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It’s not a day by the seaside without tucking into some fish and chips, and this British classic doesn’t come better than in Devon. With the sea on the doorstep, it’s a given that the fish is as fresh as can be, and even though Devon has been crowned with the country’s best fish and chip shop, there are plenty of great options for vegetarians, vegans and everything in between.

Kingfisher Fish and Chips

Fish and Chip Shop, Restaurant, Seafood

The Kingfisher is by no means your bog-standard fish and chip shop, which is why it was awarded the best fish and chip shop in the country just recently. With sustainability at its heart, there are 12 dishes on the Kingfisher menu, which are Marine Stewardship Council certified and is said to hold the world’s most sustainable fish menu. Whole lobster, smoked herring and Cornish sardine fishcakes are all available from this restaurant, which is one of only two in fish shops in the UK to hold a treasured three-star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

The Rockfish

Fish and Chip Shop, Seafood

If you like great seafood but don’t want to pay the cost of a top quality restaurant, look no further than The Rockfish. Here you can expect to find exceptional seafood which you can take to a harbour wall to nibble on as you wave off seagulls trying to steal your dinner. Inside is an unassuming and casual beach hut theme with a log burner to snuggle around on colder evenings, and out of the kitchen comes jellied eels, cockles, potted shrimp and cracked crab. There are sister outlets in both Plymouth and Torquay too.

Squires

Fish and Chip Shop, Seafood

Any fish and chip enthusiast will tell you that the secret to good fish and chips is in the batter. The guys at Squires have got this magic art down to perfection, with the recipe being light enough and thin enough to let all of that lovely flavour seep through. Their chips are also great and chunky, which is another must for good fish and chips.

Frydays

Fish and Chip Shop, Seafood

You wouldn’t know Frydays was there unless you knew. Unassuming Seaton on the East Devon side of the Jurassic Coast is home to this award-winning, no-frills fish and chip shop. It doesn’t look anything less than your average village chippie, but what comes out of the kitchen will have you going back for more at every opportunity. There are 16 species of fish on the menu and everything is bought from traceable, sustainable and mostly local sources. The most important thing about Frydays is that their chips are spot on, with just the right amount of chunk, stodge and grease.

Harbourside

Fish and Chip Shop, Restaurant, Seafood

Based in the midst of Plymouth Barbican, a historical area on the seafront, Harbourside is a fish and chip which only uses sustainably sourced fish and will not serve any endangered species. In addition to this, they serve their food in bio-degradable cardboard trays and are signed up to the food logic scheme, which aims to get rubbish out of landfills. Not only are they ethically sound, but their fish and chips are fantastic and have won multiple awards.

Graylings

Fish and Chip Shop, Seafood

Super friendly staff, fish cakes made by angels and a cult following of Graylings enthusiasts who drive for hours to both outlets in Fremington and North Tawton to tuck into their fish and chips. Graylings are more than just a chippie and were named as one of the top 10 restaurants in Devon by The Guardian.

The Fish Shed

Fishmonger, Restaurant, Seafood

The Fish Shed isn’t just a chip shop, but is a fishmonger with a fish and chip outlet tagged onto the side. To not mince words, the food that comes out of here is outstanding, and you can choose from a wide range of fish which have all been caught locally at Lyme Bay and bought straight from the fisherman. If you’re in the running for something special, you can even have a perfectly cooked lobster to go.

About the author

A rum-drinking and adventure-seeking freelance journalist based in Devon. Can often be found stomping the coast path, wild camping on Dartmoor or enjoying a proper Cornish cream tea.

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