Fish and Chips is one of those British dishes that we all enjoy but I have to say I have visited quite a few different restaurants and was shocked at the poor quality of some. Thankfully when I went to review Sutton and Sons in Islington (they also have restaurants in Stoke Newington and Hackney Central) I was not disappointed. These guys know fresh fish having sourced only the finest and freshest for almost 20 years. They have their own fishmongers and have built up great relationships at fish markets and directly with fishermen. The family run restaurants don’t just serve fish and chips, their menu is more extensive than that also offering grilled options for those that prefer them.
The restaurant in Islington was very big but that didn’t stop the steady stream of clients coming in for takeaways or sitting down for a meal. The diners were mixed from city types to locals and it appeared from our arrival that we may have just discovered a pearl in a sea of shops and restaurants. The entrance was one of a traditional fish and chip shop had high bench seating and stools at the front, the back had lower tables with metal stools. The music that played gently in the background was relaxed and not too loud adding to the relaxed atmosphere. Downstairs was an additional eating area which was very small and I much preferred being upstairs in the bright airy room.
The menu was varied and priced very reasonably for the location. There are also Chef’s Specials that you can choose from and a children’s menu.
Starters
These were both healthy sized portions especially the whitebait.
Whitebait with Garlic Mayonnaise
The size of the whitebait was larger than I am used to having had much smaller ones in the past although normally in Spain. This was the first time I had them in a bread crumb coating rather than in a batter. This made a change and the fish was nice and tender, moist and fresh. The bread crumb coat was crunchy and the contrast between this and the soft fish within was great. The garlic mayonnaise complemented the dish well and wasn’t overpowering. This is one of those dishes you can keep picking at and goes well with a cool sparkling drink.
Battered Calamari Rings
The pieces of squid were thick and not at all chewy. The batter was lovely and crunchy although a touch greasy but a quick dab with a napkin solved this and it is expected with a deep fried dish. It was clear the food had been cooked in clean fresh oil from it’s appearance and flavour. This was served with tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon and the mix of flavours went well together.
The starters went down extremely well and we were looking forward to the mains.
Mains
Griddled Tuna Steak plus New Potato (side dish)
We were surprised that the tuna was presented so beautifully. It was totally unexpected as when you visit a fish and chip restaurant it is normally just about the food rather than the presentation. We hadn’t expected this to come with a salad or a salsa. The salad was crisp and fresh and the salsa had a delicious mix of flavours from the olives, roasted pepper, coriander, tomato sauce and gherkin – it was salty and had a slight spiciness to it. This complemented the tuna well which I must add was cooked to perfection.
Cod and Chips with Mushy Peas (side)
Having learnt that from previous reviews that three courses can sometimes be a bit too much for me I asked for less chips than a normal serving and a smaller piece of fish and they did exactly that. The cod was fresh, chunky, flaky and moist, the batter light and crisp. They had proper fresh and chips restaurant chips which I was pleased to see. The mushy peas were nice and creamy and a good addition.
Our waiter George was very attentive and showed the same level of care to all that were at the restaurant as I watched and listened to make sure.
Dessert
Mrs Sutton’s Famous Sticky Toffee Pudding with Walnuts and Vanilla Ice Cream
George advised us to try the sticky toffee pudding. I have to say I made a big mistake not making sure we had a portion each. My friend wanted to share – I’m not so good with this when it comes to dessert and she enjoyed it so much she ate half (I was gutted). This was delicious and a dessert you simply must try. When it arrives the aroma gets those taste buds working over time and it is served warm!!!! The ice cream went beautifully with it and as you dig in you discover nice sized pieces of nut in the pudding.
Good new for the locals these guys use deliveroo so if you are near enough to any of the branches I suggest making the most of this.
Do you love fish and chips too?
We were guests of Sutton and Sons and would love to thank them for a lovely evening. All views are my own as always.
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not my kind of place as I am a vegetarian and dont eat fish. But I do love my chipy chips! And those puddings sounds yummy!!
I love fish and chips, but this looks extra special. I’ve not had a tuna steak in years ….. Might have to buy some after reading your post.
We loved the presentation of it and it tasted great.
Oh wow this sounds like a delicious fish and chip shop, it is amazing how some places can do it so well and that pudding looks to die for!
the fish especially looks very fresh.
oh my goodness that all looks amazing and you had me at calamari!!
Aahhh a fellow calamari lover It looks great doesn’t it and tasted good too!
Oh my that sticky toffee pudding looks divine and it is good that the quality was better than some restaurants. Did they have veggie options by any chance?x
It was really good. They have a Butternut squash & goats cheese which sounds delicious 😉
I am going to be craving fish and chips now :), it is very hard to find a decent restaurant now, my husband would love this too x
making my mouth water just looking at the pictures of the food lol
Lol I do love my foodie pictures!!!!
Oh my, this looks incredible! I might have to go and try it out for myself when I get back! x
Oh wow this place is right up my street! The fish looks so incredibly fresh! xxx
It was fantastic and everything was fresh which was great.
I cannot express how much I need to eat here! It looks and sounds so delicious, whitebait is one of my fave things too.
Next time you are in the area I suggest a visit. You won’t be disappointed.
This all looks so clean and fresh, and delicious, of course! Great review, thank you.
No problem. I hope you are able to pay hem a visit 😉
Wow this looks absolutely delicious I’m so jealous. Never been to Islington before but it sounds like a good standard fish restaurant. Well written review x
This really does look delicious. I’m a huge tuna fan and the way they have presented it in your dish looks AMAZING!
That looks delicious, my Other Half would love it. We’ll definitely check it out if we are in the area.
It’s really good there the food was far better than I had expected.
Oh this all looks very yummy!
Looks tasty
Omg you are making me feel hungry! This looks amazing, fresh and super tasty. Well worth a visit 🙂 x
I was sooo good I am looking forward to my next visit!
I absolutely love fish and chips so will have to give this place a visit when I’m next in London x
You will be very happy when you try it Stephanie – enjoy 😉
What a lovely place to eat, all the food looks lovely and freshly cooked.
It was very fresh and if this was closer I would be there all the time – I do love eating fish and theirs was some of the best I’ve had.
Sutton and Sons sounds like the place we should all be rushing to for some good fish and chips and that calamari looks absolutely delicious.
The calamari was really good as was the rest of the food we really enjoyed our meal.
Wow, those dishes look delicious. I love fish and chips too, especially at the seaside eaten out of paper!
I do too but it has to be good quality like this one 😉
I do love a good english plate of fish and chips – I tend to go for calamari when abroad though
I love to mix it up a bit – I can’t help myself I enjoy experiencing a range of foods.
Oh yummy I do love a good fish and chips but have to say I loved the look of the tuna too!
I know it did look fantastic plus I got to try that and it was cooked to perfection and went well with the additional items.
Oh sticky toffee pudding! We love fish and chips too! Looks like the place to visit 🙂
I know!!!! I was soooo excited it was really good too. OMG you must try it 😉
Everything looks mouth wateringly good! I think the fish and chip shops that have been around a long time tend to be the best, as you said, it gives them time to source only the best stuff!
That’s very true and these guys have access to some very fresh fish.
Always good to find a decent and reliable fish and chip restaurant. The food looks delicious, and I like that they listen to your request for portion sizing (I often find portions are much too big). To finish with sticky toffee pudding has surely got to be a rule, and it looks amazing.
I was pleased they did give me a smaller portion I wouldn’t have wanted to waste the food it was really good.
I struggled to find nice fish and chips. Wish I’d known about this place. x
Ahhh well that’s why I do these so that I can tell everyone about all the good restaurants in London 😉
Woweee what a first class fish and chips experience! We’ve never seen tuna steak presented as beautifully as this in a chippy. My mummy is a massive fan of mushy peas and those look really good 🙂 Glad it was all fresh too!
It was very well done and I must say the way the tuna as presented was so unexpected. I was very impressed.
I haven’t had a good tuna steak in ages. You have got me craving one now.
It does look great doesn’t it!
Omg, Everything looks delicious and this makes me hungry now but my favorite part is the dessert
It was all really good but that dessert was the cherry on the top that’s for sure.
Yummy! I love Fish and Chips.. especially on a sea front. Can’t beat it in the sunshine!
It is a great British dish isn’t it 😉
I have to admit I don’t eat fish or seafood but this looks absolutely amazing and has actually made me super hungry!!
I bet if you tried this you would love it 😉
Oh my God! Suttons and Sons sounds out of this World. I love the look of the Whitebait and the Tuna, however you can’t beat a fabulous bit of battered fish, chips and mushy peas.
I would so devour that sticky toffee pudding too!!!
You need to try the food Tanya it really is good!
Mouthwatering! It all looks so good, but when I read the specials menu in the photo I knew I wanted the lobster sub! Delish!
That sounds good doesn’t it I need to try that another time!
The food looks so yummy. Making me very hungry now. Think I need to get my lunch. Lol.
you can’t go wrong with a fish and chips. it’s heaven on a plate. i haven’t had one in years and want one now
Ha, I wish. I have tried some really bad ones. Thankfully this one was very good.
I love a chippy dinner! Sticky pudding is so yummy!
Sounds like a fab place to eat. Love the puddings available too!
It sure is. Yes that pudding was really good I’m glad they put so much care into all their dishes.
YUM! You cant beat fish and chips, this looks amazing!
It is a great dish isn’t it. The fish here was gorgeous – very fresh!
mmm! I want all this including that cake! I am glad you had a wonderful time!
The dessert was wonderful and taught me never to get just one dessert between 2 again unless I am super full!
The calamari looks amazing, and it sounds like they cooked it just right. The dessert looks too tempting for words
It was perfectly cooked in fact every dish was they did a wonderful job.
I really enjoy the fish and chip shop around the corner from my home, and my children do too but its quite expensive so a nice treat now and again xxx
This particular one is very well priced, you might like to try it.
I used to love going to Islington when we lived in London. I either have missed this place or it’s new, but I’d love to visit it next time I’m in town 🙂
I hope you do get to go the food was lovely.
Ooh, these look incredible! I’ve not had fish n chips in ages 🙂
Louise x
I hadn’t had it for a little while so I was really keen to review them and i’m glad I did.