Best of Melbourne: city’s top 10 fish and chip shops revealed
It took a bit of grilling, but here it is — the full list of Melbourne’s top fish and chip shops, as voted by you. Did we reel in your favourite? SEE THE WINNERS
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We grilled you, and you took the bait — here are Melbourne’s top 10 fish and chip shops.
When we asked you to tell us who made Melbourne’s best fish and chips, there was no flakiness.
It was clear you’re hooked on your favourites, with a whopping 783 nominations and thousands of votes.
Our top 10 fish and chips shops didn’t need to fish for compliments — you had plenty of nice things to say.
So, where in Melbourne should you throw a line? Scroll down to find out the city’s favourite spots for a fishy fry-up.
>>Are you looking for a great place for a haircut? Check out our top 10 best Melbourne hairdressers. We have you covered in the north, east, south and west as part of our Best of Melbourne series.
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10. Dazza’s Fish n Chippery, Melton
5 Exford Rd
The story of how Darren Rodgers came to own his Melton fish and chip shop is so crazy, it’s almost unbelievable.
Nine short months ago, Mr Rodgers — then a fuel tanker driver for Linfox — and wife Michelle were on a cruise ship holiday in America, 150 nautical miles (277km) from land in the gulf of Mexico.
“I was lying in bed and my wife got up to go to the toilet and I was making noises and she turned the light on, and I was dead for 35 minutes,” he says matter-of-factly.
The previously healthy 47-year-old had suffered a massive heart attack.
Mrs Rodgers says she had been text messaging one of the couple’s kids in Australia when she heard a “little snore” — nothing unusual.
“I didn’t look at him, I turned around and hit him and said ‘shut up, I’m trying to go back to sleep’,” she says.
When it happened again, she turned on the light and discovered her husband “gasping for air”.
She started CPR and couldn’t wake him, before the ship’s paramedics worked on him for 40 minutes.
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Mr Rodgers was flown by helicopter from Mexico to New Orleans — a trip so long, they had to stop on an oil rig to refuel.
Not allowed to travel in the chopper, it would be 18 hours before Mrs Rodgers would see her husband, when the ship finally reached land. She was told to prepare for the worst.
“When I got to the hospital they told me to expect the worst, because he’d been out for so long that he most probably would be brain damaged,” she says.
“As soon as I walked in the hospital I touched his shoulder and he woke straight up.”
Aside from some short-term memory loss, Mr Rodgers has no other side effects and there is “no medical reason” known for his heart attack.
Mrs Rodgers has no doubt someone was watching over the family.
In a further twist of fate, the helicopter trip had a $95,000 USD ($140,866 AUD) price tag.
But the coastguard couldn’t get to the ship so a private company was called — and the couple, who had travel insurance, later learnt they had done it for free as a training drill.
Mr Rodgers spent a week in hospital before being cleared to return to Australia.
But it came with a cost — an implantable cardiac defibrillator and a pacemaker in his heart, meaning he could no longer drive heavy vehicles, ending his career.
Enter the fish and chip shop.
Son Kyle, 19, had been working there casually. His dad was in limbo.
“I’ve had a hard time with what’s happened because it’s changed my whole life,” Mr Rodgers says.
“I had to change my whole career and the person who owned the shop asked me if I was interested.”
The family took over the shop three-and-a-half months ago, with “perfectionists” Dazza and Kyle leading the charge, and Mrs Rodgers, the couple’s other children, Shauna and Liam, and nephew Kaleb helping out.
They have left the menu largely unchanged, and are finding huge customer support after their life-altering experience.
Customer Kaan Kemal says the staff “make the food with love and really value their customers”.
Bailey Mawson raves about the “absolutely beautiful fresh fish and great staff”, while Natalie Krukowski says they offer “unique burgers and the best chips”.
Mrs Rodgers says when her “workaholic” husband said he wanted to buy the fish and chip shop, she jumped through hoops.
“You’re here for a reason, if you want to own a fish and chip shop we’ll make it happen,” she says.
“For him to be sitting on the couch for seven months, it was taking its toll. This has been a godsend.”
More: facebook.com/Dazzasfishnchippery/
9. Tommy Ruff Fish Bar, Mordialloc
564 Main St
Tommy Ruff owner Peter Stamoulis’s seafood credentials trace back decades and generations, to the Greek islands.
“Our grandad, Ippocrates Stamoulis, he came from the island of Samos in the Aegean Sea. His life, and our lives, have been dominated by everything that part of the world had to offer, and seafood and the world of fishing is a key part of that,” Mr Stamoulis says.
His grandparents migrated to Melbourne in the 1950s and ran a traditional fish and chip shop, and his parents followed in the early 1990s, owning a multitude of shops including the Red Mullet Fishcaf in Malvern.
Mr Stamoulis says his family wants to change people’s perceptions of “fast food fish and chips”, offering a “diverse selection of quality and sustainable seafood” at their Tommy Ruff stores in Mordialloc, as well as Elsternwick and Windsor.
“Ultimately, we know that fish and chip classics resonate with all Australians, but we wanted to show a local and new seafood experience,” Mr Stamoulis says.
“We ultimately want to set ourselves as a market leader, but in education of seafood across the board.”
The family opened its Elsternwick shop eight years ago, Mordialloc followed and Windsor came three years ago.
“It was an investment that we were more than happy and confident making in the Mordialloc area given the strong following that we have, and the very loyal following,” Mr Stamoulis says.
In line with the business’ strong family roots, he says staff pride themselves on treating customers like relatives.
“The moment that we lose touch with our roots, which is a family business with family atmosphere, then we’d have to reconsider what we’re doing,” he laughs.
Tom Gilmour says Tommy Ruff is Mordialloc’s “not so hidden secret”.
“Buy your fish ‘n’ chips and head down to the beach and enjoy,” he says.
Toula Wilson says: “It is always fresh and tasty. From fish and chips to their seafood platter, it is all delicious.”
More: tommyruff.com.au
8. The Crispy Catch, Ringwood East
Burnt Bridge Shopping Centre, Shop 2A, 434 Maroondah Highway
As a kid, Anthony Siljanovski spent plenty of time hanging around in his mum and dad’s fish and chip shops, waiting for the night’s trade to end.
So it was only natural that he would go into the takeaway business himself.
“It was probably because of them, just growing up as a kid in the industry, going after school to mum and dad’s fish and chip shop and waiting there until 9 o’clock at night until it was finished,” he says.
Mr Siljanovski has owned his Crispy Catch shop in Ringwood East with dad, John, for nearly three years, and they previously owned the Ferntree Gully store.
He jumped at the chance to move to the Maroondah Highway spot.
“I guess the location has always been set in my mind, to one day snag the store,” he says.
Although Mr Siljanovski says fish is the shop’s most popular menu item, customers also love their charcoal-roasted lamb and chicken on a spit, and their sweet potato chips are a popular healthier alternative.
He says he is “super, super excited” by his shop’s nomination among Melbourne’s best.
“We’ve put a lot of hard work into this so we have won a few awards in the past and people say ‘you’re so lucky’,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say it’s luck — we put in 12-13 hours each day, me and my father, for six days a week.”
Danielle Theofanis says the shop is a “wonderfully friendly, clean, family business”.
“Incredible customer service and the food is always fresh without being heavy and greasy,” she says.
Brad Hill says the food is “so crispy, crunchy and contagiously yummy”.
“They cook their souvas the proper Greek way too, over charcoal, horizontal — not vertical,” he says.
More: facebook.com/Thecrispycatchringwoodeast/
7. Main Fish and Chips and Kebabs, Eltham
935 Main Rd
If you’re looking for great gluten-free fish and chips, Eltham’s Main Fish and Chips and Kebabs has you covered.
Barbara and Sam Sakr have been running the shop for nearly a year after giving up the nearby Bolton Fish and Chips, which they outgrew after six years.
A former nurse and health inspector, Mrs Sakr says she “knows the right from the wrong with coeliacs”.
“I think we’re one of the only fish and chip shops that’s doing it properly,” she says.
“I get customers from everywhere — I’ve got a customer who drives 40 minutes for fish and chips.”
The shop uses separate fryers and storage for their gluten-free cooking, ensuring no cross contamination.
The husband and wife team have also tapped into Eltham’s strong vegan population, with a vegan and vegetarian menu, vegan batter and separate cooking area.
They serve up vegan dim sims, potato cakes, kebabs, salads and burgers using beans, jackfruit and soy — and are tweaking the recipe on their vegan halal snack pack.
“We pride ourselves for good customer service, the best quality food, and we don’t compromise price for quality, either,” Mrs Sakr says.
Despite her career background, Mrs Sakr is no stranger to the food world.
Her Lebanese parents ran takeaway shops in every corner of Melbourne as she was growing up, before the family returned to its homeland, where Mrs Sakr went to university.
She met her husband and worked as an oncology nurse manager at the American Hospital of Beirut, before the couple returned to Melbourne for a better lifestyle — and a change of career.
Now, customers are clamouring for Mr Sakr’s cooking, including his kebabs — they’re also the only kebab shop in Eltham.
The couple are grateful for their customers’ loyalty, and say they are “catering for the minorities and the majorities”.
Customer Jhon Andrews declares the Sakrs’ offerings “the best gluten-free fish and chips in Melbourne”, while Jess McKenzie says the shop has an “outstanding knowledge and care of allergies, and absolutely delicious food”.
More: mainfishandchips.com.au
6. Fish Shop Pearcedale, Pearcedale
Shop 1, 62 Baxter-Tooradin Rd
Anthony Morris only bought Fish Shop Pearcedale three years ago — but he’s been behind the counter “pretty much” his whole life.
Mr Morris, 35, started working at the shop as a teenager and lives a stone’s throw away.
“The boss at the time wanted to get out so I had the opportunity to take it over,” he says.
He says customers are particularly drawn to their flake, cooked in fresh oil at the perfect temperature, as well as their range of homemade hamburgers.
The old-school fish and chip shop, which serves up “the works” uses local suppliers and Mr Morris says he is “pretty proud” of the nomination.
Customer Hannah den Hartog says: “Fish is always delicious, chips are the best and steamed dim sims are amazing. Can’t beat fabulous customer service, too.”
Tanya Graham says the shop serves “the BEST hamburgers”.
More: thefishop.com.au
5. Trawool Fish and Chips, Box Hill
23 Trawool St
If you need a top-notch potato cake fix, look no further than Trawool Fish and Chips.
Customers rave about Amelia Fasciale’s handmade offerings, which include not only the standard potato cake, but sweet potato and pumpkin as well.
Ms Fasciale, 28, is a qualified chef, having completed an apprenticeship and working in a city hotel before deciding to try her hand in the business game six years ago.
“It was there to buy, I wanted a starting point for me to learn business and how it works, and being a chef I wanted to do something with cooking,” she says.
She believes her customers appreciate the amount of food preparation done on-site, with staff making not only the potato cakes but burger patties, sauces and even marinating meat for souvlakis.
“We try and do as much as we can from scratch,” she says.
Clarissa Diez says: “Amelia makes all the potato cakes by hand and they are HEAVENLY.”
And Michaela Sims raves about the “mouth-watering chips, delicious vegetarian souvlaki, generous serves (and) a free potato cake thrown in”.
Bonita Ralph says: “The service is wonderful, they remember your name and order … it’s a great local.”
Ms Fasciale says it’s nice to know her customers appreciate her efforts.
“At the end of the day I like cooking, and I like keeping people happy with their food, so it seems like we’re doing something right with that,” she says.
More: facebook.com/trawoolfishandchips/
4. Blu By Australian Seafood Group, Coburg
146 Gaffney St
For mouth-watering seafood so fresh it’s almost still dripping in saltwater, look no further than Blu by Australian Seafood Group.
The award-winning business, which was last year judged the best fish and chip shop in the state at the Australian Fish and Chips Awards, is owned by Theo Patsiotis and his father Con.
It is filled with fresh fish each morning thanks to a daily trip to the fish markets, with the senior Mr Patsiotis — who started in seafood on Sydney Rd, Brunswick in 1973 — regularly rising at 4am.
“We don’t cut corners in our cooking, we don’t cut corners in our buying,” he says.
“What we specialise in is local Australian seafood and some New Zealand products, but basically we sell fresh and local Australian sustainable seafood.
“And everything we use is A1 quality … from oils, the flour, right to the end of cooking.”
The shop sells a huge array of seafood — from the ever-popular gummy, to salmon, barramundi, snapper and rockling — which customers can take home fresh or have cooked in-store.
There are gourmet menu items too, including the luxurious lobster burger, and gluten-free options.
Tasso Keves says the business serves “incredible exotic meals”, while David Dean enjoys “only the freshest fish and local produce all filleted on site”.
Customer Madison Pepyat says: “You can get anything from your regular piece of flake and chips to a complete gourmet seafood experience. Amazing!”
More: facebook.com/blubyasg/
3. Hooked and Cooked on Rooks, Nunawading
148 Rooks Rd
When it comes to fabulous fish and chips in Melbourne’s east, fast-food aficionados will know Peter and Heather Zontanos.
The couple have been running fish and chip shops in the eastern suburbs for 20 years, with Hooked and Cooked on Rooks their eighth business.
It’s a family affair for the pair as they follow in the footsteps of Mr Zontanos’ parents, Bill and Helen, who ran shops for 30 years.
“We just used their recipes and tweaked them a little bit, moved with the times a bit,” Mr Zontanos says.
And a third generation — the couple’s kids, Liam and Makayla — work in the shop now.
Hooked and Cooked specialises in Greek-style fish and chips, which reminds customers of the food they enjoyed in the 1980s.
“A lot of customers come in and say it’s good to see Greeks here — they feel like they’re in good hands,” Mr Zontanos says.
“It’s like fish and chips were when they were growing up.”
He says the shop’s salads, burgers and souvlakis are also popular, and “everyone raves on about the potato cakes”.
“We filter the oil every day, sometimes twice. It’s all in the oil and the quality of the products.”
Customer Kevin Khan says: “Think back to the ‘80s, the old Greek fish n chips you loved. It’s back!”
Fiona Brown agrees, saying: “The crumb on the grilled fish is delicious and the chips remind me of fish n chips in the ‘80s.”
“Cooked by Greeks, the king of fish and chips,” says Andrew Callahan.
More: facebook.com/HookedAndCookedOnRooks/
2. Blue Marlin Fish N Chips, Caroline Springs
Shop 11, 13-15 Lake St
When brothers Tony and Joseph Fadlallah bought their fish and chip shop three years ago, it was “dead”.
“It was really rundown and we just cleaned it up and built it up,” Tony says.
Tony and Joseph, 23 and 25 respectively, started working in cafes and pizza shops as teenagers and developed a love of food.
The self-taught duo now spend their days serving up crispy chips, delicious fish and burgers which get rave reviews — and they do some “crazy stuff”, like serving a parma between buns.
They even offer an enormous “challenge burger”, which has attracted competitive eaters including recent Ninja Warrior star Riley Murphy, aka Chompamatic.
“I’d love to promote it but it’s so annoying to make,” Mr Fadlallah laughs.
He says the secret to their success is “love and passion” for everything they do.
Consistency is also key, with the two men the only ones cooking “every single day”.
“We love giving people good food, that’s our main goal here,” he says.
“We’re very motivated boys. We’ve very ambitious and we wanted to get somewhere in life, and the best way is to make good food.
“You love what you do and you’ll love your career.”
Jennifer Lay says the shop serves the “best old school fish and chips but hands down the meanest burgers in the west”.
And Robert Kustura dubs them the “best burgers in Melbourne hands down, no one even comes close”.
“Best fish and chips in Melbourne hands down,” he adds.
Daniel Aquilina says: “Everything is perfect, delicious fish, crunchy chips, mouth watering burgers.”
More: facebook.com/pg/Blue-Marlin-Fish-N-Chips-1794907500768268
1. FnC fish n chips, Essendon
325 Keilor Rd
Brothers Norm and Zaaf Khzam have only owned their Essendon fish and chip shop for a year, but already their takeaway-with-a-twist is paying dividends.
Billing themselves as “old school meets new school”, the business has won the crown of Melbourne’s best.
Norm Khzam’s voice is hoarse when he talks to Leader — a testament to the hard yards he puts in behind the counter of his pride and joy, while juggling a young family.
Mr Khzam ran a fish and chip shop 10 years ago then worked in sales, giving himself the foundation to launch his new business.
The shop has an innovative menu, selling not only traditional fish and chips, but unique burgers, loaded fries and the popular fish tacos, which Mr Khzam discovered in Bali.
“I think the reality these days is you’ve got to be better or different, or both,” he says.
“You look at our burger menu, and I think it’s competitive with burger shops, which is the latest craze — but there’s still a focus on fish.
“Fish tacos, it just makes sense to me. I think the Melbourne landscape is very educated these days, and you look at the burger and Mexican craze, but fish shops don’t do tacos.”
He says their shop has a “cover all bases” menu, appealing to everyone.
They focus on quality produce, processes and training.
“You can give somebody the best piece of fish and they will ruin it through lack of technique,” Mr Khzam says.
Customer Colin Chamings says the shop delivers “flavour in overdrive”.
“Great service, unique menu and really quality food, sensational fish, unbelievable burgers, great sides,” he says.
Kirsty Bills declares them a “triple threat”, offering “delicious food, a fantastic menu and friendly service”, while Nathan McLean dubs the a “gem of the northern suburbs”.
Tom Ashby says the boys offer “a modern take on one of Australia’s guilty pleasures”, and Alan Fleming calls them “chefs of fish and chips”.
Mr Khzam says the shop is proud to be short-listed, “let alone” make the top 10.
“I think with the economy the way that it is you’ve got to really drive it,” he says.
“We do have our ups and downs, and this is the cherry on top.
“To be honest, it almost brings a tear to your eye. It’s a huge honour and I think it further reiterates why we’re doing this.
“We’ve built a loyal clientele that we’ve almost become mates with over a year, and it’s a testament to the people that work here as well.”
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