**Don't miss the reader offer at the bottom of this post!!**
We all love a good fish and chips, don't we?! It's one of the nation's favourites and, accordingly, on most high streets nowadays you'll find at least one local chippy, often several! Having spent 4 years of my life living around the corner from the heralded 'best fish and chips shop in the UK', Anstruther Fish Bar, I'm allowed to be a bit snobby, and I've not found anything in London yet that quite matches it. This isn't unexpected away from the coast, but a girl's still got to get her fix, right?!
Right. So when I heard about Faulkners in Hackney, East London, I was interested to check it out and see if I could find myself a new go to spot. It's on the site of historic chippie Seashells, which set the town alight in the 80s for its fish and chips, and is named after its founder, John Faulkner. This place is still an absolute institution in its more recent form, so much so that it's part of the London cabbies knowledge test! I headed along to check it out…
Its site in Hackney is recently refurbished and is one of the swankier fish and chips shops I've seen. There's a take out section, but the main restaurant is decked out with glitz and glamour, with a floor to ceiling wine rack, quirky lights and a well stocked cocktail bar. Cocktails are reasonably priced, around the £7 mark, and the rest of the food menu is similarly reasonably priced. The menu focuses on all things fish, unsurprisingly, but has a decent pie section and a massive cheesecake dessert menu!
We propped up the bar and had a few retro cocktails over a sharing platter of different types of fried and sauteed fish. I tried the most massive, juicy king prawns in garlic butter, calamari rings, tempura prawns and Faulkners' fabulous fish cakes. They're well known for their fish cakes and having tried them, I can see why. They're ram packed full of fish rather than potato and are perfectly seasoned. I'd come back for these alone.
Onto the mains! Obviously I had to try the fish and chips. They do it with cod, haddock, rock, scampi, skate or plaice which is fab, accompanied by traditional chips, or potatoes or salad. Alongside the fried option there are several, healthier grilled choices, such as seabass or salmon and steamed mussels.
The fried haddock and chips was a great fish and chips! Non greasy, light, crisp batter and juicy, well cooked fish….that's the formula, isn't it! At £12.50 it's a reasonably priced restaurant fish and chips in London and is probably the best one I've had in this city! The chips were pretty special too. As daft as it sounds, I could really taste the potato and that's the mark of a good chip for me.
I also tried the sea bass and enjoyed it greatly. It was a big, meaty whopper of a fish and at £14.50 including a side, was a steal! Nothing beats good ingredients, cooked simply and this is what this was. I enjoyed it a lot.
Despite being full to bursting, I made space for a cheeky salted caramel cheesecake from their dessert menu. Faulkners clearly has a thing for cheesecakes as they have 7 different varieties, including several gluten free versions, and they are on point! Ours was great! It comes in a little pot rather than free standing and was full of creamy, rich, caramelly goodness!
To conclude, I had a lovely time at Faulkners and rate it as one of the best fish and chips in London for sure! It's a little fancier than your average, whilst still being relaxed, and is reasonably priced enough not to break the bank for a Friday night treat. Get yourself down to Hackney and give it a whirl!
The folks at Faulkners have been kind enough to offer Food Goblin readers a cheeky offer! For every main course ordered, quote 'Food Goblin' for a free cocktail with your main! Valid until August 17th 2018.
http://www.faulknersfishandchips.co.uk/
424-426 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AA
