Spied Out: The Best Fish and Chips

An enthusiastic connoisseur of a fine establishment (Petrou Brothers, Ely).

January in Cambridge is a grim month. The wind cuts across the flat fens with nothing between us and the North Sea, and the slate grey clouds hang in the sky, stretching down across the flat fields to the horizon. The fogs and mists are no longer tinged with the warm, smoky smell of autumn fires, but are now thin and damp, cutting straight to the bone. In such weather, something crisp, salty and hot is called for, and fish and chips are just the ticket. In my quest to uncover the best of what this boggy corner of Britain has to offer, The Cambridge Spy uncovers three battered, vinegar-splattered gems.

1. The top dog (or indeed, dogs) with branches in Ely and Chatteris, The Petrou Brothers were justly recognised as Fish and Chip Shop of the Year in 2006 (finalists and regional winners in other years) and regularly appear in lists of top British chippies. The brothers credit their high-tech fryers for the crunchy, beautifully thick batter that coats the succulent flakes of fish (haddock particularly recommended), and for the true glutton-come-connoisseur, a scattering of batter ‘scrapings’ are an essential addition. The chips are of such high quality as to be almost too good for a chippie, but the unlikely heroes of the ensemble are the mushy peas, a salty goo made to an old recipe so addictive that it was apparently the reason that the brothers bought the business in the first place. Chatteris is takeaway only, but in Ely you can choose between sitting in the little cafe, or taking your spoils to sit on the grass in the shadow of Ely Cathedral in the next street. The only downsides are the early closing times, and the fact that they are shut on Sunday, but if you find yourself in Ely on that day and need a fix, Alan’s Fish Bar down the hill is a worthy (and cheaper) substitute.

Taken on a winter's night in a takeaway steamed-up car parked at in a field outside Chatteris. Note the glorious scrapings at the bottom right-hand corner of the box.

2. Until now, a lack of quality chippies in Cambridge itself has been bemoaned by more than one incomer to the region, but with the appearance of The Sea Tree on Mill Road on the scene, the dearth has been resoundingly filled. With a wooden tabled seating area at which to sit and eat, or newspapers to read as you line up for a takeaway, this is a well-thought-out business with gluten free batter available and an extensive fish menu so you don’t just have to settle for fish and chips. However, we’re here to discuss exactly those noble staples, so with a brief nod to the ice cream (their homemade lemon meringue and Christmas pudding flavours are divine), let’s get down to business. The fish batter is airy but substantial, sticking to the edges of the fish like a caramelised, chewy crust. The golden tower of chips have are proper, slightly stodgy variety that stick to your ribs as only 'chippie' chips can, and alongside the standard mushy pea offering is a mushy pea fritter; hitherto only seen by The Cambridge Spy north of the border. This mighty creation has the same light, crisp batter as the fish, and although maybe a touch more salt would bring it into line with the Petrou Brothers’ offering, let’s not split hairs.

The monster proportions and alien appearance of The Sea Tree pea fritter. Magnificent.

3. Another two-for-one deal, The Cambridge Spy introduces its wild card, The Fish and Chip Shop on the High Street in Aldeburgh, along with its sister shop (complete with cafe) a little further down the high street. Another regular on ‘top ten chippies’ lists, it may be a little further out from the base, but if commuters can make the daily drive to Cambridge (which they do), it’s worth an enthusiastic mention. The batter is the highlight, with a slightly lighter texture and flavour from others, perhaps due to the pure sunflower oil in which the fish is fried. This intrepid Cambridge Spy encountered this establishment having driven for two hours on the most blizzardly day of the January freeze, and during the course of the short walk between car and shop, took on the appearance of a walking snowman. At the sight of this shivering white blob, scrapings were shoveled pityingly onto the chips and sprinkled onto the mushy peas, thus proving once and for all that the sign of a quality establishment is the snowdrift of batter pushed up in the corner of the fish counter. Even better, you can work off the whole shebang on the beach, which is a minute’s walk away, else just decamp to the fabulous Ives Ice Cream Parlour down the road, with their glorious hot waffles and 30-odd flavours of delicious ice cream, all sourced by the knowledgeable owner from quality independent dairies.