Long the go-to supper of the workingman, Britain’s ultimate dish shows up in places both posh and plain.
This canteen-like “caff” in Holborn caters to the most discerning Londoners: cabbies. Join them to chow down on crisp fillets of cod and chunky, finger-size chips sizzled in beef fat for extra sweetness. Don’t miss the golf-ball-size, mouth-puckeringly tart pickled onions. Fish-and-chips for two $20.
Founded in 1889 as a “fish ordinary” (the Victorian name for a chippie), this City landmark is open only for lunch, and only on weekdays. More than a dozen types of fish—try the haddock—are deep-fried to order and come with reassuringly uneven hand-cut fries. Fish-and-chips for two $50.
In a former Soho meat market, celebrity chef Ed Baines serves traditional fish-and-chips (dished up with mushy peas) as well as an upscale alternative: a grilled half lobster, drizzled with fresh lemon juice, on a mattress of piping-hot fries. 14-16 Brewer St.; 44-20/7287-4447; randallandaubin.com; lobster-and-chips for two $60.
