HI-TIDE

£25 - £43 / British, Seafood

107 High St, Ilford

Opening hours

12:30PM-9PM

Sunday Closed
Monday Closed
Tuesday 12:30PM-8PM
Wednesday 12:30PM-8PM
Thursday 12:30PM-8PM
Friday 12:30PM-9PM
Saturday 12:30PM-9PM

Crispy Fish Bliss: Top Flavor Destination!

When I ambled into Hi-Tide, the local hub for fish and chips aficionados, I found myself in an intriguing interplay of flavours and idiosyncrasies. The golden beacon of crispy cod and perfectly mushy peas effortlessly announced their culinary prowess. True to the whispers of the regulars, their batter was a gloriously non-greasy celebration of all things fried and delightful; it's no wonder I overheard someone describe it as hands down the best. As chips piled onto my plate, anticipation built faster than a queue on a Friday night. Alas, as many patrons have remarked, the portion sizes were a tad more on the elegant side than one might hope from a hearty British chippy experience.

What Hi-Tide had in culinary quality, they occasionally lacked in service sparkle. At times the personal touch seemed weathered—some staff members whisking about with all the charisma of a lukewarm cup of tea, others happy to strike up a chat as if you'd popped round their house for a crumpet. It’s odd, the way enough paper can make any bundle seem a dozen times more generous than reality dictates – like Topeka shrinking relatives at Christmas! Still, even those there for just a perfunctory dinner agreed that Hi-Tide remains that level above the common chippies, yet flirtatiously dances the line of your fish cravings and portion mathematics. Certainly well worth another try, if only for that swoon-inducing cod, but paired perhaps with ready-adjusted expectations on who serves it and how much grease-free delight your should expect in the bag. — Milo Tastemaker