England’s best fish and chips revealed by huge new awards

It’s the ultimate taste of British tradition – and a brand new awards ceremony has revealed the best fish and chips from shops all over England.

The English Fish and Chip Awards were presented at a Gala Final in Manchester on June 20th and despite making their debut here, they carry huge weight and are certain to bring massive impact for winners.

The evening was not only a great night of celebration and recognition for the industry. The many guests were treated to a fun night full of entertainment.

A special performance of the Greatest Showman to open the evening was followed by a tribute to Take That before dinner. After dinner there was a brilliant performance from a Freddy Mercury tribute act which had guests up dancing and giving them a night to be proud of.

It really was a night of celebration, showcasing the Fish and Chip Industry at its very best.

The company behind the awards is Paramount Creative, who have spent many years showcasing different businesses and sectors with awards from Italian to Spice, Confetti Wedding to Prestige Hotel, Hospitality and Entertainment and even Funeral.

Awards Director Warren Paul is thrilled by the response to the first ever English edition of an event which has topped the bill in Scotland for years.

“We are delighted with the success of our first event. We welcomed 430 guests to the Gala Final, including 310 finalists from across England. To achieve a sell-out event in our very first year was a dream come true, and something the whole team is incredibly proud of. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication that went into the campaign.

Our social media reach has been exceptional, with over 568,698 views across Facebook and Instagram, representing a 165% increase compared to the previous 28-day period. Engagement reached 44,278, an increase of 240% on the previous 28 days. In addition, the event received extensive coverage across local, regional, and national media.”

Warren continued: “It’s truly humbling to see the reactions from our winners and highly recommended - to see what it means to the people behind the businesses.

That is the entire reason motivating us to stage these events, the endless work behind the scenes counting votes and nominations, assessing and judging finalists and often with great debate, finally choosing winners using all that evidence.

We are at pains to ensure our results are accurate, fair and deserved and always will be. We have to make sure our winners are the very best.

So rest assured, if you visit any of those who have collected awards or Highly Recommended honours from us, you’re getting the best in that category. Even finalists have beaten many, many contenders.

Congratulations to those who have excelled this year and thank you for your support and your enthusiasm – the way the trade and more importantly the public have embraced this event has been touching.”

Categories included Dine In, Family-Run, Coastal, City Centre, Historic, Sustainable, Menu and Mobile, plus best Fish and Chips as well as Best Fish and Chip shop, both by region.

So whatever factors play in to your choices when figuring out where to eat, you can find the right option in the full list of winners and highly recommended below.

Judges visit each finalist and their scores make the final call on results – other than the Best Fish Fryer category which is decided by a live cook off on the day of the final.

Warren said: “The English Fish and Chip Awards are about shining a spotlight on those who truly deserve recognition, as are all of our awards concepts.

It’s not about ego or glory – it’s potentially a lifeline in these very challenging times for all businesses, with the hospitality sector under more pressure than most.

It’s vital to support local business in your area, or these traditional family spots simply will not exist in the future. It’s a scary thought but it’s the truth.

The places and people honoured in this first edition of the English Fish and Chip Awards are the absolute best right now, so please go try them.

And if you think your local spot is better, make sure you nominate and vote for them next year.”

Paramount Creative is a family business so we get it – we understand the pressures but also the passion, commitment, pride and love that go into every day at work.

We have huge plans to help share the spotlight with more and more unsung heroes of many trades and sectors, and especially this one.

So, watch this space – and thank you.

Winners – full list

Best Newcomer The Fat Fryer (Yorkshire)        

Best Dine-In Fish & Chips Marino Fish Bar (Sittingbourne)        

Best Family Run Business The Golden Haddock (East Yorkshire)           

City Centre Chip Shop of the year Cave Street Fisheries (Hull)

Best Fish & Chip Shop in the North East Chip & Fish (Newcastle)         

Best Fish & Chip Shop in Yorkshire and the Humber Jim’s  (Hull)      

Best Fish & Chip Shop in Midlands Wollaton Fish Bar (Nottingham)        

Best Fish & Chip Shop in the South Sandy’s (Folkestone)

Best Fish & Chip Shop in the North West Angel Lane Chippie (Cumbria)           

Most Historic Fish & Chip Shop Knights Fish Restaurant (Somerset)               

Most Sustainable Fish & Chip Shop Sandgate Chippie (Cumbria)              

Best Coastal Fish & Chips The Fishermans Wife (North Yorkshire)        

Best Marketing & Digital Initiative Frydays Chippy (North Yorkshire)     

Best Menu Ranmoor Friery (South Yorkshire)     

Best Multi-Site Operator Grandpas Fish Bar (County Durham)            

Best Fish & Chips in the North East Shield Row Chippy (Durham)             

Best Fish & Chips in Yorkshire and the Humber The Codfather (West Yorkshire)               

Best Fish & Chips in the North West Chippy T (Southport)

Best Fish & Chips in Midlands Greedy Fish (Leicestershire)           

Best Fish & Chips in the South Squires Fish Restaurant (Devon)      

Best Mobile Fish & Chips Country Fried (Blackburn)     

Best Fish Fryer of the Year Pollard’s Plaice (Hull)

The English Fish and Chip Awards took place at Midland Hotel Manchester on Monday 22nd June 2026, hosted by TV’s Andy Clarke.