As the sunshine beams down on the nation this weekend, many in seaside towns will be considering having fish and chips for their dinner.
Best enjoyed wrapped in newspaper, drenched in vinegar and preferably seated somewhere by the coast, tucking into the nation's most beloved dish is up there with grey weather and the Beatles as a staple of UK culture.
But with 11,00 chippies across the UK to choose from, there's some pretty stiff competition as to which are the best.
With the cost of living crisis pushing up energy, food and labour costs, it has not been a smooth sail for fish and chip restaurants across the country, and business owners have had to work harder than ever to stay afloat, says Express.co.uk
Below we list the top fish and chips on offer in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland from reviews from TripAdvisor.
Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear
On the Newcastle coast, the majority of the town's chippies have at least a four-star rating on the site, with thousands of satisfied customers singing praises.
The standout among them is Longsands Fish Kitchen, with one reviewer writing in 2022 dubbing it the "highest quality fish and chips".
Writing on the platform, the reviewer said: "The restaurant itself is finished to a high standard and the staff are friendly and don't pressurise.
“Everything was cooked to perfection, the quality was evident, the portion size was just right and we all loved our meals.
“Possibly the best dine-in fish and chips I've had."
Southwold, Suffolk
Mr T's Fish and Chips, according to TripAdvisor reviewers, is the best of them here, with more than 400 five-star votes.
One person wrote: "Has to be the best chip shop we have been to in forever.
"At first we thought it was a little expensive, but once we saw the food was made there in front of us fresh and the size of the portion, all homemade, it was worth the wait.”
Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Wales
Porthmadog is the seaside quarter of Wales' stunning Snowdonia National Park.
The standout restaurant is Chippy Dre with 194 five-star reviews.
A top commenter said: "People rave about this place because the quality of the fish and chips is top rate.”
Whitstable, Kent
Whitstable has a centuries-long enduring reputation for its fishing, especially oysters.
According to TripAdvisor, the best fish and chips comes from local pub The Monument.
One person wrote: "Very warm, friendly service. Good pub menu with homely food.
"Portions are huge which makes this very good value over and above what are already very reasonable prices.”
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
Another Welsh gem, Ceredigion is slightly further south on the home nation's coast.
Its top chippy is the Line Crab, a restaurant with nearly 1,000 five-star reviews on TripAdvisor.
One user said: "We enjoyed the seafood platter, highly recommended, along with fish and chips, and battered sausage and chips.”
St Ives, Cornwall
The best chippy is said to be Mermaid Seafood Restaurant, which boasts 815 five-star reviews.
One reviewer said: "Really friendly and efficient staff and the food was delicious. I had crab cakes followed by the fish platter.
"All the fish was cooked to perfection. Three others in the party also loved their meals, and my brother said his fillet steak was also cooked perfectly.
Hastings, East Sussex
Teddy's Beach Diner is the top-ranked from 1,065 reviews, 934 of whom have five stars.
One reviewer said: "We booked a table as we didn't know how busy it might be. This is a large diner with fantastic sea views and serving very good (and plentiful) food fo
"We will definitely return in future for the music, ambience and food."
Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire Coast
The Fylingdales Inn has a variety of cuisines such as pizza and Sunday roasts and acclaim for its fish dishes.
One five-star reviewer said: "The breakfasts were superb, and the evening meals on both nights were excellent.
"The fish and chips were generous with a light batter and juicy cod.”
Tobermory, Scotland
The Pier Cafe is the best place to find fish and chips according to TripAdvisor.
One reviewer said their fish and chips was the best they had "in a long time".
They wrote: "I called in to have fish & chips and I got talking to someone who was camping at the same campsite and she was telling me how good the fish and chips were.”
Newcastle, Northern Ireland
TripAdvisor's top-rated establishment is the Great Jones Craft & Kitchen.
One top reviewer said: "First-class service, and excellent value. We will be back!"
