Having lived in England for a while, I’ve had a hankering for really good fish & chips that I can take out in the Camb/Arl/Boston/Watertown area. I don’t care that much about the chips, but looking for extremely fresh white fish (forget tilapia). Cod…hake…etc. Any suggestions? Doesn’t have to be the cheapest. Just the freshest, fried with care and attention.
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The Abbey in Cambridge often runs fish & chips as a special.
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I had a really nice plate of fish and chips at Olde Magouns in Somerville recently. The fish struck me as unusually tasty and fresh.
Fridays only, and I have no idea if they do takeout. I also wonder how well F&C travel. Seems to me you want them piping hot with a nice crust?
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The Summer Shack in Cambridge has a very good Fish and Chips. https://thedailylunch-woburn.blogspot.com/2019/03/summer-shack-cambridge.html
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fresh fish grilled at the Boathouse in Cambridge is good as well.
Take out F&C doesn’t travel well at all. Now if you want to eat in your car - so pandemic - drive up to Melrose for Turner’s F&C or their sister resto across the street, Rising Eagle. Both are easily accessible by train.https://www.turners-seafood.com/locations/melrose-grill-market/ If you find yourself in Gloucester, Turner’s Seafood Market F&C is the only cooked item they serve. Mr.Sciacca swears by it, me not an F&C fan. https://www.turners-seafood.com/gloucester-market/
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The Boathouse was replaced by the Sea Hag at 49 Mount Auburn St in Cambridge last fall.
Sea Hag is owned by the family that also owns Grendel’s Den.
Nonsense ! F&C sprinkled with salt and vinegar and wrapped in layers of newspaper travels perfectly well, at least in the country I grew up in!
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Good luck getting a restaurant around here to wrap them in newspaper, they’ll put them in a box where the fish and chips will just steam away . I never once got decent takeout fries home during the pandemic though I tried and tried. They always were limp by the time I ate them. Finally realized that the only way was to eat them immediately in the car.
And was traffic where you grew up as bad as Boston traffic at rush hour? Unless you’re picking up somewhere very close to where you live it is unlikely that hot food is still hot by the time you arrive home.
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I loved the fried fish sandwich from Semolina Kitchen in Medford, which is a 10 minute drive from our home in East Somerville. And all 3 members of my household think the Semolina fries are the best ever. They put the fries in a separate paper bag, which we open partially on the way home to reduce the steaming effect. Both fries and sandwich make the trip well.
However, I wouldn’t try it from any other restaurant.
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Waypoint in Cambridge. (Agree with others on takeout fried food though.)
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We had a nice fish and chips (eat in) at the Hourly Oyster House in Harvard Square recently. I wonder if Fresh Pond Seafood in Arlington would be a good takeout option?
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We had spectacularly good takeout (lobster rolls and fish and chips…we are a 5-minute drive from there so the food didn’t travel far) during and just post-pandemic and then sadly, things went way downhill. I can’t remember the last time we ate there sometime in 2023 and the lobster rolls were mediocre. I am willing to give them another chance though and of course I’ll report back, good or bad.
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My plan is to try the fried fish sandwich today from the market/takeout side of the Hook + Line restaurant on Fan Pier at Seaport. Will report back how it is. The restaurant side does have fish and chips on their menu. If the fish sandwich is good, hopefully that means their entree is good too.
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The Globe as a short write up on this place and includes a shot of their fish chips. Certainly looks good.
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May be a bit outside of your target area but Belle Isle in Winthrop is still very good.
Had lunch there last week. Fried haddock plate comes with fries, onion rings, cole slaw and tartar sauce. My dining companion had fried clams. Price with one beer/one soda was $64 b4 tip. The clams were listed as “market price” on the menu and were the more expensive of the two.
Ample free parking, it’s very basic with picnic type tables inside. Hadn’t been since Covid and was surprised to see they now have waitress service. Plate prices were definitely more than those listed on their website.
Portions were large and service was attentive and friendly. Haddock was fresh and flaky, clams were rated as very good.
EDIT: It’s cash only but there is an ATM.
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I thought they only had the fried fish sandwich for lunch, but they do actually have a fish and chips plate too! $22 (Seaport prices) - comes with a house-made tartar sauce and a touch of coleslaw, and portions were healthy sized. The fish is crispy, but not heavily battered - which I prefer. It helps that I work right next door, so it didn’t have time to soften in the take out box. The shoestring fries are also well salted and crispy. Didn’t remember to ask them what fish they use before I left. I found the tartar sauce a tad salty, and the coleslaw was a bit too vinegary. Overall, I liked it. Just wish they had malt vinegar in the take-out condiments.
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