Secret to Mackay’s best fish and chips revealed

The woman at the helm of Mackay’s best fish and chip store – as voted by you.

Vella's Fish Bar was voted Mackay's best fish and chip store in the Daily Mercury Best of Mackay 2020 campaign. 2IC Jay Ashford is a familiar face to customers. PICTURE: Ashley Pillhofer

THE secret to Mackay's best fish and chips is that there is no secret.

It is just good produce, simple recipes and decades of family experience handed down through the generations.

The woman at the helm of Vella's Fish Bar, Judy Fenech, has been frying fish and wrapping chips in butchers paper since she was 13.

 

Vella's Fish Bar was voted Mackay's best fish and chip store in the Daily Mercury Best of Mackay 2020 campaign. 2IC Jay Ashford is a familiar face to customers. PICTURE: Ashley Pillhofer

Daily Mercury readers voted the store Mackay's best fish and chip shop as part of the Mercury's Best of Mackay 2020 campaign.

Mrs Fenech said her mother, who ran a fish and chip store in Mount Isa, taught her the art of making tasty batter and the perfect chips.

She attributes the store's success to this knowledge and her passion for what she does.

"I know what I am doing, I have lots of knowledge," Mrs Fenech said.

"That is all I can put it down to … the knowledge. It is knowing what you are doing and actually liking what you do.

"We only do fish, chips and burgers. We don't have the fresh seafood, so it is old-fashioned."

Vella's Fish Bar has been a working fish shop since 1980 when Nora Vella opened the business. Mrs Fenech took over in 2011.

She said the store had continued to grow, even through the downturn, since she took over.

Mrs Fenech said the store would close for three weeks after Good Friday for an exciting renovation.

Debbie's Seafood at Slade Point and the Lighthouse at the Harbour placed second and third in the reader-voted poll.

The Daily Mercury runs its Best of Mackay series every month. Find out more here.

Originally published as