# British fish n chips vs the US version? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [July 26, 2026, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942 "2026-07-26T22:00:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/61 "2026-07-27T18:51:09Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Nope. Never seen one for sale except in tourist chippies in the likes of Edinburgh for foreigners. It varies. They are available at my local chippies here in Scotland, and this is very much _not_ a tourist area, we’re talking housing estate outside the local school. My old local one in Cornwall also did battered mars bars- also jaffa cakes- though I never tried one. That was in Bodmin, so although Cornwall, not really a tourist bit. I don’t really eat fish, can I get some battered halloumi? Salt and vinegar please. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/62 "2026-07-27T18:57:21Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > In the UK you might have a choice of fish, while in the US you might not even be told what fish you’re getting. Not my experience at all. If it’s not cod, the kind of fish will be specified on the menu. Halibut is quite often a substitute offered at an extra charge. In California, we take our fish quite seriously. I wish could say the same for the chips. If you are ever in Central California, check out Giovanni’s in Morro Bay or Padaro Beach Grill in Carpentaria. That’s one difference I’ll make between the US and UK. I’ve never had good fish and chips near the water in the UK. I spent three weeks in Brighton and was almost put off fish and chips for life. Granted, it’s a tourist area, but most of the tourists are English, ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/63 "2026-07-27T18:58:34Z")
My favorite meal in Belgium, besides the steak/frites was _moules provençale_ with frites. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/64 "2026-07-27T19:05:36Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I don’t like steak fries, so the chips were just adequate. Same here, I like my fries thin and crispy. And no yucky peas- please. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/65 "2026-07-27T19:25:47Z")
Now I’m going to have to make it to the local “pub grub” place that claims to be authentically British to see what they offer in the way of f&c. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/66 "2026-07-27T19:35:27Z")
Speaking of Mars bars, it’s interesting to note that the Mars bar in Britain and Canada is basically a Milky Way by American standards—chocolate-covered nougat and caramel, with no nuts—although the British version is usually a little denser and maltier, while the Canadian one tends to be slightly sweeter and softer. The old American Mars bar, however, was a different animal entirely: nougat, caramel, and almonds, making it much closer to today’s Snickers Almond. IOW, the American Milky Way is roughly the British/Canadian Mars, while the original American Mars was not. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/67 "2026-07-27T19:37:09Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Some parts of the country like them soggy. I love soggy chips, especially if they’re quite brown. Haven’t had them in decades though, where do you get them now? Generally I don’t like chip shop chips as much as I used to, I think the demise of beef dripping as the cooking medium has a lot to do with that. > [@Smid](#): > > places like Edinburgh have a watered down brown sauce they might call gravy too (never had it). I don’t think the sauce you get in east central Scotland chip shops is ever called gravy, it’s called sauce. As far as fish goes, haddock is the favourite one in Scottish chip shops. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/68 "2026-07-27T21:27:08Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Well, fish and chips are often eaten ‘on the go’ - it’s a tradition to eat them at the seaside, legs dangling over a peer. Pier. Unless you like dangling your legs over an aristocratic peer member of the House of Lords, if you do that sort of thing in the UK. 😉 But getting back to fish, the fresh country air may indeed be part of the reason that the fish & chips served out of that dockside converted school bus tasted so good, but I still say the freshness and well-practiced expertise was the major reason. For those making their own at home, this terrific recipe for fried pickerel is equally good with cod or haddock. The recipe for homemade tartar sauce is probably good, too, but I just use a dependable brand of store-bought tartar sauce – either Loblaw’s President’s Choice or, if you like the kick of extra spiciness, Legal Seafoods Chipotle tartar sauce. > [@What's For Dinner Tonight: Episode 2021 – A New Hope](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/488): > > Made the pickerel fry I mentioned in the fish sandwich thread. O-M-G. The balance of flavour is incredible and the hot honey and kale salad went perfectly with it. Had a glass of Masi Campofiorin Red and ice water. Dessert was pistachio loukum (Turkish Delight). Delightful start to finish. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/69 "2026-07-27T21:49:15Z")
> [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](#): > > I love soggy chips, especially if they’re quite brown. Haven’t had them in decades though, where do you get them now? Generally I don’t like chip shop chips as much as I used to, I think the demise of beef dripping as the cooking medium has a lot to do with that I think traditionally western scotland likes them soft (I was never a fan of chips growing up, but only got into them after liking frites in Belgium, so that might be why). I remember living in Reading too (near London, not one of the US ones), and their chips were very soft too. Nobody seems to want to map out the variations because they like the chips where they came from, normally, and suffer the chips where they end up… ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2026, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/70 "2026-07-27T22:30:34Z")
I went hiking in Whitby in Yorkshire. It attracts largely tourists from other parts of England, is coastal, and has the best fish and chips I remember having in England. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/71 "2026-07-28T00:26:52Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Chippies don’t tend to have an alcohol license so serve all manner of fizzy drinks… NOooo_ooo!_ I’ve got to have a light lager with battered fish! Local pub serves a “farmhouse ale” by name of Spotted Cow, only available in Wisconsin (victim of interstate bureaucracy, or clever marketing ploy…?). ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/72 "2026-07-28T00:46:20Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > > > I would argue Belgians are the most serious about good chips. > > They put mayonnaise on theirs, don’t they? They put whatEVER you want on them! We got lost in Bruges one night, and were pretty hungry by the time we stumbled upon a [“Frites Bar”](https://fritbar.be/) that we remembered someone recommending. We had two of their “Specialiteiten”, each of which had a dozen toppings over thick, crispy fries. Mine had a pulled pork base with fried onions etc, wife had the Chicken Twist, which I didn’t get to try because she liked it too much. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/73 "2026-07-28T01:27:15Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > usually a little denser and maltier, while the Canadian one tends to be slightly sweeter and softer. The old American Mars bar, however, was a different animal entirely: nougat, caramel, and almonds, making it much closer to today’s Snickers Almond. I Discontinued in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/74 "2026-07-28T09:57:19Z")
> [@digs](#): > > They put whatEVER you want on them! Some words about Belgium frites, a bit OT but not that much. Like anywhere, restaurants and takeaways try and sell product. By default in a restaurant, something with frites won’t come with anything unless stated on the menu, you have to ask for mayonnaise. You will get ten or so bottles of sauce at a chip shop too, including ketchup, “curry sauce”, samurai sauce (a tart hot sauce), Andalouse sauce (ketchup + mayo with peppers, sort of like cocktail sauce) and a few others (mayo obviously too). These are the same things you’ll also get a kebab shop, and some of the choices are probably german influenced. You’d typically be able to get things like currywurst too (german speciality), which is a salty sausage who’s curry flavour actually comes from covering it with ketchup and a sprinkle of curry powder. A note about what they called “curry sauce”. It has little in common with any normal curry sauce you’d otherwise have had. It’s basically yellow mayonnaise with little additional flavour, and not great (the country isn’t one who has typically loved hot food, though their thai food tends to be authentically hot, much more than the UK versions). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/75 "2026-07-28T11:38:55Z")
[The story behind currywurst, Germany’s favourite fast food | National Geographic](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/what-is-currywurst-where-to-eat-berlin-germany) ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/76 "2026-07-28T12:19:55Z")
The chippie near me in southern England lists cod, rock, pollock, haddock, scampi, and salt & pepper squid. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/77 "2026-07-28T14:06:32Z")
An interesting article and it kind of confirms my experience of Germany by omission. Currywurst is a north German thing. I remember visiting Hamburg in 1996 and the railway station smelled of Cinnamon and apple, ie: strudel. When I visited in 2024, it was smoked sausage and curry powder, there was at least ten shops in the station selling it. I lived near Hannover (mid Germany, 2016) and Ulm (South, 2000), and I don’t recall ever smelling a currywurst there. I can’t recall seeing it for sale. North German Donner kebabs are also different from south German ones too. But this is all off-topic, so I will stop now. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/78 "2026-07-28T17:53:00Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Some words about Belgium frites, a bit OT but not that much. Interesting array of sauces. The only sauce I have ever really liked (I dont count Malt Vinegar as a “sauce”) was the Disneyland Pommes Frites dipping sauce- a “creamy, tangy Cajun-spiced remoulade”. I will sometimes dip in 1000 island dressing. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/79 "2026-07-28T19:36:34Z")
> [@digs](#): > > NOooo_ooo!_ > I’ve got to have a light lager with battered fish! Head round the nearest offy\[1\], and grab yourself a can first. Simple. * * * 1. also known as an ‘off licence’; a shop licenced to sell alcohol to be consumed off the premises ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942/80 "2026-07-28T19:48:40Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Out of curiosity, non-Brits, anyone have experience of a proper chippy, i.e. not one for the tourists in London? I’m not even sure if you get ‘proper’ chips in the touristy London places (any Brits want to comment?) Last time I was in London (15 years ago?), my wife and I were starving and we grabbed some fish ‘n’ chips from a place near Camden Town tube station. I don’t know if I would have called it a “proper” takeaway shop (whatever that means), but it certainly didn’t seem touristy. It really hit the spot and I thought it was surprisingly cheap at the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-fish-n-chips-vs-the-us-version/1031942.md?page=5)