Four chippies in the Greater Manchester region have been ranked among the Top 50 in the entire country.
Fry Magazine, which publishes an annual list of the best places in Britain to grab a chippy tea, has released its official rankings for 2021.
A quartet of local cafes have made the prestigious list – which is arranged in alphabetical order.
The magazine performed a series of unannounced mystery dining visits throughout the year, marking shops and mobile units on over 40 aspects including food quality, customer service, social media presence and COVID-safe practices.
Outlets were also assessed on the “flakiness of the fish, the crispness of the chips and the crunch of the batter, alongside value for money.”
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Fry editors said that despite the challenging conditions of the past year, entrants “didn’t let standards slip” – with the quality benchmark said to be the highest in the awards’ history.
The Greater Manchester venues named on the list were as follows…
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Chips @ No.8, Prestwich
First up was Chips @ No 8 – a cafe made famous for having a 20ft mural of The Fall frontman Mark E. Smith painted on the side of its building.
But despite the artistic flourish on the exterior of the chippy, it’s always been the grub that truly keeps customers coming back.
Owners stated in a Facebook post: “There are more than 10,500 fish and chip shops in the UK and our little chippy down a side street in P-Town has been listed in the Top 50!!!
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“This is a prestigious list and we’re incredibly proud to have made it.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us, everyone who has queued on a Friday.”
Sykes, Pendlebury, Salford
Sykes is one of the most popular chippies in Salford – finishing top of a ‘Best Chippies’ poll voted on by MEN readers in 2020.
It’s a venue that’s no stranger to acclaim, so it was unsurprising to see the beloved Pendlebury fry house make Britain’s Top 50.
Nonetheless, the owners reacted to the news with delight.
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“With thousands of entries Sykes is proud to be named one of the UK’s top 50 fish and chip takeaways,” read a statement on social media.
“This is a prestigious award and the competition was high.
“We would like to thank all our loyal and supportive customers and those who have queued on our busy teas aswell as the wonderful team we have working with us.
“Really great to see other amazing Manchester fish and chip shops making the list!!!!”
The Little Chippy, Tyldesley
Also making the Top 50 was the humbly-named Little Chippy in Tyldesley – a cafe that whips up tasty portions that defy its diminutive name and stature.
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Based on Elliott Street, the cafe reels in five-star reviews on a regular basis – and owners said being named on the Fry Magazine list was a “great honour.”
“To make it onto the top 50 Chippy’s in the U.K. with our 1st entry in the awards is fantastic!” they stated.
“So glad to see so many other Manchester based chippy’s to make the list.
“We couldn’t do it without our dedicated team of staff and all our lovely customers who have stuck with us over this last 12 months.”
The Fish At Goose Green, Wigan
Last but certainly not least was The Fish At Goose Green – the Wigan takeaway with slick branding and a deliciously expansive menu featuring pies, seafood and chicken as well the classic fish & chips.
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Owners welcomed the “fantastic news” after a “hard year”.
They stated: “We are extremely proud of our staff and are thankful for the continued support from all of our customers.
“I think there’s only one thing left to say… who’s up for a Chippy tea?”
You can view the full list of Fry Magazine’s Top 50 chippies online here.
Food & Drink
KFC have launched their own perfume – oh, and a new burger
Danny Jones
Fast food giants KFC have launched their very own perfume in one of the weirdest marketing stunts we’ve seen in a long while.
That being said, we definitely want a bottle.
KFC‘s fried chicken-themed fragrance launches next month and is fashionably named ‘No 11 Eau de BBQ’, a nod to their newest menu item, the Ultimate BBQ Burger, which we also want in our possession as soon as humanly possible.
The franchise’s new signature scent launches in just a week’s time and, yes, you can genuinely buy it along with the new burger for a limited time only.
The UK-only release actually sold out when it came to pre-orders but Brits will be able to get their hands on another batch when the second lot drops on 7 May.
Promising a charcoal and smoky wood-scented aroma that immediately transports you to your mate’s back garden as he turns cheap burger patties into overly blackened dry pucks of meat that you definitely would’ve cooked better if you were in charge, the stunt is also helping raise money for non-profits.
Available in 100ml bottles and for just £11, 100% of the proceeds of every sale will go towards the KFC Foundation, which supports grassroots organisations empowering young people to unleash their potential and build a positive future in local communities across the country.
As for the burger that inspired it, the special edition menu item is a nod to BBQ season gradually approaching and they’ve even made a nod to our famously reliable British weather and its attempts to derail the art of outdoor grilling in a new advert.
KFC perfume and a new burger? Christmas has come well early this year.
The Ultimate BBQ Burger has already launched and will be on the menu until 9 June, priced at £6.49 or £9.99 for a box meal which comes with the burger, a regular mini fillet, regular fries, BBQ sauce and a drink.
And don’t worry, it’ll be available on delivery too — we know we’ve had problems with that when it comes to specials in the past.
As KFC’s No 11 Eau de BBQ perfume, you can wait in the online queue like everyone else HERE and let’s just say you’ll be fighting us and plenty of other Mancs for every last drop.
Manchester’s viral sandwich shop Ad Maiora is selling HUGE butties for only 9p through Deliveroo
Daisy Jackson
Ad Maiora, the Italian sandwich shop that’s loved by Manchester City stars (and everyone else who’s sunk their teeth into one), is selling butties for only 9p this week.
The local business is famed for its authentic sandwiches filled with quality imported Italian ingredients, and for its super-sized versions of its delicious lunches.
And this week only, you’ll be able to pick up a hefty sandwich, called the Scran-wich, for only 9 English pence.
The limited-edition Schiacciata will have nine different components and weighs in at a whopping 500g (though it’s nothing on their 1kg beast we’ve tried before…)
Owners and couple Enrico and Daniela have spent weeks developing the perfect balance of flavours.
Each ingredient is sourced in Italy but inspired by places and sayings from Manchester.
So you’ll find spicy ‘supersonic’ salami, nowt better N’duja, mozzarella ‘footballs’, sliced Haçienda heritage tomatoes, ‘r kid Italian wild rocket, 0161 olives, lashings of mad fer it mayonnaise, ‘buzzing bee’ basil leaves and ‘let’s ave it’ red onions – all sandwiched between fresh homemade Scran-worthy Schiacciata bread.
The Scran-wich and its 9p sale have been created to celebrate Deliveroo’s ninth birthday, and there’ll be 300 available to order through Deliveroo.
The limited edition 9p ‘Scran-Wich’, available at Ad Maiora in Manchester through Deliveroo. Credit: Deliveroo/Dominic LipinskiAd Maiora is one of Manchester’s best sandwich shops and loved by celebs and locals
Enrico and Daniela, owners of Ad Maiora, said: “We’ve had so much support from the local community since we launched, so we were very excited when Deliveroo asked us to create a special Ad Maiora sandwich dedicated to the city of Manchester in celebration of their 9th birthday.
“We hope our customers love the limited-edition ‘Scran-wich’ – we’ve really enjoyed creating a sandwich that celebrates our city which makes this SUPER limited edition and special!”
Steffi Morel, Deliveroo city manager for Manchester, said: “It has been an absolute honour connecting Manc foodies to the best local restaurants at the click of a button for the last nine years.
“To celebrate, we’ve partnered with one of Manchester’s new local favourites, Ad Maiora, who’ve created the ultimate birthday ‘Scran-wich’, which pays homage to the city with every delicious bite! Deliveroo customers will need to be quick, as there are only 300 available!”
Ad Maiora’s Scran-wich is available for just 9p from Tuesday 30 April until Thursday 2 May through Deliveroo.