Fish and chips restaurants in Toronto are pretty evenly dispersed around the city, with tons of fantastic destinations. No matter what neighbourhood you're in, you need not cast your line too far to reel an excellent plate of coastal comfort food.
Here are my picks for the top fish and chips by Toronto neighbourhood.
See also:
The best fish and chips in Toronto
The top 10 under the radar fish and chips in Toronto
THE ANNEX
Harbord Fish & Chips is an old school outfit that's best enjoyed on a warm day, when you can perch at a picnic table and people-watch while mowing down on flakey filets encased in a golden fried crust.
THE BEACHES
British Style is a stalwart at Dundas and Coxwell where classic fish dinners focus on the essentials; lightly battered fish and seafoods and deep-golden, crispy chips.
BLOOR WEST VILLAGE
The One That Got Away does all the classic fry-fishes as well as some more unusual catches like arctic char and pickerel. In addition to light, crispy fried options, this place does grilled alternatives for the health conscious, too.
THE DANFORTH
Off The Hook takes a customizable approach that offers a variety of styles. Have your fish battered, grilled, jerk or cajun-style, along with an ample selection of sides and house-made sauces.
DON MILLS
High St. Fish & Chips reels in a steady stream of Anglophiles looking for golden wild-caught halibut dinners with chunky fries and extras like pickled beets and mushy peas.
EAST DANFORTH
Established in 1930, Duckworth's Fish & Chips is famous for battered halibut, haddock, blue cod or sole combos served with creamy coleslaw and thick steak fries.
ETOBICOKE
Kingsway Fish & Chips is a west-side fave for its varied menu featuring fried and grilled fish and seafood, comfort foods like meat pies and mushy peas, and finally, their perfectly-seasoned chips.
FINANCIAL DISTRICT
Little Fin is a seafood-centric fast food spin-off from the same folks as The Chase, and while the majority of menu verges on being obscenely pricey, the haddock (priced at $9) with crispy potato wedges and slaw is an excellent value. For extra flavour, the fish is marinated in lemon, caper and mustard and encrusted in a golden fried breading.
HIGH PARK
Generous, over-packed platters of beer-battered haddock with a mountain of chips and coleslaw and tangy tartar sauces are one of the best bets on the menu at the Mugshot Tavern.
KENSINGTON MARKET
Fresco's is an unassuming fry shop in The Market where the menu features haddock, halibut, salmon and cod dinners with fries, slaw and tartar sauce. Extras like fried pickles and battered mushrooms are worth trying, too.
KING WEST
Bar Hop offers an inventive spin on the classic: the fish is coated in crushed Ruffles chips and Rice Krispies and comes served with delicious twice-fried chips, fennel apple slaw, house-made tartar sauce and tempura'd green beans.
LEASIDE
Olde Yorke Fish & Chips is the pub-style chippy of choice in this neighbourhood. The menu features crackling battered cod, haddock or halibut dinners along with various diner staples and a notable roster of desserts - try the key lime pie!
LESLIEVILLE
As its name suggest, Reliable Fish 'N Chips and a steadfast choice for sustainable alternatives to the classic halibut and chips combo. Opt for wild caught snapper, basa, cod or haddock served on checked paper, accompanied by fresh-cut chips, tartar and malt vinegar.
LITTLE ITALY
The Caledonian, being the consummate Scottish pub, is home to a seriously excellent plate of fish and chips. The house beer batter encases fresh haddock, while ultra-crisp, aggressively seasoned chips are sure to satisfy.
MOUNT DENNIS
Golden Crisp is a family-run institution on Weston Road that's famous for massive portions of halibut, haddock, big roughy or Alaskan white fish. Standard dinners come with golden thick-cut chips and slaw, or Caesar salad.
NEW TORONTO
The menu at New Toronto Fish & Chips does only four things; fried halibut, haddock, scallops and shrimp - each coated in light, fluffy batter perfected over their 40 years in business.
QUEEN WEST
Fresh Off The Boat is a newly opened take-out joint on Queen West where the menu does traditional beer-battered fish and chips served with fresh cut fries, a lemon wedge and raisin-studded broccoli slaw.
SCARBOROUGH
Count on excellent bang for your buck when ordering the haddock or halibut with chips at My Place Fish and Chips, a Brit-style chippy found in a Scarborough strip-mall.
ST. CLAIR WEST
The menu at Sea Witch Fish & Chips consists of five types of fish (halibut, haddock, cod, pickerel and Arctic char) available one or two pieces at a time with chips or on a bun. The newly-opened eatery is clean and contemporary, giving it a charming character that just might entice diners to eat in.
ST. LAWRENCE MARKET
Delicious fresh fish abounds at St. Lawrence Market where stalwart Buster's goes head to head with spin-off Market St. Catch to claim the crispiest fish and most delicious fries. For me, the winner is Buster's, where the frantic, bustling line-up is all part of the experience,
WEST QUEEN WEST
Its home facing Trinity Bellwoods park positions Chippy's as the easy favourite among park-goers looking for a fish fry picnic for grab-and-go. Bonus points for house made tartar sauce and insanely tasty hot curry,
WESTON
The menu at Sun Crisp Fish & Chips is a gem on Weston that will satisfy hankerings for classic fish and chip dinners complete with vinaigrette-saturated coleslaw. Choices include cod, halibut or haddock, battered and fried in hot fresh oil that entombs the succulent, flaky fish in a crunchy and (relatively) light crust.
YONGE & DUNDAS
Among the menu of pub favourites at the Queen & Beaver on Elm St., expect to find delicious fish and chip dinners served with the house tartar sauce and extra-juicy, extra-sweet grilled lemon.
YONGE & EGLINTON
Fish Street Market & Open Kitchen is a fishmonger that's happy to expertly cook up whatever you choose from the daily catch on display. Not to be missed are the lightly battered fish dinners, served with thick potato wedges and slaw.
YONGE & ST. CLAIR
John & Son's Fish & Chip Shop (adjacent to the oyster bar by the same name) prides itself on exclusively offering sustainable Ocean Wise fish. Choose from haddock, Atlantic cod or curry-spiced steelhead trout with fries or salad and house-made tartar sauce and flavoured aioli.
What did I miss? Disagree with my selections in the comments.
Top photo of Sea Witch by Marni Wolf.