We’ve been scarred by clandestine fish skin in the south, chips lashed with HP sauce in Scotland and don’t even get us started on the chip barm/butty debate.
Liverpool is a city blessed with some of the best chippies. Fact. If you’re looking for the crispiest batter, the freshest chips, peas that have bubbled away for hours to the appropriate level of mush and the finest curry sauce in the land a Scouse chippy is the only sensible choice. We go into this blog expecting conflict; people are tribal about their local chippy and for good reason. Let’s just hope this doesn’t spiral into what the correct term is for a chip butty. We’ll accept barm but we once heard someone call it a chip muffin and life hasn’t really been the same since that day.
Everyone’s got their favourite but if you’re new to the city, fancy trying somewhere different, or find yourself in an unfamiliar part of town in need of a feed, here’s some of the best chippy teas in Liverpool:
Steve’s
It takes the mightiest of wills to drive past Aigburth Vale and ignore the neon lights of Steve’s. If you don’t spot the lights you’ll probably spot the queue as it often snakes out the door, this place is that popular. But queues mean you’re guaranteed the very freshest fish and chips and at Steve’s they have to be eaten with the curry sauce. Like many Liverpool chippies you can also get (very good) Chinese meals here so the curry sauce is bang on, rich, thick and with a substantial kick.
Steve’s, 6-8 Ashfield Road, Liverpool L17 0BZ
Chris’s
It’s just a hop, skip and a jump from Steve’s to Chris’s and rumours abound in South Liverpool that Chris and Steve are brothers who fell out over a deep fat fryer… there’s no evidence these tales of cod wars are true but these two mights of the chippy world do jostle for ‘best in the South status’. Pop in and you’ll understand why Chris’s has been a go-to for over 30 years, no flaccid chips or greasy batter here, just great ingredients served up fresh from the fryer, by the friendliest staff.
Chris’s, 21-23 Rose Lane, Liverpool L18 8AD
The Good Catch
The Good Catch is a scouse success story. When four siblings decided to follow in the tradition of their parents who ran a Litherland chippy they can’t have been prepared for the outcome. National awards and seven branches on, it’s fair to say their foray into frying has been a success. Expect sustainable fish and fluffy Maris Piper chips cooked to perfection and served with homemade tartare sauce. You can even get a gluten free fish supper every Monday and Tuesday.
Byrne’s
Don’t be misled by the unassuming nature of this little shop on a terraced street in Walton, Byrnes is a Liverpool institution. The fishcake recipe here hasn’t changed since the shop opened in 1932 and for decades they’ve been serving up fish suppers to hungry hoards. The fruity curry sauce is the favourite accompaniment here – just don’t turn up expecting it on a Saturday or Sunday as the Byrnes take a well-earned break at the weekends.
Byrnes, 69 Stuart Road, Liverpool L4 5QT
George and Angela’s
Ah, a night with George and Angela… not in actual fact tea at your slightly tedious auntie and uncle’s, but a trip to one of north Liverpool’s most popular chip shops. This is a classic neighbourhood chippy where queues quickly form on a Friday night – although we know people who have eaten there five days on the trot so good are the fish and chips (and Chinese meals).
George and Angela’s, 58 College Road, L23 0RP
Yanni’s
The potatoes that enter the rumbler at Yanni’s are living their best life. This Lord Street chippy transforms the humble spud into crispy shards of wonder and serves them alongside the freshest fish – the haddock in particular is spot on. Stick some mushy peas and / or curry sauce with them and you won’t get many more satisfying plates of food in the city centre.
Yanni’s, 31-33 Lord Street, L2 9SQ
King Cod
Liverpool loves salt and pepper as much as it loves a fish supper. You can get really decent classic fish and chips here but the crowning glory of the King Cod is its salt and pepper cousin. Taking the Chinese / English fusion to another level it’s a fish supper that bites back with intense spice, crunch and heat. It’s not one for the purists but salt and pepper fans travel across the city to get their hit.
King Cod, 240 Longmoore lane, Liverpool
Lobster Pot
If you’ve not had a portion of chips from the Lobster Pot at 2am have you even been on a night out in Liverpool? The thing is with the Lobster Pot you know where you are – which is always a bonus at that time in the morning – you’re going to get golden chips and crunchy fish. Perfect for replenishing the calories you’ve burned off on a night out, great for curing the hangover the day after, or just a reliable spot for city centre fish and chips.
photo by Jane Macneil
Lobster Pot, 19 Ranelagh St, Liverpool L1 1JW
Chiu’s Fish & Chips
Now we’ll admit, this is one chippy we hadn’t actually visited before writing this list but after asking for suggestions from you, we were overwhelmed with the amount of people who suggested this little unassuming chippy on Park Road. And let us tell you something, thank god you did. Famous for their spring rolls and salt and pepper chicken, plan your next chippy here.
Chiu’s Fish & Chips 145 Park Rd, Liverpool L8 6SE
Allerton Fish Bar
So you know that period we all went through as a teenager where we would ask a kind stranger to go and get us a bottle of vodka because “we’d left our ID at home” and we’d be able to swig it because it tasted like water? Well for us, Allerton Fish Bar was always that place we’d visit on the way back to a friend’s house after a night of spinny’s in the local park. Half rice, half chips and barbecue sauce with a sausage and a big portion of nostalgia on top. We can’t help go back and order the same thing, irregardless of the fact we can’t even smell Glen’s Vodka these days without feeling hungover.
Allerton Fish Bar 204 Greenhill Rd, Liverpool L18 7HW
Wok’s Cooking
You’ve gotta admit it, the second you base your namesake around such a good pun, expectations become high. Luckily for us and the rest, Wok’s Cooking lives up to their name and hype. Like many others on this list, they do both English and Chinese meals and whilst that can be tricky to get both right, Wok’s Cooking certainly does. The family-run chippy is famous for their salt and pepper chips, one bite and you’ll see why.
Wok’s Cooking 111 Lawrence Rd, Liverpool L15 0EF
Lau’s
Okay, so you know everyone says that their local chippy is the best, right? Well this actually is the best to the people of Smithdown. The portions are absolutely humongous and ridiculously tasty. It’s just your average Chinese chippy menu but done so, so well. Whilst Smithdown goes through it’s independent renaissance and Berlin-inspired bistros and vegan supermarkets pop up on the street, Lau’s has and always will be there slinging out special fried rice so good you’ll never be able to get enough.
Lau’s Smithdown 146 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool L15 3JR
Panny’s Place
The people of Breck Road in Anfield were already huge advocates for Panny’s with their amazing English, Chinese dishes and naughty kebabs. They’ve recently started to get visitors from near and far and we think it might be due to the fact no other than Mo Salah turned up for his chippy tea recently nonchalantly. Who knew the frightening pace of Salah was fuelled by chip barms? If it’s good enough for the Egyptian King, it’ll be good enough for you.
Panny’s Place 235 Breck Rd, Liverpool L5 6PT
Anna Jungs
Anna Jungs, a legendary chippy on Grosvenor Road has been slinging out chippy classics and Chinese meals for an impressive thirty four years now. It’s got a great community feel to it, a bit like a pub where regulars return for their ‘usual’ and for a chat. As willing as we’d be to go through the whole menu with you we can’t help be fully floored by the sausage dinner. That gravy is something else, we’d seriously consider filling our taps with it.
Anna Jungs, 64 Grosvenor Rd, Liverpool L15 0HB
Tso’s Chippy
Again, another place highly recommended by you all. And because we know you’ve all got such good taste, it has made the list. This traditional fish and chip shop is located within a good community and has great food, is reasonably priced and the staff are very friendly. It has got that local charm and the wide selections on the menu keep coming back. Its no award winner but as takeaway’s go its a keeper. Especially that crispy chilli beef. Oh my.
Tso’s Chippy, 163 Muirhead Avenue East, Liverpool L11 1EQ
Recommended by you:
Andy’s on Lark Lane, Jumbos’, New Hong Kong, Woolton Fish & Chips, Man Wah, Ho Ho’s, Harry’s Continental, Chung Fads.
Did we miss anything? Feel free to fire ideas over to david@independent-liverpool.co.uk