Take Things One Chip at a Time - 5 Places to Net Friday Fish and Chips!

The tradition of buying and sharing paper-wrapped bundles of battered fish and fried chips is deep-rooted in Australian culture – for many, it is part of growing up and a Friday night institution.

Greek migrant Athanasias Comino is often credited with introducing the takeaway meal in Australia, opening our first fish and chip shop in 1879 on Sydney’s Oxford Street. Last year, there were an estimated more than 4000 fish and chips shops across the country.

Whether you are looking for a takeaway fix or to dine in at your favourite seafood restaurant, there is a fish and chip option to suit all tastes and budgets.

Here are five to net your catch next Friday:

Overlooking the marina from a prime position on Park Street, treat yourself and loved ones to a meal at Seasalt Café & Restaurant in Port Macquarie. Whether meeting friends for coffee, or mooring the yacht and visiting for a leisurely bite, Seasalt’s picturesque view adds to contemporary dining inside and out on a wide timber deck, an ideal spot to enjoy a sun-kissed experience.

 

A modern menu features dishes incorporating local, seasonal produce – stop in for a lunch of beer-battered flathead fillets, fresh garden salad, tartar sauce, lemon and chips, or share a signature seafood platter of oysters, prawns, bugs, barramundi, smoked salmon, salt and pepper squid, fruit, Seasalt salad, condiments, lemon and chips.

Before crossing the Victorian border, stop and revive in Naracoorte at the Highlander Restaurant located at the award-winning William MacIntosh Motor Lodge on Stewart Terrace. Enjoy a friendly, casual atmosphere dining among loyal locals in this spacious venue, or simply relax and unwind on a lounge by the bar with a drink or two.

 

Fresh, local produce is featured on a delicious menu of international fare paired with a careful selection of SA wines; think starters like chicken satay skewers and steamed rice, then throw your net over crispy skin Atlantic salmon with asparagus and Hollandaise sauce, served on creamy mash.

Find nostalgic quality and taste on the plate at Calamari Kid on Harbord Road in Freshwater. Step into a rustic vibe of polished timber, exposed brick and white table settings to peruse a menu boasting fresh seafood, juicy burgers, crisp salads and delicious sides sure to tempt all taste buds.

 

Calamari is obviously the star of the show whether crumbed or grilled, served with chilli lime mayo or tartar sauce and a lemon wedge; perhaps cast a line for battered or grilled white fish, with chilli lime mayo or tartar and a lemon wedge, add a side of hot chips or potato scallops to complete your Friday fish and chip fix.

With unmatched views of the Swan River and an award-winning interior fit-out, discerning Perth foodies head to Art of Seafood at On the Point for the ultimate waterfront dining destination. Nestled on Riverside Drive in East Perth, this stylish restaurant is the place for afternoon drinks on the deck in the sun; before heading indoors, where a well-stocked bar and elegant table settings await along with fresh WA seafood.

Bait the hook with starters of sardines, pickled warm fennel salad, egg gel, malt bread and saffron mayonnaise, or whitebait and river prawns with toasted nori and Indo sambal; anchor your meal with double dipped tempura market fish, thrice-cooked chips, Asian slaw and pickled onion, or toothfish with white miso, peas, air-dried brisket and rhubarb.

One of Newcastle Harbour's most iconic and loved seafood restaurants, Scratchleys on the Wharf offers sunsets, cocktails and stunning water views. Overlooking the busy port, this restaurant on Wharf Road delights discerning diners with sunlight sparkling off the water, seen through floor-to-ceiling glass doors; private dining rooms are available for events, while Battlesticks Bar is the place to head for a cheeky cocktail.

 

Start with velouté-style seafood chowder packed full of fish, prawns, mussels, squid, octopus and vegetables, before mains such as a golden fried seafood plate – beer-battered fish, crumbed calamari and tempura prawns, served with fries, garden salad and housemade tartar – or fresh black mussels tossed through Singapore chilli sauce with a salad.