Sutton & Sons Fish & Chip Shop - Stoke Newington

Sutton & Sons on Stoke Newington High St is quite simply the best fish and chip shop I've ever been to. After years of soggy fish and grey mushy peas it's great to find somewhere locally which sells excellent food and doesn't overcharge for it. You can get plenty of food and a drink for around £10 each, which for London isn't bad. Whilst fish and chips may not be something that's thought of as haute cuisine, it's part of our heritage and should be as celebrated as other British classics are. When they're done well, fish and chips can be incredible so it's great to find somewhere which does them justice.

Pleasingly long menu

One of the things I like about Sutton & Sons is that it's a happy medium between a take away and a fancy fish restaurant. They have large wooden benches, serve a wide range of wine and beer to complement the excellent food and have table service. However, it's not one the many London restaurants trying to serve you fish & chips for £20 nor have they bastardised it in an attempt to improve on a classic dish. The food they serve is traditional and reasonably priced, the relaxed atmosphere and communal tables make it a great place to eat with friends.

Salad & fishcakes

We shared the prawn and salmon fishcakes and a mixed platter. The fishcakes were packed with fishy goodness (unlike the potato heavy ones you normally get!) and came with a fantastic salad; deliciously fresh and dressed perfectly. The mixed platter was incredibly cheap for the amount of food on it; crab cakes, calamari, tempura prawns, battered cod and a side salad. The crab cakes were delicious, spiked with chili and lemongrass, they tasted as good as those served in YumYum's, but were half the price. It all tasted as though it had been freshly cooked, as the batter was light and crispy. Their homemade tartar sauce is also delicious and unlimited in supply and the mushy peas actually taste like peas which is a vast improvement on what you normally get served in a chip shop.

So many fried delights

Overall, the food is fantastic and it's great for when you're feeling too lazy to cook but don't want to splash out time and money at a restaurant. The fish is all sourced from a local fishmongers, and along with the usual suspects they also serve oysters and a range of specials depending on what they can get in. If you're feeling particularly lazy they also offer free home delivery. The only downside is that if you eat in, you do spend the rest of the evening smelling like fried fish, but it's well worth it!

Chunky chips