Fish and chips are a truly iconic staple food for us Brits! Whether we have them by the sea or in paper on our laps in our homes, you can’t beat the comfort that a good old fashioned fish tea brings! Therefore, when the blog was kindly invited to try the fantastic Sutton & Sons in London, I simply had to say yes! 

Good Morning Lovelies, 

For many of us in the UK, last night would have involved a chippy tea! A good old fashioned fish and chips with all the trimmings. Whether it be a homemade kind or one from your local chippy, the tasty delights that come from them our very iconic. 

There so, when the blog was kindly invited to try the newest menu offerings from Sutton & Sons, I had to say yes! Based in London on Essex Road, Stoke Newington and Hackney Central, the family run business has been striving recently and it was easy to see why. 

Having chosen to go to their Essex Road establishment, we arrived at around 6:30pm last night to find a very busy business. Upon entering, we were welcomed with open arms, as they seated us on one of the tables inside.  

As soon as the scents of the classic dishes hit our noses, we felt a true sense of calm and comfort, which was made even more special with the classic British rain pelting down outside. 

Surrounded by iconic signs, including a much loved Guinness one that we asked if we could take (jokingly of course!), we were soon asked to choose our drinks for the evening. The menu is full of nostalgic delights, warming our souls to the core, so we opted for an old school cream soda to go with our meal. 

As the drinks were being prepared, we took a few minutes to choose our starters from the chalkboards on the wall. In no time at all, we decided on the Battered Calamari with Garlic Mayo and Tempura Prawns with Sweet Chilli sauce. 

Getting to work on our order right away, the two man team, prepared each dish fresh in front of us. With the business being well-known for using only the finest fish, we watched in true awe at our meals being made. In under 10 minutes, we were presented with the biggest and crispiest starters that tasted utterly delicious. 

The calamari rings were big and beautiful. As soon as the fish mixed with the mayo and entered our mouths, we couldn’t help but moan at how good they were. Everything within each bite had been cooked perfectly. 

Something we also found with the prawns, which bursted with flavour bite after bite. The batter wasn’t too oily. The fish were fantastically sourced, seasoned and fried. It was so good that our excitement for the main meal reached new heights. 

Taking a short break to get ready for the main, we again looked to the board for the big event. Together, we opted for the Breaded Scampi with Chips and the Whole Sea Bass with Chips. Two dishes that when they landed on our table left us in amazement. 

The scampi was golden and crisp with each bite getting better and better. Every crumb was devoured, as we couldn’t get enough of just how good they were. However, the real wonder was the sea bass. Completely and utterly cooked to perfection, the fish landed whole but it wasn’t long before there was nothing left. 

Upon being served the dish, the fish arrived flavoured with fresh lemon slices, which when squirted over made the juicy fish meat pop. Easily ripped from the bone, the tender fish slides down easily. Something we were thankful for as we couldn’t get enough. 

Whilst we were worried that we should have gone with something battered - after seeing another customers huge piece of cod - we knew from every bite that we had made the right choice with what we ended up with. Plus, when paired with the beautifully fluffy chips, it couldn’t have got any better.

When you look for a great chippy, it does all come down to those golden potato wonders and we can safely say that Sutton & Sons has nothing to worry about with theirs. Not too oily or greasy, each piece was wonderfully prepared. Think of the best old school chip pan kind of tastes and that’s what you got. Ours didn’t last two minutes as we loved them so much. 

After finishing our dishes, we had also been offered the chance to review some desserts. However, the Essex Road venue didn’t seem to have any. We didn’t mind though, as we were quite full from the starters and mains. As we bid a farewell to the amazing staff and headed out in the London rain, we were in awe from what we had eaten. 

Sutton & Sons truly know how to give us chippy lovers a taste explosion that just gets better and better with each bite. Anyone seeking an iconic meal can safely go to any of the three venues and know that they will get a delightful dish. Whenever we return to London and see one of the three restaurants, we will definitely be going back in. It’s a new icon in our eyes and I can’t recommend it enough to you lovelies! Honestly, you need to try it ASAP! You will not be disappointed! 

Joey X