Britain's best fish and chip shop has been named(Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)

Britain's best fish and chip shop has been named - and it has two very famous fans

John Longs in Belfast city centre has been named as the best fish and chip shop in the UK - and it has a number of famous fans, including Eamonn Holmes, Sean Bean and Take That

06 Oct 2024, 01:00 by Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas, Sophie McLaughlin · The Mirror

A fish and chip shop beloved by breakfast TV legend Eamonn Holmes has been hailed as the UK's finest.

In their latest roundup of '23 of the UK's Best Fish and Chip Shops', The Times picked out John Long's in Belfast city centre at the very top. The esteemed Northern Irish establishment outclassed competitors from England, Scotland, and Wales, earning praise for its 'fresh fish' and 'light batter', which was cited as the recipe for success.

Being 10 miles from the coast, it has defied the old adage about the best chip shops being located by the sea. Eamonn Holmes once said he would choose the chippy for his final meal if he was given only days to live - and it has also won the affection of other star names, including Sean Bean, the members of Take That, and Dara O Briain.

John Long's in Belfast city centre came out at the top( Image: Facebook)

The fresh fish used for the tasty suppers is landed at the seaside town of Kilkeel before being brought in and served up in the kitchen. As well as your traditional chip shop fare, the Belfast chip shop also has a range of traditional pasties on the menu, including battered minced pork with onion and potato, which is an old Belfast staple, according owner John Copeland.

Eamonn Holmes once said he'd go to the famous chippy for his last meal on Earth( Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Hollywood star Sean Bean is also said to be fond of the menu( Image: PA)

"Don’t fix the wheel if it’s going ‘round well", he previously told Belfast Live, highlighting how the decor and many of the customers' favourite meals have stayed the same for more than half a century. A protective metal grid also remains in place over the windows, serving as a meaningful reminder of life in the city during the Troubles.

The decor and many of the customers' favourite meals have stayed the same for more than half a century( Image: Justin Kernoghan)

John Long's has now become such a staple of Belfast's food scene that many tourists now mark it out as a must-see when they're in the Northern Irish capital. Some coach tours even include it as one of their stops. One solo traveller wrote in a recent review on TripAdvisor: "Quite simply the best fish and chips I've had in years. They don't have good chippys in the Midlands. It was so good I had it 2 nights in a row". Another said: "Feels like a real slice of history."

In second place on the list of best UK chip shops was Redcloak Fish Bar in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire. The "insanely popular" Harbour Lights Fish & Chips in Falmouth, Cornwall, came in third.