Fish and chips is one of the nation's most popular dishes, with some 382 million meals served each year at 10,500 fish and chip shops across the UK. However, one restaurant in North Yorkshire has been named the nation's finest, beating tough competition to be named Best Fish and Chip Shop of the year at the National Fish & Chip Awards 2018.
Family-run Millers Fish & Chips in Haxby, North Yorkshire was crowned the winner in an awards ceremony hosted at the Lancaster Hotel in London. Nick Miller, who runs the fish and chip shop with has father David, said he was delighted with the prize. "I can't believe we're the UK's best fish and chip shop. Words can't describe how this feels," he said. "We entered the competition for the first time last year, and were so proud to get to the final. But to go all the way this time and scoop the 'Oscar' of the fish and chip world is truly amazing."
The National Fish & Chip Awards 2018 has been announced
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Joining the top three were Burton Road Chippy in Lincoln, and Harbourside Fish & Chips in Plymouth. Category prizes also went to a number of notable eateries including The Pelican in Barnstaple, Devon, which was named Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year, while Fish City in Belfast won the Good Catch – The Sustainable Seafood Award and the Healthy Eating 'Fish and Chips' Award. Meanwhile, Peter Calvert of Mister C's in Selby, North Yorkshire won the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award.
The initial shortlist was announced in September, with all finalists winning an all-expenses paid trip to the Norwegian port city of Alesund, to learn about how fish travels to the UK and the fishing process from catching to filleting. Regarded as the Oscars of the industry, the shortlist is based on rankings made by specialist inspectors, who name a top chip shop in each of ten geographical categories. Shops were judged on their frying skills, menu development and innovation, marketing, and staff training, along with the quality of their fish and chips.
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The top ten fish and chip shops are below:
- Millers Fish & Chips, Haxby, York (North Yorkshire)
- Burton Road Chippy, Lincoln (Lincolnshire)
- Harbourside Fish & Chips, Plymouth (Devon)
- Cromars Classic Fish & Chips, St Andrews, Fife (Scotland)
- The Dolphin Takeaway, Dungannon, County Tyrone (Northern Ireland)
- Fylde Fish Bar, Marshside, Southport (Merseyside)
- The Golden Carp Chippy, Redditch (Worcestershire)
- Henley's of Wivenhose, Wivenhoe, Colchester (Essex)
- Captain's Fish and Chips, Hoddesdon (Herfordshire)
- Penaluna's Famous Fish & Chips, Hirwaun, Rhonda Cynon Taff (Wales)