The Mayfair Chippy in London serves a refined take on fish and chips, with a main course of fried haddock, chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce priced at £27.25. After visiting the restaurant, the meal proved generous in portion and high in quality, though the price is substantially higher than a standard neighbourhood chippy.
A High-End Take on a British Classic
Few dishes are more inherently British than fish and chips, yet tracking down a version that feels truly worthy of a restaurant setting is quite another challenge altogether. The Mayfair Chippy has taken the familiar fish and chip shop concept and given it a more refined treatment, with a menu that stretches beyond the standard battered fish and chips.
The restaurant is positioned at the more upmarket end of the fish-and-chip spectrum, with refined surroundings, polished presentation and a menu that reflects the pricing. The visit began with two starters: Cornish Salt and Pepper Squid (£13.95) and Crispy Oyster Mushrooms (£11.95).
Starters That Set the Tone
The Cornish Salt and Pepper Squid was served with chilli, lime and ginger. The squid was pleasantly tender rather than chewy, boasting a crisp coating and a delightful balance of heat and freshness from the chilli, lime and ginger. It was bursting with flavour without veering into overwhelming spiciness, and the zesty citrus edge complemented the seafood particularly well.
The Crispy Oyster Mushrooms came with black garlic and truffle mayonnaise. These were a pleasant surprise and arguably one of the most interesting dishes on the menu, according to the Mirror. The mushrooms offered a satisfying crunch while remaining wonderfully soft inside, and the black garlic and truffle mayonnaise gave them a deeply rich, savoury depth. Even if you're visiting primarily for the fish, this is a starter well worth ordering again.
The Main Event: Haddock and Hake
The star of the show was the fried haddock with chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce (£27.25). The haddock was a generous portion, its crisp, golden crust giving way to beautifully flaky fish, while the chips possessed that hearty, satisfying quality you'd expect from a decent chippy. The mushy peas lent that quintessentially British touch, while the tartare sauce offered the rich, tangy counterpoint needed to balance the indulgence of the battered fish.
My partner opted for the fried hake with chips, curry sauce, mushy peas, and tartare sauce (£27.25). The hake brought something a little different to the table, boasting a delicate texture and subtle flavour that complemented the crunchy batter beautifully. The curry sauce proved a particular standout, lending a warming, savoury sweetness to both the chips and fish.
Is It Worth the Price?
There's no escaping the fact that £27.25 for fish and chips is substantially more than you'd shell out at your local neighbourhood chippy. However, this restaurant isn't really attempting to compete with one. The starters were, for me, a genuine highlight. The salt and pepper squid, in particular, packed a tremendous flavour punch, demonstrating that the menu has far more to offer than fish and chips alone.
When all is said and done, it's the fish that must earn its keep - and both the haddock and hake more than rose to the occasion. The servings were generous, the fish was delightfully flaky and the classic trimmings ensured the dish retained its distinctly British character, despite the rather more refined surroundings.
