former. The chips, my classmates and I quickly realised, were perfectly crispy, the fish so delicately cooked. Ours had a “no eating outside of school” policy – one of the history teachers would stand at the window and shout at anyone caught scoffing chips outside the gates – but it never stopped us from spending all our weekend work earnings at this fine establishment. I still never bother with fish and chips unless I’m in the area. There is simply no comparison.
– Lauren Shirreff, features writer
WalesCastle Fish & Chips, Criccieth
5 Castle St, Criccieth LL52 0DP; 01766 522081
Criccieth, a small seaside town tucked into the top of Cardigan Bay, is where I spent a week camping with my grandparents every summer. My grandmother would save every 1p, 2p and 5p throughout the year and use them to buy us ice creams from Cadwaladers – but the true highlight was the night we got fish and chips. Perfectly burnished, crisp batter coating tender flakes of cod and two portions of chips shared between five of us, all cooked fresh to order. There was always a queue, but we would still clamour to accompany my grandpa to make the pilgrimage. We’d drive our goods back to the campsite, the precious newspaper parcel firmly on my lap, filling the car with the tang of malt vinegar, then sit in the awning to feast (and douse the fish in even more vinegar).
– Jess Benjamin, lead lifestyle publisher
O’Shea’s, Barry Island
1 Western Arcade, Paget Rd, Barry CF62 5TQ