Fisk & Frite, Bristol: Affordable Fish, Serious Quality and a Surprise Seafood Feast

We went to Fisk & Frite in St Werburghs, Bristol, drawn in by their excellent reviews and a tempting £10 lunch deal spotted on Instagram. Sometimes lunch deals are a compromise. This one absolutely isn’t.

First Impressions & Setting

Fisk & Frite looks striking even before you eat. The deep blue exterior and bold octopus mural make it stand out on Mina Road, and inside it’s modern, clean, and thoughtfully designed. Be warned that the roads around the area are narrow, sometimes with cars parked on both sides, turning it into a single lane. Finding a space to park can be challenging but it will be worth it. Seating for dine-in customers is a covered patio area directly in front of the takeaway counter. It’s compact rather than spacious, but it feels fresh, well kept, and intentional rather than squeezed in.

Staff were immediately attentive and welcoming. We ordered at the counter, chose our table, and within moments our drinks arrived. Not long after, our food followed, freshly cooked and piping hot.

The Lunch Deal: Cod, Chips & a Soft Drink

Our order was the classic battered cod with triple-fried chips, part of their excellent value lunch set.

The cod was the highlight:

• Fresh, flaky, and cooked perfectly
• Encased in a light, crisp batter that shattered nicely without being greasy
• Well seasoned, with real flavour rather than bland crunch

The triple-fried chips were golden and audibly crisp on the outside, with a fluffy interior. In our case, I made the small mistake of adding freshly milled sea salt, not realising the batter and chips were already seasoned — which tipped things slightly salty for my taste. Lesson learned rather than a flaw in the food.

Condiments arrived promptly when requested, including tomato sauce served neatly in a dish rather than a sachet. We took our time with the meal, enjoying the freshness and care that had clearly gone into it.

A Tempting Distraction: The Seafood Boils

At the next table, a family were sharing one of Fisk & Frite’s seafood boil platters, and it’s impossible not to notice them. Their seafood boils are generous, dramatic, and clearly designed for sharing:

• Lobster Bundle: lobster, octopus tentacle, king prawns, langoustines, green mussels, and blue crabs.
• Crab Bundle: a whole large crab plus two snow crab legs in place of the lobster and blue crabs.
• Fisk Ocean Bundle: a show-stopping platter serving four, combining both bundles

All are tossed in a house special sauce, served with baby potatoes, corn on the cob, homemade focaccia, and a choice of dips:

• Lemon & herb
• Garlic & mushroom
• Sriracha & Tabasco

You can also choose your heat level for the sauce, from mild through to spicy. Watching these platters land on tables makes it very clear that Fisk & Frite is much more than “just a chippy”.

Menu Range & Dietary Options

If large seafood feasts aren’t your thing, the main menu still offers plenty of choice.

Fish & seafood options include:

• Battered cod and haddock
• Sea bass and whole sea bass
• Sardine pomodoro
• King prawns, tiger prawns, calamari, baby scallops, scampi, and mussels
• Smaller portions for children

There’s also a strong vegetarian and vegan selection, and one major plus frequently mentioned by customers: the entire menu is gluten-free, which is rare for fish and chips and a huge win for anyone with dietary restrictions.

What Other Diners Are Saying

Customer feedback consistently echoes our experience:

• Fish described as “melt-in-the-mouth” with “super crispy, savoury batter”
• Triple-cooked chips often praised as some of the best around
• House-made sauces, especially tartare and curry sauce, singled out for quality
• Seafood boils noted as generous, flavourful, and excellent value
• Friendly, helpful service and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere

Some diners mention small preferences, such as wishing for condiment bottles on tables but these are minor details rather than real criticisms. You can ask for home made sauces and sides but these come at an extra. Options include mushy peas, curry sauce, tartar sauce, sriracha mayo, garlic and chive mayo and sweet chilli sauce.

Would We Be Back?

Fisk & Frite manages something genuinely impressive:

• Affordable lunch deals that don’t cut corners
• Restaurant-level seafood served in a casual, friendly setting
• Thoughtful design, excellent service, and clear pride in the food

Whether it is for a quick weekday/weekday lunch*, treating someone to a seafood boil, or looking for one of the best gluten-free fish and chips options in Bristol, Fisk & Frite delivers. *The affordable lunch from 12pm to 3pm is available all week.

This isn’t just a good local chippy, it’s a place doing seafood properly, with confidence and care. We’ll absolutely be back, and next time, that seafood boil is calling.