It’s hard to beat a classic meal of fish and chips. This British favourite is a traditional trip-to-the-seaside staple but the family-owned Poppies fish and chips shops have been serving up freshly fried haddock and cod since 1952. With four branches across London today, they must be doing something right so we went along to try them out.
Poppies started out in London’s East End in 1952, serving jellied eels, mushy peas and curry sauce alongside their traditional fish and chips.
The original branch is on Hanbury Street, near Spitalfields market, with additional branches in Camden and Notting Hill. There is also a branch on Old Compton Street in Soho, which is where we found ourselves, one sunny summer’s evening and where we enjoyed some of the best fish and chips in town.
If you’re looking for some more recommendations on where to eat in London with kids then take a look at our favourite restaurants here.
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Poppies Fish and Chips
The Soho branch of Poppies sits on the site of the old 2i’s Coffee Bar that was open from 1956 to 1970 and which played a major role in the emergence of skiffle and rock and roll. A number of big stars were discovered here including Cliff Richard, who performed on a tiny stage made from milk crates and planks of wood in the basement,
Today Poppies plays tribute to the famous coffee shop, with plenty of wonderfully kitsch memorabilia from the venue’s rock and roll past including a copy of an old member’s card and framed black and white photos from the coffee shop’s heyday.
But it’s not just the 2i’s Coffee Bar that has influenced the decor, Poppies is wonderfully nostalgic with Formica tables decorated with bottles of Sarson’s malt vinegar and red plastic tomato-shaped ketchup holders, 1970s-inspire wallpaper, wood panelling and clocks and knick knacks from a bygone era.
We visited mid-week and were shown to a booth where we ordered a selection of Poppies classics, starting with calamari rings, that were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. We then ordered fish cakes, haddock and chips, kids’ fish bites and fried scampi.
Poppies’ fish comes fresh from Billingsgate market each morning, which means that when it’s fried the batter is light and crispy, not thick and greasy like in many places. All the dishes come with chips that are perfectly crispy on the outside, just as they should be. Tartar sauce comes as standard and was good, but could have done with a bit more of a kick.
We decided not to try the jellied eels but did go for the mushy peas, that were excellent. Funda, our lovely waitress, gave us a side order of curry sauce and a plate of pickles, that I managed to polish off on my own as they kids weren’t that keen.
For dessert, we tried two of the most popular options on the menu, the sticky toffee pudding and the apple pie.
The pie comes piping hot, encased in a thick crust and is served with ice cream. This was my favourite desert and my only regret is that I was too full after my fish and chips to eat more of it. My daughter especially loved the sticky toffee pudding that was rich and gooey. One of my favourite touches, however, are the teapots that come their very own tea cosies.
What to order at Poppies Fish and Chips
Make sure that at least one member in your group orders the classic Fish and Chips. I chose haddock but cod fish is also an option. The calamari were really tasty, as were the scampi.
For anyone with allergies, it’s worth noting that nut oil is used for frying but that they can make a handful of the dishes using vegetable oil, just let them know when you’re ordering. You can also have the fish grilled rather than fried if you prefer.
Also, the portions are very generous. I ordered the regular portion and it was huge!
Pies are also an option including steak pie and chicken pie. Whatever you do, don’t miss the mushy peas that are so, so good!
