The best places for fish and chips in Belfast

A bustling seafood restaurant and casual summer eatery in the heart of Belfast City Centre, Mourne Seafood Bar and The Shack are top spots to enjoy some of the very best seafood the city has to offer. With a range of freshwater fish and shellfish selected from local independent producers, you can expect the very highest quality catch here. If you fancy something more formal, book a table at Mourne Seafood Bar, a critically acclaimed indoor restaurant with an a la carte menu of creative seafood dishes. Looking for a more casual experience? If so, then The Shack is the spot for you. Open throughout the summer, this covered outdoor terrace and heated beer garden offers a delicious casual street food menu with a focus on delicious seafood favourites. Both spots offer fantastic beer battered cod and chips, served with mushy peas, tartare sauce and lemon. Fresh and delicious, you can wash your meal down with a refreshing glass of white wine, one of the house cocktails, or a creamy pint of the black stuff.

A locally-owned restaurant and takeaway located in Wellington Place at the heart of the city, Catch is undoubtedly among the best spots for tasty Irish seafood in Belfast. Since first opening in 2021, Catch has exploded in popularity among both tourists and locals alike. In fact, it is the only seafood restaurant in Belfast with a five-star rating on TripAdvisor, so you can rest-assured you’ll be enjoying some of the finest quality catch here. Specialising in sustainably-caught, freshly-sourced seafood, it aims to “cook with love and care, and to provide a sensory delight for the palate, whilst creating a relaxed atmosphere for our customers”. The passion of the team here truly shines through in both the dishes and the friendly Irish hospitality, making this a truly epic experience for those on the hunt for the city’s best fish and chips. With options available for both sit-down dining and takeaway, this is the perfect spot for all occasions. If you order the classic fish and chips, you can expect freshly battered fish, beef fat chips, tartare sauce, and seasoned mushy peas. Also available gluten-free, no one has to miss out on the delicious seafood offering here.

Located on Ann Street, Fish City is the perfect spot for a delicious lunch or dinner during a day out shopping in the city. This award-winning fish and chip restaurant has made quite the name for itself among both locals and dining enthusiasts from far and wide. Making the most of fresh, local and sustainably-sourced fish and seafood in a comfortable and atmospheric setting, diners can expect everything from Carlingford oysters to rope-grown Strangford Lough mussels. Having won numerous awards, including the Environment and Sustainability Award and Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year at the National Fish and Chip Awards 2023, diners can rest assured that the seafood they’re served here is not only delicious and of the highest quality, but it is also less impactful on the environment. With various dining rooms named after different areas of a ship, you can choose the dining experience you fancy. And when it comes to the award-winning fish and chips, you truly are in for a treat. If you order, you can expect a lightly-battered fillet of MSC Certified Sustainably Sourced Wild Atlantic Cod, accompanied by home-cut chips, with lemon, house tartare sauce, and mushy peas.

If you’re looking for a more formal twist on the traditional dining experience of fish and chips, the Deanes Love Fish on Belfast’s Howard Street is the spot for you. One of various restaurants across the city owned and operated by acclaimed local chef and restaurateur, Michael Deane, you can expect an exquisite dining experience should you choose to eat here. A light and spacious dining room, with informal but stylish white interiors, diners are transported to a warm day by the coast, even on a cold winter day in the city. With a menu focused on the finest local seafood and shellfish, this is a great spot to make the most of Ireland’s abundance of locally-caught fish. Open for lunch and dinner, diners can expect everything from north coast monkfish to tempura prawns, crab on toast to pan seared scallops. If you’re feeling traditional, you can’t go wrong with the delicious beer battered haddock, tartare sauce, mushy peas and freshly-cooked chips, all finished with a fresh squeeze of lemon.

If you’re looking for a traditional Belfast take on the classic fish and chips, then you need to head to the brilliant John Long’s Fish and Chips on Athol Street. As the longest-established fish and chip shop in Belfast, this spot is as much the fabric of the city’s history as some of its most iconic monuments. With over 100 years of history serving the city, this Belfast institution was first opened in 1914 by its namesake John Long, who converted part of his grocery shop to sell fish and chips. Over 100 years and only two owners later, this spot is still a firm favourite among seafood lovers in the city. Sourcing the very best fresh fish and Maris Piper potatoes, diners here can expect the highest quality despite the restaurant’s humble facade. Offering extremely reasonable prices, this is a great spot to enjoy an incredible meal without breaking the bank. Available for sit in and takeaway dining, John Long’s is the perfect spot for all occasions.