In short
The best fish and chips in Exeter comes from Hook on South Street and the Fish Supper House on Okehampton Road, with Rockfish on the Quay the top sit-down option. On the coast, award-winning Krispies in Exmouth and Rockfish Dartmouth are worth the drive.
The Case for Fish and Chips as Devon's Greatest Social Food
There's a reason fish and chips has endured for over a hundred and fifty years as Britain's favourite meal. It's not just the food — though done well, there are few things more satisfying than crispy batter cracking open to reveal flaky white fish, alongside chips that are golden on the outside and fluffy within. It's the ritual. The unwrapping of the paper. The debate over salt and vinegar quantities. The first chip stolen from someone else's portion. The walk to a bench, a wall, a stretch of beach.
Fish and chips is, by its very nature, a social food. You don't eat it alone at a white-tablecloth restaurant. You eat it with people, outdoors if you can, with seagulls circling and the smell of the sea in the air. The Oxford psychologist Robin Dunbar has spent years demonstrating that shared meals bond us in ways solo eating cannot — and it turns out a chippy on a sea wall is one of the most efficient forms of commensality humans have ever invented. We've written about the science of it in the psychology of sharing food, but frankly you don't need a neuroscientist to explain what happens when four friends split a large haddock and chips on Exmouth beach.
In Devon — a county blessed with some of the most stunning coastline in England and fishing boats that land their catch fresh every morning — fish and chips reaches its highest form.
This guide covers the best of it in 2026: in Exeter itself, along the coast from Exmouth to Dartmouth, at the seaside towns of East Devon, and across the bay to Torquay, Brixham, and Plymouth. We've updated every entry for this year — verifying that the places still operate, pulling in the latest awards, and adding three new venues that have earned their place on any serious Devon fish-and-chips list. We've also included our honest take on what makes each place worth your time, and how to turn any of them into a proper day out with friends.
In the City: Exeter's Best Chippies
Hook Fish and Chips — South Street
Ask anyone in Exeter where to get the best fish and chips in the city and the answer comes back the same: Hook. Located at 88 South Street, Hook Fish and Chips is a contemporary fish and chip shop that has earned a reputation stretching well beyond the local area. Tripadvisor reviewers regularly describe it as "hands down the best fish and chips in Exeter," and the queue at lunchtime tells you everything you need to know.
What sets Hook apart is the quality of the fish and the range of options. Alongside the classic cod and haddock, you'll find a good selection of pies, sausages, burgers, chicken dishes, and a solid vegetarian menu. The batter is light and crisp, the chips are properly cooked, and the portions are generous without being absurd. They're open seven days a week, from 11.30am through to 9.30pm, which makes them one of the most accessible options in the city — handy whether you're on a lunch break from the office or drifting home from an afternoon of shopping on the High Street.
Prices sit in the sensible middle bracket for 2026 — expect to pay around £9 to £12 for a regular cod and chips, with smaller portions available for lighter appetites. The shop itself is clean and modern, a proper step up from your average chippy, with both eat-in and takeaway options and a five-star food hygiene rating on their most recent inspection. It's the kind of place where the food speaks for itself and the queues prove it.
Our verdict: The benchmark for fish and chips in Exeter. Consistent, well-executed, and deserving of its reputation.
The Fish Supper House — Okehampton Road
The Fish Supper House has been going for years, and its longevity tells you something. Located at 17 Okehampton Road, this is a proper old-school chippy that does things the traditional way — including, notably, frying in beef dripping. That might not sound like much, but it gives the fish and chips a distinctive flavour that you simply don't get from vegetable oil. It's richer, more savoury, and — purists would argue — more authentic. It's also how chippies across the North of England and parts of Scotland have fried their fish for generations, and once you've tasted it the difference is hard to un-taste.
Customers consistently praise the quality: soft, juicy fish inside genuinely crispy batter, with chunky chips that match. The staff are friendly, the service is swift, and the prices represent some of the best value in Exeter. One thing to note: The Fish Supper House is cash only, though they do accept bank transfers. It's a detail that catches some people out, so plan accordingly. The shop passed its most recent food hygiene inspection in September 2025, which is worth a mention for a takeaway this old-school.
Our verdict: Traditional fish and chips done right. The beef dripping makes a real difference. Bring cash.
The Fish Supper House fries in beef dripping, which gives the fish and chips a distinctively rich flavour. It's cash only (or bank transfer), so check your wallet before you go. Vegetarians and vegans should note that the dripping means the chips aren't suitable — head to Hook or Rockfish instead.
Rockfish — Exeter Quay
If you want fish and chips elevated to something approaching a dining experience, Rockfish on Exeter Quay is the place. Founded by seafood champion Mitch Tonks, Rockfish takes sustainability seriously: every piece of fish is sourced from boats they know at Brixham market, from MSC-certified fisheries, or from accredited freshwater farms. Tonks himself is a Marine Stewardship Council ambassador and co-founder of the Devon Environment Foundation, and the group's commitment to traceable, low-impact fishing is the real thing rather than window dressing.
The setting is superb — right on the waterside with outdoor seating overlooking the Quay and a log burner inside for colder days. The menu changes daily based on the morning's catch, with at least three sustainable species always available alongside the classic cod and haddock. Prime Brixham hake fillet sits around £23 in 2026, large line-caught haddock around £26, and the seasonal set menu gives you two courses for just under £22 with a first glass of house wine for an extra £2.50. The potatoes for the chips are grown exclusively for Rockfish and freshly cut and fried on site each day. It's family-friendly, dog-welcoming, and has a children's menu that introduces young diners to proper seafood through an Ocean Protector Pack that subtly teaches them about sustainability.
Rockfish is pricier than your average chippy, but you're paying for the sourcing, the setting, and the quality. They offer both restaurant dining and a takeaway menu, so you can enjoy Rockfish-quality fish and chips on a bench by the water if you prefer. It's the kind of spot that works equally well as a casual dinner with friends or a family outing, and slots neatly into a wider tour of the best fish and seafood restaurants in Exeter and Devon.
Our verdict: The premium option. Best for sit-down meals on the Quay with great company. The takeaway lets you enjoy the quality without the restaurant prices.
Krispies — Exeter (Isleworth Road)
Here's something we didn't include in our last edition of this guide: Krispies — the legendary Exmouth chippy — now has a branch in Exeter itself. Located on Isleworth Road in St Thomas, Krispies Exeter opened to bring the same battered-chip magic that made its Exmouth shop nationally famous to a city audience. The same custom batter, the same daily-cut chips, the same fish sourced from the Barents Sea and frozen within hours of landing. Hours are 12pm to 2pm and 5pm to 8.30pm Monday to Friday, with longer hours on weekends.
If you live on the west side of Exeter and don't fancy the drive to Exmouth, this is the closest you'll get to award-winning fish and chips without leaving the city. Prices are broadly similar to Hook, portions are famously generous, and the signature battered chips are just as ludicrous as they are on the coast.
Our verdict: Exmouth excellence on an Exeter high street. If you've never tried battered chips, start here.
On the Coast: Devon's Seaside Fish and Chips
This is where things get special. Devon's coastline is dotted with fishing villages and seaside towns where fish and chips isn't just a meal — it's a way of life. Here are the spots worth driving to.
Krispies — Exmouth
Krispies in Exmouth isn't just good. It's nationally award-winning. Run by husband and wife Tim and Kelly Barnes since 2000 — they quietly celebrated 25 years of trading in 2025 — this Exeter Road chippy was crowned Britain's Fish and Chip Shop of the Year in 2019 and won the From Field to Fryer Award in 2017 for the best chips in the country. They also hold the National Federation of Fish Friers Quality Award, a mark of excellence held by only around 250 shops across the whole of the UK.
What earned them those accolades? Start with the chips: Krispies is famous for coating their chips in a light, bespoke batter before frying, creating something that is impossibly crispy on the outside yet fluffy in the centre. It sounds gimmicky. It isn't. You realise very quickly why people drive from Taunton and Tiverton just to eat them. The fish is responsibly sourced from the Barents Sea and frozen at sea within hours of landing, the batter is custom-made exclusively for Krispies, and the shop demonstrates genuine care for the marine environment through regular beach cleans and a clear environmental policy.
Exmouth is only a twenty-minute drive from Exeter — or a scenic train ride along the Avocet Line — and a trip to Krispies followed by a walk along the seafront is one of the best low-key group outings you can do in East Devon. Grab your fish and chips, find a spot on the beach or the sea wall, and enjoy the view across the Exe Estuary. It's the kind of outing that keeps friendships alive without costing a fortune.
Our verdict: Award-winning for a reason. The battered chips alone are worth the trip. Combine with a beach walk for the perfect afternoon.
Krispies was crowned Britain's Fish and Chip Shop of the Year in 2019 and won the From Field to Fryer Award for best chips in 2017. In 2025 they celebrated 25 years of trading. They now run three shops — two in Exmouth and one in Exeter (Isleworth Road) — so you're never far from those famous battered chips.
The Proper Fish and Chips Co. — Exmouth
Also on Exeter Road in Exmouth, The Proper Fish and Chips Co. takes a slightly different approach. Rated number one for quick bites in Exmouth on Tripadvisor, this shop focuses on locally sourced fish cooked the traditional way, with a commitment to Devon suppliers for their pies, potatoes, and burgers. They're open seven days a week from 11.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm, which gives you a surprisingly late finish for a seaside chippy.
They also offer a full gluten-free menu — gluten-free battered fish and chips, potato chips, fries, sausages and fritters — all cooked in a dedicated separate fryer. For anyone with coeliac disease or a serious gluten sensitivity that usually rules out a chippy trip altogether, that dedicated fryer makes them one of the most welcoming places in Devon. They also note that their batter is dairy-free, which is a thoughtful touch. Reviewers praise both the quality and the friendly service, and their eco-friendly practices add to the appeal. Main meals start from just under £5, making this one of the best-value options on the coast.
Our verdict: Great value, great gluten-free options, and consistently solid fish and chips. A strong alternative to Krispies.
Rockfish — Dartmouth
The original Rockfish restaurant sits on the embankment in Dartmouth, and if anything, the setting is even more spectacular than the Exeter branch. It's where the whole Rockfish story began, back in 2009, when Mitch Tonks and Mat Prowse opened their first restaurant on the quayside. The menu features the same commitment to sustainable, daily-changing fish sourced from the Brixham fleet (delivered twice daily), with both a sit-down restaurant and a takeaway counter. Grab your fish and chips from the takeaway, walk to the embankment or up to Jawbone Hill, and eat with a view over the River Dart.
Dartmouth itself is one of Devon's most picturesque towns — narrow streets, colourful houses climbing the hillside, and a harbour full of sailing boats. A fish and chips trip here makes for a brilliant day out with friends, and you can combine it with a ride on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, a visit to Dartmouth Castle, or a ferry across to Kingswear. If you're looking for things to do in Devon this summer, this should be near the top of the list.
Our verdict: The finest setting for fish and chips in Devon. The takeaway-and-embankment combination is hard to beat.
Wheelhouse — Dartmouth
If Rockfish is the polished option in Dartmouth, Wheelhouse is the proper chippy. Located at 7 Fairfax Place, this traditional fish and chip shop has been serving locals and tourists since 1985. It's straightforward, unpretentious, and significantly cheaper than its more famous neighbour. A word on hours for 2026: Wheelhouse is closed Sunday and Monday, and open Tuesday to Saturday from 12pm to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm for takeaway. Plan accordingly — a Sunday run to Dartmouth ends with tears if you're relying on Wheelhouse.
The haddock and chips are praised for their light, crispy batter and freshly chipped potatoes. They also offer a gluten-free batter option, which is a welcome touch. The restaurant was recently refurbished with a light, airy interior, and they serve a wider menu including calamari, scampi, seafood platters, burgers, and pies. At roughly half the price of Rockfish, it's the locals' choice — and locals usually know best.
Our verdict: Proper, no-frills fish and chips at honest prices. The Dartmouth chippy the tourists walk past on their way to Rockfish — their loss.
Bloaters — Sidmouth
Bloaters of Sidford has built a loyal following in the East Devon town of Sidmouth. This family-run chip shop is passionate about traditional British seaside food: golden, crispy batter, chunky chips, and quality ingredients cooked fresh to order. Portions are famously generous — reviewers regularly note that a large is enough for two — and the prices are fair. Be warned: at peak times the wait can stretch to half an hour, because everything is cooked to order rather than held under heat lamps. That's the trade-off. It's worth it.
Sidmouth itself is a gorgeous Regency town on the Jurassic Coast, and eating fish and chips on the seafront here feels like stepping back in time in the best possible way. The shingle beach, the red cliffs, the painted Georgian buildings, the old-fashioned shelters and deck chairs — it's the kind of setting that makes ordinary food taste extraordinary. If you want to make a proper day of it, our day out in Sidmouth guide walks you through the rest of the town.
Our verdict: Generous, well-made fish and chips in one of Devon's most charming coastal towns. Share a large portion to save money and your waistline.
Prospect Plaice — Sidmouth
For a sit-down option in Sidmouth, Prospect Plaice occupies a prime position on the town's Regency esplanade, a stone's throw from the seafront. It's a two-floor, seventy-seat restaurant with proper sea views across Lyme Bay, and it specialises in prime North Atlantic cod, haddock and plaice cooked the traditional way. You can eat in or take away to the beach. Either way, it's hard to complain.
Our verdict: The sit-down option in Sidmouth. Solid quality in a lovely spot.
Across the Bay: The English Riviera and Beyond
We're going to admit something a little embarrassing: our last edition of this guide didn't give enough credit to the English Riviera and the fishing towns of South Devon. Fixing that now, because some of the best fish and chips in the country are being fried in Torquay, Brixham, and Plymouth.
Pier Point — Torquay
Pier Point on Torbay Road in Torquay — a few metres from the sea — is arguably the biggest fish-and-chips story in Devon over the last couple of years. At the 2025 National Fish and Chip Awards, Pier Point was named in the national top five Fish and Chip Restaurants in the UK, after finishing second in 2024. Owner Lorraine Arnold was a top-five finalist for Restaurant of the Year and young fryer Charlie James reached the top eight in the prestigious Drywite Young Fish Frier category. In October 2025, Pier Point went on to win Fish and Chip Shop of the Year at the Fishermen's Mission Awards, held at Trinity House in London.
So, is it worth the trip from Exeter? Yes. Pier Point is 100% committed to sustainable sourcing — all their cod, haddock and plaice are MSC-certified — and they've become genuinely embedded in the local fishing community through their long-running support of the Fishermen's Mission. The food is the kind of polished, thoughtful fish and chips that earns national awards without losing its soul: crisp batter, properly cooked chips, nothing fussy. Eat in for the full experience, or grab a takeaway and walk along the Torquay seafront.
Our verdict: Devon's most decorated chippy in 2025. The sustainability commitment is real, and the food backs up every award.
Harbourside Fish and Chips — Plymouth Barbican
Plymouth's historic Barbican is one of the prettiest corners of the South West, and Harbourside Fish and Chips at 35 Southside Street is where to eat when you're there. They're another holder of the NFFF Quality Award and a regular in UK top-takeaway lists, with the Barbican's boats and water just a few steps from the door. The same owners run the neighbouring Barbican Fish Bar at number 36 — a fully gluten-free environment, with no gluten allowed on the premises at all, which is one of the safest bets for coeliacs anywhere in the South West.
The sourcing is local where possible, the fish comes in thick fillets, the batter is properly crisp, and there's a genuine family-run feel to the operation. It's about an hour's drive from Exeter, or a straightforward train journey, and pairs beautifully with a walk around the Mayflower Steps, a browse of the Barbican's independent shops, or a pint in one of Plymouth's historic pubs.
Our verdict: The best reason to head to Plymouth Barbican with friends. Two shops, one excellent, one excellent and gluten-free.
Squires Fish Restaurant — Braunton (North Devon)
If you're heading to the North Devon coast — to Saunton Sands, Croyde, or Woolacombe — Squires Fish Restaurant in Braunton is the name to know. Established by June and Gordon Squire in 1969 and still run by the Squire family today, this 56-year-old institution has just been named a top-five finalist for Best Restaurant in the National Fish and Chip Awards 2026 — competing against shops from Yorkshire, Norfolk and Bristol for the industry's biggest prize. Staff member Zak Bishop was also shortlisted in the top three for Employee of the Year in the same awards.
The restaurant itself is stylish and family-friendly without being precious, and the menu leans into fresh local seafood alongside the traditional fish and chips. It's a two-hour drive from Exeter, so it's one for a proper day trip — pair it with a surf lesson at Saunton, a walk along the dunes at Braunton Burrows, and a long lunch at Squires. Fair warning: book ahead at weekends.
Our verdict: North Devon's finest, and one of the best fish-and-chips restaurants in the country as of 2026. Worth the drive.
The Brixham Story: Where Devon's Fish Actually Comes From
Here's something most visitors don't realise: an enormous amount of the fish you eat in Devon — not just at Rockfish, but at dozens of chippies, restaurants and pubs — passes through one single building. Brixham Fish Market on the New Fish Quay is England's largest fish market by value, and in 2025 it smashed its own record by landing and selling £77 million worth of fish in a single year. That's up from £62 million in 2024 and nearly double the £40 million mark it crossed less than a decade ago. Total tonnage sold through the market in 2025 reached 13,830 tonnes — and Brixham routinely handles more than forty different species, from Dover sole, monkfish, turbot and hake to cuttlefish, octopus, scallops and squid.
The auction itself runs every weekday morning from 6am and is, genuinely, one of the most impressive things you can see in Devon. Brixham runs the only live fish auction in the UK, and in 2021 it became the first market in the world to move to a cloud-based digital auction clock, so merchants from across Europe can bid in real time as the catch is weighed in. Roughly seventy per cent of the fish sold at Brixham is exported — much of it to France, Spain, Italy and the Low Countries — which tells you something about the quality of what comes off those boats.
Brixham has been fishing since the fourteenth century and is credited as one of the birthplaces of trawling. The current fleet is a mix of local day-boats (who leave at first light and return the same day) and larger beam trawlers that stay out for five to seven nights. You can tour the market yourself — Rockfish have taken over running the tours, which start at 6.15am, last about an hour and a half, and finish with a seafood breakfast at Rockfish Brixham, a few steps from the auction floor. It costs around £25 and is, honestly, one of the best-value mornings in Devon if you care about where your food comes from.
Brixham Fish Market sold £77 million of fish in 2025 — a new record, and more than any other market in England. When you eat fish and chips at Rockfish, Pier Point, or most good chippies across South Devon, you're almost certainly eating something that passed through that one building earlier the same day.
Sustainable Fish and Chips in Devon: What to Look For
Fish and chips has a reputation as a cheap, throwaway meal, but the best chippies in 2026 are taking their sourcing very seriously — and so should you. Here's a short, honest guide to what "sustainable" actually means when you're standing at the counter.
Look for the blue MSC tick. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is the gold standard for wild-caught fish, and any restaurant or shop that carries the certification has had its supply chain independently audited. Rockfish, Pier Point and Harbourside all proudly carry it for their cod, haddock and plaice. It isn't perfect, but it's a meaningful mark that the fish on your plate was caught in a way that doesn't wreck the stock or the seabed.
Ask where the fish came from. Most Devon chippies will happily tell you. Brixham day-boat fish is genuinely local and low-mileage; Barents Sea cod and haddock (which Krispies and many others use) is frozen at sea within hours of catching and is often more sustainable than "fresh" fish flown across Europe. Farmed fish from accredited farms can also be a good choice. Vagueness is the warning sign — if the counter staff don't know where the fish came from, neither does the owner.
Try something other than cod. Cod is popular for a reason, but the most sustainable thing you can do at a Devon chippy is order hake, pollack, dab, lemon sole, coley or whatever the daily special is. Brixham lands enormous quantities of hake that get exported to Spain because we stubbornly eat cod instead. Break the habit — Brixham hake, in our opinion, makes for better fish and chips than almost anything else.
Day-boat matters. A day-boat goes out in the morning and lands its catch the same afternoon. The fish is fresher, the carbon footprint is lower, and the money stays in the local community. Rockfish's twice-daily delivery from Brixham is a good example; so is anything Pier Point or Squires describe as "today's catch".
A Fish and Chips Day Out: Three Itineraries from Exeter
The plan is always the same: get to the sea, eat fish and chips, enjoy yourself. But where you go can completely change the day. Here are three of our favourites, all starting from Exeter.
1. The easy one — train to Exmouth. Catch the Avocet Line from Exeter Central (about 25 minutes, roughly £5 return off-peak). Walk five minutes to Krispies on Exeter Road, collect your cod and chips, and walk them down to the seafront. Eat on the sea wall looking out across the Exe Estuary to Dawlish Warren, then walk the two miles along the seafront to Orcombe Point and the start of the Jurassic Coast. Total cost: under £20. Total effort: minimal. Reward: maximum.
2. The scenic one — drive to Dartmouth. An hour in the car via the A38 and the Kingsbridge road, or more memorably via the Higher Ferry across the Dart from Kingswear. Collect your fish and chips from Rockfish's takeaway counter on the embankment, walk them up to Jawbone Hill or along the castle path, and eat with the full harbour laid out below you. Round it off with a ride on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, a pint at one of the quayside pubs, or a walk through the narrow lanes of the old town. If Rockfish feels too busy, nip around to Wheelhouse on Fairfax Place for the locals' choice.
3. The proper grown-up one — the Jurassic Coast Path to Sidmouth. Drive to Sidmouth, park up, and walk a short section of the South West Coast Path towards Ladram Bay and back to work up an appetite. Collect fish and chips from Bloaters of Sidford or eat in at Prospect Plaice on the esplanade. Finish with a stroll along the elegant Regency seafront, a poke around the independent shops in the town centre, and — if you're feeling brave — an ice cream. Sidmouth's red cliffs and painted Georgian buildings make it feel, properly, like stepping back in time.
These are exactly the sort of outings that make low-cost day trips with friends so valuable: the plan is simple, the food is great, and the conversation happens naturally because you're walking, eating, and looking at the sea.
The Social Chip: Why Fish and Chips Brings People Together
There's something beautifully democratic about fish and chips. It doesn't matter how much you earn, what you do for a living, or whether you know your Riesling from your Rioja. Everyone loves fish and chips. That universality makes it one of the easiest foods around which to organise a social outing.
A fish and chips trip to the coast is, in our experience, one of the easiest ways to get a group together. The plan is simple: drive (or train) to the coast, buy fish and chips, eat them looking at the sea. There's no menu to negotiate, no booking to make, no dress code to worry about. It costs under a tenner per person. And the shared experience — the salt air, the chips going cold, the seagull that nearly got your battered sausage — creates exactly the kind of low-pressure bonding that builds real friendships.
If you're in Exeter and looking for a summer activity that brings people together, fish and chips on the beach is about as good as it gets.
For the perfect group outing, take the train from Exeter to Exmouth on the scenic Avocet Line, grab fish and chips from Krispies, and eat on the beach. The whole trip costs under fifteen pounds per person and makes for a brilliant afternoon.
National Fish and Chip Awards: Devon's Track Record
Devon consistently punches above its weight at the National Fish and Chip Awards — the industry's biggest prizes, run annually since 1988 by the National Federation of Fish Friers. A quick rundown of how Devon shops have fared over the last few years:
- 2019: Krispies of Exmouth crowned National Fish and Chip Shop of the Year — the biggest title in the business.
- 2017: Krispies wins the From Field to Fryer Award for best chips in the country.
- 2024: Pier Point Torquay finishes second in the Restaurant of the Year category.
- 2025: Pier Point Torquay named in the national top five restaurants; Charlie James shortlisted as Drywite Young Fish Frier; Lorraine Arnold top five for Restaurant of the Year. Pier Point also wins Fish and Chip Shop of the Year at the Fishermen's Mission Awards in London later that year.
- 2026: Squires Fish Restaurant in Braunton named a top-five finalist for Best Restaurant, with staff member Zak Bishop shortlisted in the top three for Employee of the Year.
In other words: for a county with a population of only around 800,000, Devon produces a startlingly large share of the country's best fish and chips. Part of that is Brixham — the fish is right there. Part of it is the tradition — places like Squires (est. 1969) and Wheelhouse (est. 1985) have been refining the same small number of dishes for decades. And part of it is the proximity of really good potatoes, really good beef dripping (if that's your thing), and customers who expect quality because they live on the coast.
Our Ratings at a Glance
Best in Exeter: Hook Fish and Chips — the city's benchmark, consistent and well-deserved.
Best traditional: The Fish Supper House — beef dripping, proper chips, old-school excellence. Cash only.
Best sit-down experience: Rockfish, Exeter Quay — sustainable fish, stunning setting, daily-changing menu.
Best in Devon (overall): Krispies, Exmouth — nationally award-winning and worth every accolade.
Best newcomer (to this guide): Pier Point, Torquay — multiple top-five finishes at the National Fish and Chip Awards and Fishermen's Mission Fish and Chip Shop of the Year 2025.
Best value on the coast: Wheelhouse, Dartmouth — half the price of Rockfish, all of the flavour.
Best gluten-free: Harbourside's Barbican Fish Bar, Plymouth — a fully gluten-free environment. The Proper Fish and Chips Co. in Exmouth is a strong runner-up.
Best seaside setting: Rockfish, Dartmouth — takeaway from the counter, eat on the embankment overlooking the River Dart.
Best for a day trip: Bloaters, Sidmouth — generous portions in one of Devon's most beautiful coastal towns.
Best North Devon choice: Squires, Braunton — 2026 National Fish and Chip Awards Best Restaurant top-five finalist.
Worth the drive: Harbourside Fish and Chips, Plymouth Barbican — historic setting, great quality, and a fully gluten-free sister shop next door.
2026 Update: Awards Season and What is New
The awards keep rolling in for Devon's chippies. Hook Fish and Chips on South Street has now received the Good Food Award Gold Seal — a mark of distinction reserved for businesses that achieve consistently high customer ratings over three consecutive years. All their fish is MSC-certified and frozen at sea within hours of being caught, which tells you something about how seriously they take their sourcing. It is well-earned recognition for a shop that has been quietly excellent for years.
At the national level, the 2026 National Fish and Chip Awards — the industry's most prestigious prizes, run annually since 1988 — crowned Trenchers in Whitby as Restaurant of the Year, with The Scrap Box in York taking the Takeaway of the Year title. Devon's Squires in Braunton remained in the top five for Best Restaurant, continuing a remarkable run that has seen the county represented at the very highest level of the competition for several years running.
If you are looking for more seafood options beyond the chippy, our guide to the best fish and seafood restaurants in Exeter and Devon covers sit-down dining, and the Topsham foodie guide includes several spots where the catch goes from boat to plate in a matter of hours. For those planning a coastal outing, our Exmouth day out guide and Sidmouth guide both pair brilliantly with a fish and chips trip.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is the best fish and chips in Exeter city centre?
- Hook Fish and Chips on South Street is the standout takeaway in the centre, with the Fish Supper House on Okehampton Road a close second. For a sit-down meal, Rockfish on Exeter Quay serves sustainably sourced fish with unlimited chips.
- Which Devon chippy has won national awards?
- Krispies in Exmouth is the most decorated — a former National Fish and Chip Shop of the Year winner known for its battered chips. Rockfish's group of seaside restaurants across Devon has also collected multiple national accolades.
- Is fish and chips better in Exeter or on the Devon coast?
- The coast wins for setting and freshness — Exmouth, Dartmouth and Sidmouth all have exceptional chippies steps from the sea — but Exeter's best (Hook, the Fish Supper House) hold their own against any seaside rival.
- How much does fish and chips cost in Devon in 2026?
- Expect roughly £9–£12 for cod and chips from a good takeaway, and £15–£20 for a sit-down restaurant serving with sides. Seaside premium spots charge a little more for the view.
The Bottom Line
Devon is arguably the best county in England for fish and chips. The combination of fresh catches from Brixham — England's largest fish market by value in 2025 — a deep tradition of quality chippies, and some of the most beautiful places to eat them in the country creates something truly special. It's the same pattern you see across the county's wider food story: from the fifteen-generation cheesemaking at Quicke's outside Exeter to the sustainable fishing fleet at Brixham, Devon has always taken its food personally. If you enjoyed this one, our guide to Devon's artisan cheesemakers is the natural next read — and pairs surprisingly well with a bench on the Quay.
Whether you're after a quick Friday night supper from Hook in Exeter, a sustainable sit-down at Rockfish on the Quay, or a full day trip to the coast with fish and chips on the beach, this corner of England has you covered.
And if there's one thing we've learnt from running Dinners With Friends, it's that the best social plans are often the simplest. Fish and chips. The beach. Good company. Sometimes that's all it takes. (The only argument you'll need to settle is who's buying — and we've got a few unwritten rules on splitting the bill for that too.)