Meriden, Fish & Seafood - Restaurant Guide

Three and a half decades since the Andreou family first opened doors, this local fixture (nowadays there’s also a take-away offshoot in Bushey Heath), remains of note for its “consistently good” catch — especially the fish ‘n’ chips, which are a feature of the £16.95 two-course set lunch; there are fans, too, of their gluten-free Mondays.

2024 Review: “The fish is always fresh and the staff are friendly” at this “good local fish ’n’ chip place” that has been a fixture in Finchley for three decades. “Best fish and chips in London?” – probably not, but just what you want in your neighbourhood.

“Freshest fish” from Grimsby and “wonderful chips” are the hallmarks of this “reliable stalwart of Finchley” – a “friendly and fast-service” family-run Turkish chippy, which opened in 1998. Some regulars, though, feel it’s “a shame they reduced the size of the restaurant (it’s now cramped and doesn’t feel quite as nice)”.

“A cut above the average chippy” for several decades – this stalwart Muswell Hill fixture was sold in 2024 to the Herts-based Chesterford Group, a century-old family firm with 38 fish’n’chip shops across southern England. “The change of ownership, while widely lamented, has actually given a bit of a fillip to an offering that was getting a bit relaxed” – “the chips seem better, maybe more frequent oil changes”, while “the fish is as fresh as you’d hope from a place with such a high turnover”. It’s “not just your usual fish shop classics” here: “grilled and gluten-free” options are available, and “the wine list is OK, too”. Top Menu Tip – “the grilled plaice fillets are truly magnificent”.

This “underrated” fixture near Swiss Cottage has long been a “the best place to eat before a show at the Hampstead Theatre”, and is perhaps greater than the sum of its parts. It has won a big fan club over the years, who say it’s also “good enough to return to away from a show for other celebrations” – “the fish always makes people happy and the set menu is a good deal: what’s not to like?”. Simon Bradley (who runs it with his wife Jacinta) has been cooking here for 33 years and even those who feel the food is “not spectacular” – and who keep the ratings in check – still acknowledge that it’s “so much better than any of the alternatives locally”.

2024 Review: This modern fish ’n’ chip shop in Dartmouth Park is “a nice, healthy (and non-smelly) alternative” to the classic old-school chippy, with “good-quality” fresh fish.

For “boozy lunches and elbows-on-the-table guzzling”, Tom Conran‘s Irish-themed ‘Guinness-and-oysters’ pub on the fringe of Notting Hill is hard to beat; and a pint plus a pint of prawns or other seafood platter helps fuel the excellent craic. In addition to plentiful crustacea, there’s a solid choice of “good food done well”, with a separate menu in the cute and tiny upstairs dining room.

“Try to get a window table by the canal” if you visit this “lovely venue”, which has a “great setting right on the water” in Little Venice. Appropriately, it serves a mainly fish menu – and results remain consistently well-rated. The jauntily themed interior complete with open kitchen is very pleasant too, lit partially by large sky-lights.

For a relatively “cheap ’n’ cheerful” meal, but in a ‘proper’ restaurant and “out of the Portobello Market crush”, this “great neighbourhood Italian” just off Notting Hill Gate continues to come recommended. “The pizza’s delicious, but there’s also good fish” as hinted at by the large tank in the dining room. In summer, there’s a brilliant front terrace for making the most of the weather. (“Was taken by an Italian friend and the food was well up to reputation”.)

“Known for the most delicious lobster noodles” – a dish which has earned it widespread fame, and which “remains a must-eat” – this “old-favourite Chinese with great seafood” in Queensway “has returned to form” after “seeming to lose its way at one stage” (a revival reflected in the food ratings). It’s well worth exploring the menu further: “they also have the best roast duck”. The cavernous, ’70s-tastic interior is either an essential part of its nostalgic charm or dire, depending on your tastes.

“Forget hopping on a budget flight to the famous Cal Pep in Barcelona…” – the original inspiration for the Hart Bros’ genius small group of tapas pitstops – “… here in London you can sit at the counter, with the fun of watching mouthwatering tapas being prepared in front of you, so delivered piping hot (and best is the unbeatable fresh fish cooked ‘a la plancha’)”. “From the greeting to the explanations of the dishes, service is knowledgeable and caring”; there’s “a good choice of Spanish wines and sherries”; and the “superb” overall formula has made them one of the most popular destinations in our annual diners’ poll for almost 20 years now, even if the feeling has grown that “merely a small selection of dishes can incur eyewatering bills”. Top Tips – “the best atmosphere is had eating perched on a stool at the counter, but the Adelaide Street branch does have comfortable table seating downstairs”. On the Menu – “specific praise for the mojama”; “especially lovely prawn stuffed tortilla, seabream and the crisp aubergine with honey”; “tasty rabbit paella”; “squid croquetas are a perfect combo – crunchy on the outside, unctuous within”. “Shout out for the basics: lovely oils, bread etc…”

“Simply cooked fresh fish (often all you want)” is the USP at this trio of fishmonger/restaurants that offer “extremely reasonable prices for the quality” in prime central locations: off Piccadilly Circus, in Covent Garden and on Marylebone High Street. “The cooking does what it should do – the fish is the star of the show, delivered daily from Cornwall and really well executed”; and “they have specials depending on that day’s catch listed on a blackboard”. It’s “let down a little by staff that need more training to improve both the service and the ambience”.

“Go no further for dum sim” or when “entertaining friends from Hong Kong” – this sleek Marylebone flagship of the Royal China group is the real thing for Cantonese dining. (“Taken by a Malaysian friend – my wife and I were nearly the only Caucasians”). You pay for the privilege, though (“noticed a slight wince at the bill when our hosts were paying”).

“A wonderful fish venue, although it’s very sad that the Paddington branches closed down” – this “friendly” fishmonger plus fish and seafood restaurant in Swains Lane, by Hampstead Heath, has survived the closure of its floating siblings in W2 (which traded for almost a decade). “The menu is limited, but it’s reliable with good daily specials, plus a great wine selection at fair prices”.

Chris D’Sylva’s latest project – this tiny, 10-seater Notting Hill sushi bar launched in May 2025 opposite his phenomenally successful Dorian (see also) and here he channels his learnings from his earlier Japanese debuts nearby, Urchin and Tuna Fight Club. The early word on the street is excited, and in his June 2025 review, The Standard’s David Ellis couldn’t have raved much more if he’d tried (“This is fish better than I have ever had it in London…”; “this is London’s best sushi, and a restaurant to go toe-to-toe with any other”). Reports please!

“A lovely room and great outside seating” ensure this two-year-old Notting Hill spin-off from Chelsea’s Wild Tavern is “clearly an ‘in’ place”. On the minus-side – the “so-so food” (raw bar plus mainly Italian dishes) leaves most reporters feeling it’s a “triumph of style over substance” given the “crazy prices”. Founders George Bukhov-Weinstein & Ilya Demichev are the duo behind the Goodman and Burger & Lobster chains.

“A clever British take on Spanish tapas” with “superbly executed fish-led dishes” in a “quirky converted fish ’n’ chip-shop setting” – this Finsbury Park yearling was launched by the team behind The Plimsoll nearby in a blaze of “social media buzz and some very favourable press reviews” that left some wondering, “Does early extreme hype help or hinder these sorts of places?”. “Yes, it’s quirky and interestingly set up, but the food is solid without being close to a Barrafina”, while “the tables are quite small for a menu based on sharing” (“I wanted to like it more, but the sharing plate concept doesn’t work so well when you’re perched at a bar with a couple of your mates”). Top Menu Tip – the “much-feted chips bravas”: “all they are cracked up to be”.

“An unexpected find in Hammersmith” – this “classy” seafood yearling continues to thrive despite an unpromising site right on the trafficky Broadway roundabout. “The fish is so fresh”, “excellently cooked and not exceedingly expensive”; and “the menu changes depending on what’s available at the market” (“we found ourselves comparing food notes with the next table!”). It’s run by a team with a number of seafood ventures around town, and executive chef Ollie Bass launched a Faber seafood counter at the Rosewood hotel’s Holborn Dining Room in summer 2025.

Occupying a huge, new unit in Mare Street Market – part of the northward creep of the King’s Cross regeneration zone – this modern take on ‘surf ’n’ turf’ opened in July 2025, complete with lots of chandeliers (and a rather dubious carpet). The menu is overseen by two starry chefs: Tom Brown of Pearly Queen and the Capital Hotel looks after the fish and seafood, which Brad Carter of the late, lamented Carter’s of Moseley in Birmingham is in charge of the steakhouse portion of the menu.

For a taste of Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, Andrea Reitano’s Marylebone venture is worth knowing about – its kitchen is supplied daily with fresh fish and seafood from the Tyrrhennian Sea (there’s a twin restaurant in Porto Cervo). A bit of a sleeper, those who know about it rate it highly.