Anyone who lives one or has visited the Northumberland Coast will have a favourite stop for fish and chips.
However, with so many high-quality offerings so close together, it's hard to know which one to choose. Last weekend, the Times singled out Lewis's Fish Restaurant in Seahouses as one of the ten best in the UK.
So on a quiet Monday afternoon, I took the opportunity to head up to the fishing village just three miles south of the UK's favourite seaside destination, Bamburgh. Lewis's is one of a handful of chippies in Seahouses, set back a few hundred metres from the Harbour.
Read more: Northumberland Coast fish and chip shop named one of the best in the UK by The Times
Cleverly, it has a sign for a shortcut to Lewis's from the Station Yard Car Park meaning that hungry visitors may head straight there rather than going towards the harbour, where the popular Neptune and Hook chippies are located. And if you're still not convinced by Lewis's after the Times' recommendation (it does say it's hard to split with Neptune and Lewis's wins on price), then maybe the specials board might do the trick.
With a selection of freshly caught crab and lobster landed in Seahouses on the day, and the "poor-man's lobster," monkfish available next to the usual cod, haddock and scampi, it certainly had my attention. And no, the lobster is not going to clean you out, with my lobster bites and chips coming in at just £10.50 (£15 if you eat in the restaurant).
If you prefer a traditional (and slightly cheaper) fish and chip dinner by the coast, takeaway cod and haddock both come in at £9. Though I visited on a Monday afternoon, the village was packed with tourists on their summer holidays, many of them wearing waterproof coats and long trousers, despite it being early July.
And a decent amount were stopping by Lewis's. A small gathering outside the restaurant was those who had ordered waiting for their meals, all of which are freshly prepared to order, while a few tables in the restaurant were occupied too.
Once in the store, I waited a little longer than I would have liked to be served. However, there was only one member of staff on the counter, and a staffing crisis caused by the impact of holiday lets in the area and Brexit preventing EU seasonal workers here, could have explained why all three of the chippies I passed had adverts in their windows calling out for staff.
I waited about ten minutes for my food, which was absolutely fine by me - I'd always take waiting for freshly prepared food over something that's been lying under hot lights for ages. Once I'd got my very heavy package, I headed for a bank of benches at the bottom of Front Street, which overlook Seahouses Harbour and the Farne Islands.
Read more: The top-ranked chippies on the Northumberland Coast according to Google Reviews
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I had some perhaps unrealistic hopes that sitting at the harbour I'd spot a seal or a puffin, but instead I was greeted by some opportunistic starlings who were waiting for me to let my guard down so they could nick a chip. The chips were excellent - fluffy in the middle and crunchy on the outside with a generous helping of salt and vinegar.
It's hard to say if they match up with the best in the country but they were certainly on a par with (or better than) many that I've tried up and down the North East Coast. And the lobster?
Sweet, succulent and tender as it should be. Coated in a light batter which was just the right thickness to give some crunch but not enough to lose the flavour and meaty texture of the crustacean inside - almost as if some prawns had massively upped their game.
One thing that had been mentioned repeatedly in the reviews I'd read before visiting was the portion size. Though four lobster bites to myself was the right amount, I would have welcomed having someone to share the chips with - you can't see from the photo but they're packed underneath the carton with the lobster in too.
Overall, I was pretty pleased with Lewis's, and it's definitely worth making a detour for if you're around the area of the north Northumberland Coast. And I wasn't the only one chuffed with my order.
A couple behind me were visiting Northumberland for the first time from their home in Cheshire. They couldn't believe that they could get lobster and chips and still get change from a tenner (that would be the unbattered lobster and fries, rather than the lobster bites which I've reviewed), with them paying £11 for fish and chips along back at home in the North West.
Should you fancy trying Lewis's Lobster bites, they come with a choice of sauces on the side (garlic mayo, seafood and tartare) and you can choose between fries and proper chippy chips. Chips are cooked the traditional way in beef dripping, though Lewis's does have the option of getting your chips fried in vegetable oil too, so vegetarians and gluten-free diets don't have to miss out.
Where's your favourite place for fish and chips on the Northumberland Coast? Let us know!
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