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7 Fish and Chips Varieties
Ranked From the Best To the Worst

Last updated on October 17, 2026
01

Cod fish and chips

4.0 ·

Fish and chips is a traditional dish consisting of freshly fried fish fillets and sliced fried potatoes. The fish is dipped in a batter of eggs, flour, and milk, and it’s then fried in oil, lard, or beef drippings. The most common types of fish used are cod, haddock, skate, and pollock, but cod is the most popular choice, with 60% of all fish and chips meals using it as the preferred fish. Cod has a texture that is very supple, tender, and mild, and it makes for a great contrast to the crispy-fried batter shell. In addition, its tender meat nicely absorbs the condiments and seasonings such as malt vinegar and salt. You can find fish and chips made with cod throughout the country, but it’s especially popular in southern seaside towns such as Hastings and Brighton.

02

Haddock fish and chips

4.0 ·

Fish and chips is a traditional dish consisting of freshly fried fish fillets and sliced fried potatoes. The fish is dipped in a batter of eggs, flour, and milk, and it’s then fried in oil, lard, or beef drippings. The most common types of fish used are cod, haddock, skate, and pollock, but cod is the most popular choice, with 60% of all fish and chips meals using it as the preferred fish. Haddock, on the other hand, has stronger and slightly sweeter flavors than cod does, and its flesh also has a bit more texture that’s drier and flakier than cod. This is the reason why professional chefs usually prefer haddock for their fish and chips. Throughout the country, haddock accounts for 25% of all fish and chips meals. It’s especially popular in the North, especially in Lancashire and Yorkshire.

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03

Fiskur og franskar (Icelandic fish and chips)

3.8 ·

This dish is an Icelandic version of the classic English fish and chips. In the UK, the batter is made with flour, vinegar, salt, beer, and baking soda, while the Icelandic version is made from spelt flour and without beer, making the rape seed oil-fried fish lighter and similar to tempura in texture. The fish is typically caught from the Icelandic waters and it's always as fresh as possible. Icelandic organic chips are not fried, but roasted in the oven and topped with chopped parsley, resulting in a texture that's crispy on the exterior and creamy within. Regarding the accompaniments, Skyronnes dip is a staple of Icelandic fish and chips, made with a combination of skyr, olive oil, and fresh herbs and spices.

04

New Zealand Fish and Chips

3.8 ·

This dish is a New Zealander version of the classic English fish and chips. It is believed that fish and chips was introduced to New Zealand before World War I by British settlers. The dish is traditionally served wrapped in newspaper, and it's typically eaten on a Friday night as a takeaway treat. The fish is usually tarahiki, hoki, red cod, blue warehou, or elephant fish (elephant shark) - battered, fried, then served with chips.

05

Plaice fish and chips

3.7 ·

Fish and chips is a traditional dish consisting of freshly fried fish fillets and sliced fried potatoes. The fish is dipped in a batter of eggs, flour, and milk, and it’s then fried in oil, lard, or beef drippings. The most common types of fish used are cod, haddock, skate, and pollock, but cod is the most popular choice, with 60% of all fish and chips meals using it as the preferred fish. Plaice, on the other hand, has a more pronounced flavor than cod, while its texture is relatively light. The fish takes other flavors exceptionally well, and it’s also great for battering, which is the reason why it’s often offered on fish and chips menus. It’s recommended to pair plaice fish and chips with malt vinegar on the side.

06

Skate fish and chips

3.5 ·

Fish and chips is a traditional dish consisting of freshly fried fish fillets and sliced fried potatoes. The fish is dipped in a batter of eggs, flour, and milk, and it’s then fried in oil, lard, or beef drippings. The most common types of fish used are cod, haddock, skate, and pollock, but cod is the most popular choice, with 60% of all fish and chips meals using it as the preferred fish. Skate, on the other hand, is usually found in fish and chips shops along the west coast of Scotland. The fish has a mild, slightly nutty flavor that perfectly pairs with tartar sauce or a squeeze of lemon juice. However, the downside of using skate for fish and chips is that the tender meat first has to be removed from a myriad of bones that can be found in each wing of the fish.

07

Pollock fish and chips

3.3 ·

Fish and chips is a traditional dish consisting of freshly fried fish fillets and sliced fried potatoes. The fish is dipped in a batter of eggs, flour, and milk, and it’s then fried in oil, lard, or beef drippings. The most common types of fish used are cod, haddock, skate, and pollock, but cod is the most popular choice, with 60% of all fish and chips meals using it as the preferred fish. Pollock, on the other hand, is often used as an inexpensive, eco-friendly alternative to cod. The flesh is also soft and succulent, just as cod, but the texture is a bit more flaky, while the flavors are slightly sweet. Due to the fact that pollock is a robust fish, it’s easily battered and fried before it’s enjoyed with a heap of chips on the side.

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About this Ranking

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “7 Fish and Chips Varieties Ranked From the Best To the Worst” list until October 17, 2026, 811,838 ratings were recorded, of which 532,919 were recognized by the system as legitimate.

TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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