Bankers Traditional Fish & Chip Restaurant

Bankers Brighton serves up some of the finest fish and chips in our seaside town and is considered a traditional fish and chip establishment.

Their history started in the 1920s when they launched a fish and chips in Romford, London, and over time they expanded into other areas, which now includes Bankers in central Brighton and Hove.

A branch of this chain is located on Western Road, on the opposite side of Norfolk Square, and offers both takeout and eat-in options for fish and chips.

The perfect spot

Bankers is the perfect place to grab a quick meal before heading to the beach.

When winter arrives and the weather isn’t beach appropriate, it’s better to go for a traditional style restaurant than the fast-food option. Being particularly well-designed, the flagship store in Brighton features rich wood finishes and expansive windows that allow for plenty of natural light.

The main course items are 15 fish dishes, served paired together with chips (which can also be substituted for salad or jacket potatoes). The batter at Bankers Brighton has not changed from the original recipe, it is looked up to, but not surpassed.

The restaurant is family-owned and family-focused. The kids’ menu is served with smaller portions, ice cream and soft drinks are available. On Mondays through Thursdays, senior citizens receive a discount. Everyone loves fish and chips!

Sustainability

Bankers Brighton maintains a strong commitment to sustainability, an aspect that most fast food businesses ignore when trying to minimize costs.

Fish sources for Bankers come from sustainable fisheries in Iceland, where discarded fish is strictly forbidden, and quotas are tightly controlled to ensure that the ocean can grow.

The Bankers strong sustainability policy is further enhanced by the use of only biodegradable or recycled packaging. Aside from their ethical recognition, they also produce good quality and good value fish and chips!

Our Bankers experience

With a fish platter, we were able to sample a variety of starters.

Served out in a large oval plate right away, it included golden crispy calamari rings, delicious cod goujons, breaded scampi bites, as well as crispy cockles.

Two nice lemon wedges, along with a delicious lemon-dill sauce, were served on the side. We tucked into more than enough to start the day off right.

As far as main courses are concerned, the menu featured Haddock, Cod, Plaice, Fish Cakes, Battered Sausages and Scampi.

There is also the option of cooking the fish in breadcrumbs or grilling it, which is good for those who don’t enjoy battered fish. To those who prefer pies over fish at the fish & chip shop, you can pick up the house special, a fish pie, to eat in.

Though all the main courses on the menu looked tempting, the fish special on a menu board by the kitchen piqued my interest. Servéed with a huge plate of salad and chips, this sea bream was baked, stuffed with lemon and chopped parsley. There was no doubt about the freshness of this fish–it was firm and flaky with radiant white flesh.

In terms of chips, we had two options: big chunks of white potatoes and very thin sweet potatoes. If you are looking for a lighter lunch and you need a vitamin C boost, go for the latter! I liked the white chunky chips best because their inside was fluffy, while the outside was crisp. Despite being slightly softer, the sweet potatoes tasted delicious because they had a sweet, creamy flavour. In addition, those potatoes are all grown on British farms with which Bankers has maintained a close working relationship for decades.

This restaurant’s traditional fish and chips are nothing to complain about, but the specials are the real draw.

There may not be any awards for its wine list or decor, but it’s a great chippy regardless of whether you’re dining in or ordering takeout, and anything that supports British farmers gets my vote.

Service options: Dine-in · Takeaway · Delivery

Address: 116A Western Rd, Hove, Brighton BN1 2AB