Fish City Wins Top Awards at National Fish & Chip Awards
Fish City, a family-owned seafood and fish & chip restaurant in Belfast city centre, was announced as the winner of the Environment & Sustainability Award and as the UK’s Fish & Chip Restaurant of the Year at the National Fish & Chip Awards, held in London on the 28th February 2023. Fish City was the only establishment in Northern Ireland nominated across all categories at this year’s awards, and the dual wins mark the first time the prestigious national title of Restaurant of the Year has been held by a Northern Irish restaurant.
The National Fish & Chip Awards have been running for over 30 years and is the largest UK-wide event dedicated to raising standards across the industry and supporting fish & chip-related businesses. In a rigorous judging process, submitted entries in each category were appraised and scored by an industry-leading judging panel, followed by evaluations of physical visits to shortlisted businesses.
Organised by the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) and hosted by comedian Jason Manford, the event welcomed guests and finalists from across the fish & chip sector and across the United Kingdom, including shop and restaurant owners, industry partners and suppliers, and awards sponsors. On the National Fish & Chip Awards, NFFF President Andrew Crook said, ‘We were blown away by the standard of entries this year, all of which have shown an incredible dedication to serving the nation’s favourite dish, in what has been a tumultuous year for the sector.’
Sponsored by the Norwegian Seafood Council, the Environment & Sustainability category celebrates businesses that strive to achieve sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. And sponsored by Seafood from Iceland, the Restaurant of the Year category was judged on expert industry knowledge and outstanding customer service, alongside strong environmental standards and the ability to observe sustainability best practice.
Winners of each category have been awarded a once-in-a-lifetime study trip to Norway hosted by Seafood from Norway that includes a voyage onboard a frozen-at-sea vessel to experience the Norwegian fleet’s sustainable fishing and processing facilities first-hand.
Commenting on the wins, Fish City owner John Lavery said, ‘This is a significant moment personally and for our entire Fish City team, who work so hard to deliver the best quality of food and customer service, and to advocate for sustainability with our partners and communities. It really means so much to represent Belfast and Northern Ireland amongst the best of the best in our industry across the whole of the UK. We are so grateful to the NFFF for this recognition and all the continued support from our guests.’
For media enquiries, please contact Aaron Norton at events@fish-city.com