Watford, 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.

2024 Review: “A wonderful display of fresh fish on ice” (“including the biggest scallops with the coral attached”) greets diners arriving at this “unique Italian” in a quiet corner of Kensington, whose “cooking is precise with a light touch”.

“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”).

“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”.

“The view over the Thames makes it worth the voyage” to this outpost of TV-Rick’s empire (in reality, run by his ex-wife and sons) near Barnes Bridge – but only “if you’re lucky enough to be seated by the windows” – “otherwise it never seems quite to live up to the reputation of a famous name”. The food can be “good”, but “of course it is not cheap”, and too often it is “disappointingly ordinary” – “you’re paying for the name and location, not the food”. More than 50 years after opening his first restaurant in Padstow, the TV chef’s family is reportedly planning to open a venue in central London: no news on the location as of summer 2025.

With its “lovely authentic decor, excellent small plates and comprehensive wine list”, this “small wine bar and bistro” from Xavier Rousset – a former head sommelier at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons – has established itself as a Marylebone fixture in the last 10 years. The Rhone-heavy list offers more than 30 wines by the glass. Top Tip – “exceptional value at lunchtime” (when sirloin steak with salsa verde, fries and salad costs £19.50).

This “long-established Brittany-French restaurant” is “much loved in Richmond for its good food – galettes, seafood and the rest”, “amazing value” and “decent (if sometimes hectic) service”. Its sale two years ago by founder Lindsay Wotton, who ran it for 35 years, has not dented its appeal.