What better way to indulge in British culture than with a hot, tasty portion of fish and chips?

We recently celebrated National Fish and Chip Day when, for the first time in nine years, the annual celebration of the humble chippy was been moved to a Thursday (June 6) to commemorate those involved in the D-Day landings 80 years ago.

During the Second World War, Winston Churchill refused to allow the beloved dish to be rationed as he felt it would ruin the morale of the country - if there was ever a doubt as to how much us Brits love a chippy tea, that should put it to bed.

‘Fish’ and ‘chips’ were even used as code words during the D-Day landings to help soldiers figure out if someone nearby was considered a friend or foe.

Over the years, KentOnline’s Eat My Words reviewers have tried and tested a number of Kent’s top chippies. Here are some of our favourites…

Beach Buoys, Margate

On a visit to Beach Buoys, our reporter was surprised to find that the traditional chippy had been replaced with touchscreens and text messages. This updated fish and chip shop is a self-service fast food counter for the modern age with lots of unique vegan options - the beer-battered pickles were a particular highlight.

The Chippy, Dartford

In 2022, The Chippy was named one of the 50 best fish and chip shops in the country. During a visit later that year, our reviewer had a couple of small complaints - no salt and vinegar and a portion that was on the smaller side - but still gave the food a four-star rating and praised the crispy cod skin and fluffy fries.

Papas Barn, near Maidstone

Our most recent visit to a Kent chippy saw our reporter raving about the halloumi fries, mushy peas, delicate cod and the huge portion of chips. Papas Barn is a dine-in restaurant dating back to the 1960s and, despite being a little on the pricey side, there were no complaints about the food, in either quality or quantity.

Peter’s Fish Factory, Margate

At the start of the year, we paid the no-frills Peter’s Fish Factory a visit. The eatery, just a stone’s throw from Margate’s Turner Contemporary art gallery, has everything you would expect from an old-school chippy. It might not be as Instagram-worthy as other places in the trendy seaside town, but the fish burger with gherkins and tartar sauce went down a treat.

The Pilot, Lydd-on-Sea

Hailed as ‘the finest fish and chips in all England’, The Pilot near Romney Marsh is a dine-in restaurant offering traditional chip suppers for those who don’t fancy taking their food to go. The huge portions, chunky chips and flaky fish got the thumbs up from us during a visit last year.

Po’boy – The Creole Fish Hut, Margate

Who needs to jet off abroad when you can soak up the holiday vibes from our very own beaches? Po’boy – The Creole Fish Hut is a Louisiana-style hut serving up southern soul food inspired by the sea. There’s panko king prawn sandwiches, loaded fries, creole fish and chips, deep-fried pickles and po’boy buns, and this twist on simple seafood left our reporter dishing out a five-star review.

Shakey Shakey, Ramsgate

If you’re looking for somewhere to take your vegan mates this weekend, Shakey Shakey in Ramsgate has a full vegan menu - alongside the usual chip shop fare - to choose from. While there was some debate as to whether vegan fish and chips would really hit the spot, a visit from our reporter back in 2021 confirmed that the ‘tofish’ is worth a try.

The Windshack, Minnis Bay

When you visit The Windshack, not only do you get a tasty portion of fish and chips, you also get a pail to take onto the beach and build sandcastles with. The cafe serves up chips in a bucket and, not only does it add a little whimsy to the seaside snack, it also tastes pretty good, according to our reviewer.