On my recent trip to the UK I was determined to bring back findings on whether fish and chips were worth the hype and which place would be a right fit for you, reader. So instead of rating one fish and chip place as the best or worst, I will be rating the individual elements of the meal: fish, chips, sauce, and, unfortunately, the mushy peas served at each restaurant.   

Fish – 9 

Chips – 7 

Sauce – 5

Mushy Peas – 0

      Located in Charlestown, right by the harbor, Rashleigh is a sit-down restaurant that serves fresh fish straight from the harbor. Every meal included a side of Mushy Peas, and I will be the first to admit that I have a bias. Mushy Peas are disgusting, but I took one for the team and tasted the green muck. At Rashleigh, their peas were extremely mushy. More pea mush than actual peas. So if you’re like me and don’t understand the concept of mushy peas, don’t go here for your vegetable fill. The sauce was good and went with the fish well. There wasn’t a notable part of the sauce that caught my attention to make it good or bad. It was like my rating, in the middle, not notable but nothing to avoid. The wedge fries are what to be expected when traveling to England. They were good but definitely needed to be paired with some sort of dipping sauce. These fries are a good option if you’re looking for an authentic chip in England. Because Rashleigh is located right next to a harbor the fish there are fresh, making for a good flavor. The proportion between the breading and the fish was a perfect balance and I highly recommend it.  

The Kingswood 

 Fish – 3 

Chips – 4 

Sauce – 4

Mushy Peas – 9

    This small restaurant was an interesting curveball. Due to the restaurant’s size and fancy look, I was expecting everything to be top-notch and rated well. As you can see that was not the case. The peas were not mushy at all; in fact, they were not even steamed. While it was not a traditional serving of mushy peas I sure enjoyed it. Actual peas that were edible were a nice vegetable to add to this dish and I finished all of them. The sauce, while having a nice flavor, had chunks of peas and what I believe to be pickles mixed in. While I’m all for making the sauce different, the chunks mixed with the fish were not a good combination. There were too many overpowering textures when the sauce was meant to enhance the flavor of the fish. The chips were good and had a nice crunch and would be rated higher if I was looking at different fries in the US. However, they did not fit the wedge fries that I have come to expect when ordering fish and chips in the UK. The fish was a disappointment. It tasted old and had an overpowering fishy flavor when compared to its battered outside. It was also an interesting shape, making me think it was less fresh than it could have been.          

Nicholson’s

Fish – 7 

Chips – 6 

Sauce – 3

Mushy Peas – 3

    Nicholson’s is not a random pub in England. There are many different joints, but all give the same pub vibe. The mushy peas were just ok. No flavor, as is expected, but I give the restaurant props for making it look like peas and not like a green smoothie. The sauce was a disappointment. It was extremely creamy and instead of having the kick usually found in the sauce it instead tasted overwhelmingly of mayo. It seemed to me not to be homemade but rather out of a pre-made container like ketchup. The chips were enjoyable. A good mix between the iconic wedge chips while also combining the crunchiness that I know and love from the States. A bonus point is that they had ketchup at the table to dip them in! The fish was a pleasant surprise. This restaurant was in London and compared to some of the seaside places I’ve been to, I didn’t have high hopes. But they came through. The fish tasted great! However, I would have liked a more balanced proportion between the batter and fish, the fish was very overpowering during some bites in the meal.   

Rashleigh Inn

Fish – 10 

Chips – 5 

Sauce – 9

Mushy Peas – 0

    If you mix a small town and a fantasy novel tavern you get the Rashleigh Inn. Not to be confused with the Rashleigh Arms. This inn Located right on the beach gave the perfect feeling of a local pub. The peas were not great. Like Nicholson’s, they had a pea-like look but were served directly onto the chips making me choose between eating the peas or skipping on chips. The sauce was amazing. Perfect flavor and added extra seasonings making it stand out more. The chips were good and hit the spot. However, they were skinnier than I would have liked and, as said before, were combined with the peas. The fish was amazing. I don’t know if it was because you eat while looking out at an ocean or if the cook knows how to perfectly fry fish. The proportions were great and the fish was so fresh and tasted amazing.

   Fish and chips should be eaten at least once when visiting the UK. These are just some of the many pubs that can be visited and it’s almost guaranteed that they serve better-battered fish than what can be found in Colorado. So if you’re planning on taking a trip to the UK, try the fish and chips even if you don’t consider yourself a fish person, it’s worth the experiment!