Where Brisbane Chefs Eat Fish’n’Chips

Our climate is perfect for eating fish’n’chips all year round. In summer, nothing beats having a swim or a surf and then grabbing some fresh crumbed or battered fish, hot salty chippies and a couple of crispy potato scallops for good measure. Even in winter, it’s still warm enough to grab some take-away and sit by the water. Sure, there’s lots of good fish and chips by the beach, but finding quality ones in the city can be trickier. We’ve asked some of Brisbane’s best chefs to share their tips, and we’ve found there’s plenty of good ones if you know where to look.

Manning Young & Palita Cai, Time & Temp

For the couple behind Time & Temp, fish’n’chips is not just a summertime treat; it’s a year-round proposition. The pair love Christies Too Fish & Chips, a traditional joint in Wooloowin. “It’s a classic – and dangerously situated on our drive home from the shop.”

Alex Yu, Sokyo Brisbane
The majority of Alex Yu’s career so far has been in Sydney and Melbourne. He moved to Brisbane in May to become the executive chef of Sokyo Brisbane at The Star. He’s spent the better part of the year getting to know the local scene. “If you’re in Brisbane and haven’t tried The Fish Factory’s sea perch with calamari and chips, you are missing out,” he says. “The quality is exceptional. The chef uses minimal oil, which makes it super fresh. It is a regular takeaway option in our household.”

Oscar Solomon, Yoko & Greca
As the group development chef of The Apollo Group, Oscar Solomon splits his time between the Yoko and Greca kitchens in Brisbane and the group’s clutch of diners in Sydney. “When I’m back in my home away from home, my beloved Brisbane, there are really a select few places I go for seafood,” Solomon tells Broadsheet. “For fish in general, including fish’n’chips, I always, always go to The Fish Factory in Morningside. It’s unmatched in South East Queensland for diversity in seafood products. The team offers wonderfully simple food with a Cypriot-Greek spin including taramosalata, Greek coffee and taverna-style chips. The other place I go is an hour outside of Brisbane in a tiny little beach suburb called Moffat Beach in Caloundra. It’s my absolute favourite strip of coastline and has a great little fish’n’chip shop called The Shack Fish and Chippery. I try and go mid-week as the weekend is an absolute farce and so busy. The beer batter is supreme and The Shack uses local reef fish. It’s an absolute treat.”

Alessandro Pizzolato, Supernormal
When Italian-born Alessandro Pizzolato is in the midst of an Australian summer he likes to head to The Fish Factory in Morningside for a serve of fish’n’chips. “I work with the guys closely and I know how much care and effort they put in all they do,” Pizzolato tells Broadsheet “The snapper and chips is awesome and [more generally] the fish is always super fresh and they take really good care of their customers.”

Louis Tikaram, Stanley & Stan’s
For Louis Tikaram, nothing beats the freshness of the seafood at The Fish Factory in Morningside. The large retailer is perhaps best known for selling lots of fresh seafood – whole fish, oysters, crabs and lobsters – but it also serves terrific fish’n’chips in its bistro. Tikaram usually grabs it to-go and heads over to the river at Colmslie Reserve, or picks it up on the way home from his daughter’s swimming lessons.

“They have access to the freshest fish and it doesn’t even have a chance to leave the building,” Tikaram says. “The local whiting and snapper are my family’s go-to – golden-fried and served with chips and salad.”

Adam Wolfers, Anyday Group

Local fresh fish, a light batter, and a good amount of seasoning. That’s the criteria Adam Wolfers uses for fish’n’chips, and he reckons The Fish Factory ticks all the boxes.

“I go to The Fish Factory to not only get fish and chips, but also [to buy] fresh oysters, bugs and crab,” Wolfers says. “The quality of the seafood is amazing there [and sometimes they have] amazing fish from the northern parts of QLD like coral trout.”

When getting out of the city, Wolfers likes to head to Finn's Fish House in Wynnum or Noosa Boathouse in Noosaville.

Caroline Jones, Three Girls Skipping
A family favourite for chef Caroline Jones is The Fishery in Milton. She loves the large range of fresh Australian and New Zealand seafood including whole fish and fillets, crustaceans and shellfish. There’s also some fish fillets on display which can be picked out and cooked to order.

“If you care about where your fish comes from this is the place for you,” she says. “[It’s] very laid back and simple but so good!”

Since this story was first published, Jones opened her own fish 'n' chip shop, Three Girls Fishing, in Graceville.

Jake Nicolson, The Ghanem Group
Jake Nicolson works with top-quality seafood at all of The Ghanem Group venues he oversees (Blackbird Bar and Grill, Boom Boom Room Izakaya, Donna Chang and Byblos Bar and Grill), so the chef knows where to find the best seafood to serve his family at home. The Fish Factory is on top of his list.

“They have a dine-in bistro and they always get the best seafood from Queensland and the surrounding areas,” Nicolson says. “You can buy anything from whole coral trout, beautiful fresh snapper and local tuna and swordfish. That’s more your higher-end seafood.”

For quality fish’n’chips closer to home, Clayfield Seafood Markets is his family’s local.

“The Clayfield Seafood Markets is more your everyday fish’n’chipper where you pick-up and takeaway in a paper bag. They’re well-known for an amazing fish burger, as well as your regular grilled, battered and steamed fish. They use real products so you’re not buying the manufactured products, just real seafood.”

Paul McGivern, La Lune Wine Co
When it comes to fish n chips, Paul McGivern likes to keep it simple. He just wants some crumbed fresh snapper, a couple potato scallops and tartare sauce.

“I have simple tastes when it comes to fish’n’chips,” McGivern says. “I just want stuff that reminds me of when I was younger.”

He loved the now closed One Fish Two Fish in Brisbane, but recommends a trip down the M1 to visit Peter’s Fish Market in Main Beach.

“You choose your fish, they put it in a plastic bag and you tell them how you want it cooked,” McGivern says. “Normally there’s lots of people there. I worked out you’ve got to go there at 11.30am or at 2.30pm, otherwise there’s a line-up out the door and around the corner.”

With additional reporting by Lucy Bell Bird.

Editor's note, Wednesday April 16, 2025: One Fish Two Fish has since closed but the team behind the venue now operate a CBD spot called Midtown.

Or if you've had a particularly boozy weekend, this is where Brisbane chefs and restaurateurs eat when they're hungover (and what they order).

This article was originally published on December 21, 2023 but was updated on Thursday December 18, 2025.