The best Fish and Chip Shops to visit in the Lake District this Good Friday

Fish and chips are a popular British choice for an end of week treat across the UK, and Good Friday is often the busiest time of year for chip shops all around the country. The Easter tradition of avoiding red meat on Good Friday goes back hundreds of years; according to Christianity, Jesus was executed on Good Friday and devout Christians often avoid eating red meat as a sign of respect. Nowadays, despite religious beliefs, thousands of people across the UK still head out for their traditional fish and chips supper!

Good Friday falls on April 15 this year and the Lake District has an abundance of award-winning fish and chip shops to choose from if you’re feeling traditional this Easter… 

  • Angel Lane Chippie, Penrith

Friday opening times: 11:30am-9pm 

Angel Lane Chippie is Penrith’s oldest fish and chip shop and is run by passionate father and son duo, Dan and Dave Harding.  The shop building dates back to the 1800’s and was originally a bake house, turning into a fish and chip shop in 1928.  The Harding family took over the premise in 2007 and have been serving top quality, traditional fish and chips ever since! A trip to this multi award-winning chippy means you are supporting a local business that prides themselves on sustainability, with the family stating they only use sustainable and responsibly sourced fish. Keep an eye out for the lad’s ‘The Chippy Van’ when on your travels!

  • Vinegar Jones, Bowness-on-Windermere 

Friday opening times: 12pm-4pm, 4:45pm-8pm  

Situated perfectly close to the shores of Lake Windermere, Vinegar Jones is a family owned fish and chip shop run by local couple Paul and Tracey. The shop prides themselves on using sustainably sourced fish and British potatoes, cut peeled and fried on site. The fish is delivered fresh, daily from local suppliers of Morecambe and Fleetwood, then skinned, filleted and coated with Paul’s secret recipe batter before being fried to perfection! Enjoy as a takeaway and head for the lakeshore, or relax inside the refurbished restaurant. 

  • Old Keswickian Fish & Chips, Keswick 

Friday opening times: Takeaway- 11am-9pm, Restaurant: 11am-8pm 

Sitting at the head of Keswick’s Market Square for over 30 years, The Old Keswickian is a family owned fish and chip shop providing traditional meals that can be enjoyed as a takeaway, or inside the cosy restaurant. The interior consists of olde world surroundings, a cast iron fireplace and ancient oak beams! As well as serving traditional, sustainably sourced fish and chips, the shop also provides other Cumbrian classics including Cumberland sausage and homemade steak and ale pie made with Lakeland beef and Jennings Cumberland ale! 

  • Ambleside Fish and Chips 

Friday opening times: 12pm-7pm 

Located on the shores of Lake Windermere, beside Waterhead Bay, Ambleside Fish and Chips provide tasty, fresh fish and chips to enjoy amongst a stunning Lakeland backdrop. The award-winning shop prepares lightly battered, freshly caught fish alongside the finest potatoes from scratch throughout the day. The shop also provides gluten free options alongside a children’s menu. Enjoy your quality fish ‘n’ chips outside on the tranquil lakeshore or inside the restaurant! 

  • Frydays of Kendal 

Friday opening times: 5pm-8:30pm 

Owned and run by local husband and wife Martin and Janice, Frydays of Kendal is an award-winning fish and chip shop renowned for their eco-friendly attitude, passion, friendly service and of course, tasty fish ‘n’ chips! The shop has it’s own dedicated potato room which makes fresh, quality chips everyday which are fried in fully sustainable vegetable fat with no allergens or additives. The chippy’s cod and haddock is sustainably sourced from the North Atlantic and fried in the latest, highly efficient fryer which uses less gas than a standard range meaning it is much kinder to the environment!  Your fish and chips are also packaged in biodegradable boxes, with the couple aiming to go 100% plastic free.  Its no surprise this fish and chip shop has been consistently winning awards year after year! 

  • Priory Place Fish and Chips, Ulverston 

Friday opening times: 11:30am-8pm  

In 2018, local man Tony Poslethwaite decided to turn a disused building on Priory Road in Ulverston into Priory Plaice Fish and Chip shop. In only a few short years, the shop boomed and has since received the NFFF Quality Award, a spot in Fry Magazine’s Top 50 Takeaways and voted Best Chippy by The Mail readers. The business is now family run alongside Tony’s partner and sister in law and serves top quality, traditionally made fish and chips alongside vegetarian and vegan options too! 

  • Shap Chippy 

Friday opening times: 12pm-1:30pm, 4pm-7:30pm 

Shap Chippy is a multi-award winning fish and chip shop situated in the stunning Eden Valley. The shop was established in 2004 and has since been named the UK’s second best fish and chip shop! Deserving of it’s plaudits, the chippy produce top quality fish and chips through ensuring their oil is triple filtered twice a day, the potatoes are the best on the market and their batter is the perfect consistency. Their sustainably sourced Norwegian cod fillets are fried in fully 100% sustainable sunflower oil, which is trans fat free and contains no hydrogenated fat, to provide you with some of the best fish and chips around! Keep and eye out for Shappy Wheels; their award-winning mobile fish and chip van!

Laurie Crayston