Golden Hind (fish and chips) - London, England (8/10)
Apr 25th, 2007 by admin
[UPDATED: November 2008 - I revisited Golden Hind last week, after a relatively long absence. The fried cod and haddock were superbly fresh as usual, with the fish flaking off the fork so much that it was actually quite hard to eat. However, I was disappointed with the chips, which were barely golden. And the garden peas were too dry (probably from having been cooked ages ago). It still remains a popular place with locals though. I think next time we'll have to remind them to cook the chips more (we forgot this time). The photos here are from this recent trip].
Golden Hind is a delightful fish and chips restaurant located in the heart of Marylebone, just off Marylebone High Street. Open since 1914, it’s been in the hands of only a few owners, Italian and Greek, in the last 90 or so years. Popular with both locals and tourists, it serves superbly fresh fish and chips, the best in London, if not the country. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve eaten here, and all my friends and family love it too, especially Ed Motta (who will bring along an expensive wine to complement the fish).
I particularly like the story about how the first owner killed his mayor in a small Italian town and had to leave in a hurry, arriving penniless in London. He started his business by by frying up the scraps that fishmongers threw out! I’m not sure how much of the story is true, but I like telling it to people.
The restaurant is small, the décor basic and you will definitely end up smelling of fish and chips by the end of the evening, but it’s worth it. I would recommend sitting upstairs rather than downstairs, which can be a bit miserable, and that you always book ahead. The owner and waiters are all welcoming and friendly, even on busy nights, which is most nights. The fresh fish arrives daily from Grimsby (most fish and chips places serve frozen fish and you can really taste the difference), the chips are hand-cut and the tartare sauce is home-made. The menu is small but you really don’t need anymore than what’s on offer.
Over the last six years, I’ve only ever eaten cod here (and fish cakes once), mostly steamed as opposed to fried in batter, with chips and garden peas (not the classic mushy peas - see below). The batter is unusually light and not at all greasy, which makes this restaurant stand out. And the portions are large.
The prices are very reasonable too, about £10-12 a head with water and service (it’s BYOB - Bring Your Own Bottle, which means you can bring your own wine). There have only been several times when the chips have not been quite brown enough, which spoils the meal slightly, but the fish is ALWAYS fresh.
To dispel the generally poor image of fish and chips in this country, please bring your friends here! Our friends always react a little sceptically to the idea of eating fish and chips until they’ve tried it here…
The Golden Hind is one of my favourite London restaurants!
10 - Perfection, 9.5 - Sensational, 9 - Outstanding, 8.5 - Superb,
8 - Excellent, 7.5 - Very Good, 7 - Good, 6.5 - Above Average, 6 - Average
All the London restaurant reviews on World Foodie Guide
Contact Details:
Golden Hind
73 Marylebone Lane
London W1U 2PN
Tel: 020 7486 3644
Helen Yuet Ling Pang @ World Foodie Guide
The fish is super fresh and the batter light as a feather. The chips could do with an extra minute or 2, and I was disappointed with the mayonnaise - obvioulsy not the tatar sauce you mention -. My husband loved that he had to go round the corner to buy a beer, it made him feel like he lived there
Cheap, small and typical, it was perfect at lunch time.
Armelle - I’m so pleased you liked it here! Everyone we bring here loves the fish. The husband always tells them to do the chips for a little longer, but he forgot last time…
Helen Yuet Ling