Fish Butchery Waterloo

This fancified fish shop by Josh and Julie Niland is a larger, more approachable expansion of the now-closed Paddington original.

The Waterloo space occupies an eye-catching corner position on Bourke Street, with striking floor-to-ceiling glass windows and wraparound counter seating in line with the team’s commitment to transparency. And passers-by and customers can see Niland’s team preparing fish to order along a 13-metre marble counter.

A predominately takeaway menu offers carefully prepped items such as souvlaki, packing thin slices of marinated Murray cod, garlic sauce and chips in house-made flatbread. From the “pie box” order a meat pie made with yellowfin tuna mince, caramelised onion and black-pepper gravy; a rosemary and garlic fish sausage roll; or a smoked Murray cod quiche Lorraine.

There’s also a hefty sandwich selection, including banh mi with scallop mortadella, pressed cod-head terrine and cod-liver parfait, and a coral trout coronation sandwich. Plus, you can purchase condiments in-store such as octopus XO, harissa, gentleman’s relish, yoghurt tartare sauce, rendered Murray-cod fat and cod-liver parfait.

The fish counter showcases a selection of fresh and dry-aged fish including sausages, butterflied fish, tuna schnitzels, fillets of fish and ribs of tuna. Above the display is a charcuterie cabinet, home to Murray-cod bacon, tuna bresaola, swordfish pancetta, moonfish prosciutto, a range of salamis and chorizo.

You can also pick up frozen goods such as packs of prawn dumplings, family- and individual-sized pies, tuna lasagne, sausage rolls and Murray-cod fish fingers.