From your classic beer-battered situation to more creative and/or refined spins on everybody’s favourite fried seafood staple, we’re breaking down all of the best fish and chip joints right here in Sydney.
Far from a mode of eating that you should limit yourself to during Sydney’s long balmy summer season, we like to think that these shortlisted chippies are worthwhile destinations all year round.
From Bondi to the Inner West, we’ve got your pescatarian cravings covered.
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Where To Find Sydney’s Best Fish And Chips
Fish Butchery
For a taste of Josh Niland’s award-winning ‘nose to fin’ seafood, head to Fish Butchery — an inner city retailer with one of the best sidelines in fish and chips in Sydney.
Beyond this store’s delectable assortment of battered fish and seafood-based sandwiches, it’s all but essential to splurge on some of Niland’s more creative (and cultishly followed) morsels. Think croquettes stuffed with kingfish; Swordfish empanadas; or corner inlet calamari, flavoured with a Sichuan mala-inspired salt mix.
Note there are, in fact, two options for all of your Fish Butchery-related cravings. The second shop in Waterloo, technically only open for takeaway on weekends, offers a broad range of groceries and ready-to-cook produce: including, but certainly not limited to, the infamous Mooloolaba yellowfin lasagna.
Fish Shop
Located within spitting distance of the iconic Bondi beachfront, Fish Shop is everything you want in a seaside fish and chip shop. Yet the menu here goes far beyond your usual beer-battered barra (and other market fish), with a tidy emphasis on inventive pescatarian snacks.
Between summer-approved Sicilian crudos and a range of vegetarian options tailormade for the chicest of ‘girl dinners’, this is an assured option for a crowd that values vibe as much as flavour come dinnertime.
Keep your eyes peeled on social media for Fish Shop’s selection of (regularly updated) weekly specials.
Salmon & Bear
Rest assured: even though Salmon & Bear isn’t a fish and chippie in the traditional sense of that phrase, this Crow’s Nest stalwart does make an exceptionally mean version of the fried, super-snackable dish. But flakey, fried hake and thick-cut chips are just the tip of the iceberg.
Other casual comforters (that hew closely to the seafood theme) include the venue’s best-selling fish pie. And if you’re after something marginally lighter than market fish and chips, it’s hard to look past the Ora King Salmon: cooked here on a Mibrasa charcoal oven, served — as you’d expect — with a choice of rice, fries, or salad.
A strong through-line of grilled and seared cooking makes Salmon & Bear a viable alternative to the traditional fish and chippie. If you’re visiting with friends “north of the bridge”, you could do a lot worse than this great, family-friendly option for a casual sit-down dinner.
Fat Fish
Our first entry for Sydney’s Inner West, Fat Fish has been an Annandale go-to for decades: run throughout that time by the fraternal duo of Manny and Jon Notaras.
Part fishmonger part takeaway, this family-run establishment specializes in cooking the many fresh daily catches that it also retails; along with a smattering of tuck shop favourites like Chiko rolls and “Mum’s homemade potato scallops”.
All and any of the shop’s popular value packs offer great value; but, given the Notaras family’s own background, you’d be well-served trying the ‘Greek Style’ Octopus — a great choice for diners who enjoy a flavourful, lighter style of eating.
Out Of The Blue
Another charming coastal go-to in the Eastern Suburbs, Clovelly’s Out Of The Blue is as much about the burgers as it is the obligatory fish and chip offering.
The latter is straightforward. At Out Of The Blue, your choices are grilled market fish or New Zealand-sourced Hoki: cooked in a range of fashions ranging from deep-frying to a herbaceous marinade.
What regulars routinely double back for, however, is the fish burger. More specifically, “Julien’s famous” iteration. Basically a full-blown brunch special: this burger is built on a foundation of succulent fried fish, loaded with about a bajillion extras including a soft egg, grilled pineapple, cheese, carrot, and the shop’s house-made chilli mayo.
Not a bad capstone to an afternoon spent exploring the suburb’s many coves and beaches.
Paddington Fish & Chips
The newest project from David Wright, chef-owner of the nearby (and illustrious) Buon Ricordo, Paddington Fish & Chips is decidedly not your average chippie.
The customary deep-fried staples are, of course, available — and delicious, mind you — but closer parsing of the menu renders it obvious that there’s a world of choice beyond fried flathead, grilled snapper, or the ever-faithful fish burg. If you ask us, start with one of exec chef Mitch Chee Quee’s platefuls of school prawns: each a perfectly enclosed capsule of salty-sweet seafood, tossed in mouthwatering sweet chilli ketchup.
Move onto mussels simmered in a sugo of tomato and garlic, before cleansing your palate with Sicilian-style granita: the perfect dessert/digestivo hybrid, available at Paddington Fish & Chips in three flavours; and spiked with a choice of bubbles or Tequila.
The Fishbox & Co
One of the best fish and chips spots on Sydney’s (often culinarily overlooked) Southside, The Fishbox is a fantastic option for those based in the vicinity of Sans Souci, Allawah, and Kogarah.
This unassuming little hole-in-the-wall runs a tight ship as far as snack packs go: with indulgent options like the ‘British Box’ (i.e. battered hake, mushy peas, and a potato scallop) available alongside healthier grilled aquatic proteins and a range of refreshing salads.
Truthfully though, you’ll find a lot of this chippie’s best morsels off-menu. The Fishbox updates its Instagram account regularly, and it’s here that you will catch wind of its excellent specials. For what is nominally a fast food joint, these one-offs are all unusually seasonal: ranging from a cold prawn & avo salad (perfect during the first quarter of the year) to the Clam Chowder — a local favourite served during colder months, cobb loaf-style.
Fich At Petersham
Billed as a “fish n chips shop for grownups”, Fich is the Inner West’s answer to the burgeoning group of Josh Niland-backed pescatarian eateries in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.
Helmed by Bennelong veteran Jose Silva, Fich combines the choicest elements of a traditional takeaway joint with those of a more high-brow seafood eatery. The results, evidently, speak for themselves.
With a laundry list of high-profile supporters (such as Scott McComas-Williams of Love Tilly Group fame), it’s no wonder the two-part space is always buzzing with diners. There are lots of signature items that feel like logical extensions of fish-centric favourites — how about that “southern fried” ling burger? — and even a handful of dishes that lift athletically from the world’s great coastal food cultures.
Crumbed calamari rings are all well and good, but have you truly enjoyed seafood if you haven’t inhaled half a dozen Hervey Bay scallops, and sat atop a heap of chives and egg noodles? Or what about chunks of monkfish carved shish kebap style? If not, do yourself a favour and make a booking stat.
Charcoal Fish
Arguably as important to the Niland-verse as Saint Peter (the eponymous Chef’s three-hatted fine diner in Paddington) Charcoal Fish continues to lead the discussion, insofar as elevated takeaway seafood goes, not just in Australia but throughout the region.
The diminutive roadside eatery — located a stone’s throw from Rose Bay Beach — has a litany of international fans: with celebs like Nigella Lawson and actor Richard E. Grant travelling, on an intercontinental basis, in order to sample Charcoal Fish’s cult-y bestsellers.
From various expressions of delectable Murray Cod (you’ll never settle for the humble chicken & gravy roll ever again) to the endlessly photographed yellowfin tuna cheeseburger, one could eat at this establishment a dozen times and never be bored.
Our personal advice: avoid fixating on the aquatic stuff and run, not walk to the salad bar. Between the BBQ fennel and spicy eggplant, one needn’t necessarily even order anything fishy to enjoy oneself.
Promenade Bondi
With direct beachfront access, Promenade Bondi offers break-neck ocean views to go alongside its acclaimed fish n chips.
This Housemade Hospitality venue’s commitment to fresh, local seafood shines through in a variety of dishes that go beyond the standard chippie. Craving variety? We recommend opting for the “Seafood Selection”: a towering assortment of king prawns, calamari, and scallops, all fried to crispy perfection.
With its beachside location, fresh ingredients, and diverse menu, Promenade Bondi promises a delightful and scenic feed. Note that the takeaway counter’s opening hours (included below) differ from those of Promenade’s Dining Room and Beach Bar.
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