The Fish Shop

Fish 'n' chips are rarely this much fun. With indoor-outdoor seating, tongue-in-cheek nautical decor and a determinedly fish-focused menu, this place is quite a catch. Under former Brit-pack chef Jeremy Strode, this little Merivale enterprise is an ode to the sea, and to (mostly) classic preparations of its bounty. Take the prawn cocktail, for example - served here in a fisherman's white enamel mug. Sweet, just-poached prawns marry up with a trad Marie Rose dressing and a bed of iceberg. just as it should be. Salt fish croquettes have the requisite exterior crunch, and a fluffy interior. There's the famous fish burger (the go-to take-away) and more than decent fish 'n' chips. But there are also opened-to-order Sydney Rocks (nothing finer) and from the daily market list perhaps a simple, grilled whole mackerel served with salsa verde - a celebration of this under-rated species. Add snappy service, a cool wine and drinks list and a happy neighbourhood ambience, and we're hooked.