The comfort food and the captivating atmosphere of English pubs probably explain why people love coming here. People love unpretentious places where you feel good! If the desire for a 2.0 version of the pub tickles you, Brit & Chips, which already has two addresses, proclaims itself as THE restaurant offering the best fish & chips in the city, and after trying for ourselves; WE LOVE IT.
Firstly and most obviously, don’t go to Brit & Chips regularly if you’re concerned about your waistline: they take fried food to a whole new level. Nevertheless, it is absolutely perfect for a fun weekend or a midweek snack.
Here are 5 reasons why you should go check it out:
1. The diversity of fish and breading
The range of flavors found at Brit & Chips certainly distinguishes the restaurant from others. It’s simple, here, the fish & chips is a specialty in itself. Some of their most notable dishes are sol in sour cream and onion breading and haddock in batter with maple syrup, a sweet but delicate taste. We certainly will be going back for seconds! For those who also like other English classics, you will not be disappointed: scotch egg, sausage rolls, pies, popcorn shrimp tandoori and mushy peas are also included on the menu.
2. Gluten-free options
Thank you Brit & Chips for thinking of those who don’t tolerate gluten. We were eager to taste the recipe because it contained hake, a little more tasty fish, fried in breadcrumbs with Orange Crush (!), made with gluten free rice flour. And of course, Fish & chips also means cold beer. The restaurant also serves an organic gluten free beer, called Celia, so that everyone can enjoy the English experience without inconvenience!
3. Flavors of the month
Unfortunately it’s too late to taste April’s flavor of the month. The breading contained generous chunks of pickles and smoked meat, one of the most interesting things we’ve eaten, and probably what Montreal would taste like if it had a flavor. Fear not however, some favorites come back on the menu depending on the month, including the Doritos, pizza and General Tao breadings. In May, they will have a Creole breading, perfect for the first warm days of spring.
4. The restaurant’s ecological vision
Brit & Chips is the first independent restaurant in North America to be certified by the MSC, the Marine Stewardship Council, in recognition of sustainable fisheries. In other words, eating fish at this place means you contribute positively to a more responsible fishing industry. In addition, you can be sure the fish is fresh and healthy. Employees will also be pleased to tell you where each one came from.
5. ”Deep-fried whatever” desserts
As we were leaving, already overwhelmed by all the food we ingested, the staff (very friendly and available) led us once again to the fryer, even though it took a little while to convince us. We were served a fried chocolate bar accompanied with ice cream. The “whatever” means you have a choice of chocolate bars available at that time. For us, a nice Kit-Kat, perfectly crisp, melted just enough inside. Though you may wish we did, we’re not hiding this delicious secret from you. It’s well worth the trouble of running a half marathon to work off the calories!
Brit & Chips
433 McGill Street
Old Montreal