The Best Fish n Chips In ST. JOHN'S NEWFOUNDLAND

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You can find great pieces of fish at snack bars and restaurants here in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. There are many FnC establishments that have survived - and thrived here, many for decades. This is not secret. We are known for our Fish n Chips.
Over a 7 day period in late April, I made a point to visit all of the different St. John's-based Fish n Chips restaurants that I new about; 7 in all. In this video, I shared as much info as I could about each place (and of course, their food).
I visited Ches's, Leo's, Scamper's, The Big R, Keith's, Chafe's Landing, and The Duke of Duckworth, and I ate 1 piece, with chips, dressing and gravy at each place.
For more videos about Newfoundland, and stories from people who have moved here from locations around the world, click here to subscribe to my channel: / @mark_royle_newfoundland
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We want you to Come to Newfoundland and Labrador! This channel aims to showcase the beauty of this Canadian province and its people. The future is bright here, and like we always say:
Wherever yer from, wherever yer to, there's a place for you here!
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[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Some more thoughts about Newfoundland: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4alkIuhp5WMna8

[@normanbfifteen3468]

Leo's is always the clear winner. I wish they were open later. It's still the best but, unbelievably, it was even better in the 90s. Always is and always will be the best. That piece of fish is perfect every time.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Yup, no argument here!

[@markusthegreat4785]

Hey brother, im a new subscriber to your content. I found your channel searching for the best newfie fish and chips. My parents and their families are from Newfoundland, as well as my older brother. They moved to Toronto before i was born here. I haven't been back there since i was a kid, but can't wait to see it again. I just wanted to let you know after watching some of your posts, that i enjoy your work. We need more beautiful people in this world, sharing all the beautiful cultures and great people within them our communities have to offer. For that i say thank you for being a positive breath of newfie fresh air. Makes me proud of the heritage we share in this great country. Peace and love thru your journeys.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Absolutely humbled by your message, thank you very much. I love showcasing this amazing place, and I'm happy to know that people like you are enjoying what you're seeing. Whether you're from NL, or your roots are from here, or if you know nothing about the place, I love knowing that people are getting something out of these videos so I'll do my best to keep them coming!

[@britishbrotherschannel7884]

I was born and raised in england and i eat fish and chips growing up it was a comfort food and now i live in nova scotia and i want to visit st john's and try their fish and chips. Im expecting to be similar because newfoundland have lots of english heritage.

[@elonmusketeer78]

Same people still own and run the big R on blackmarsh road. I'm a cook there and i make the gravy 😁

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

You, sir, are a national treasure. Bravo!! 😆

[@jennsnook145]

Thanks cant wait to try it

[@katleman]

Duke was the second best fish & chips in my month on Newfoundland. Best was outside of St John’s, Ragged Rocks Gastropub in Bonavista

[@gerardnadeau5804]

I'm from Palm Springs CA. I've been watching and enjoying your videos for a while now. I was in St. John's for only 10. days last October. I found that I like the Fish n Chips at the Legion.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Thanks for watching Gerard. Heard that before, that the Legion knows how to make a good fish n chips. There are a few branches around, I’ll try them soon. Thanks for the tip!

[@FogSlap]

Appreciate the shout out to Graham's. They were my favourite back in the day. Another gem from the past was Avalon Fish & Chips in the Avalon Mall, back in the to mid 90's. Enjoying your videos, it's a nice taste of home for an old ex-pat!

[@poppybranton458]

Lived in Ottawa for years (pretty sure if you opened a NL style fish and chips place in the nation's capital you'd have a hit), couldn't find a decent fish and chips in that city. When I returned to the island, the second day home found me at Scampers...suddenly I was 18 again. Cheers!

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Scampers isn’t a bad place to find yourself after coming home 👍🏼

[@ryantwitter343]

You can’t open a Nl style fish and chips in Ottawa because the fish aren’t there.

[@kellydev]

Hi from Ireland , I'm.not sure how your video cake up.in my KZbin feed but I'm glad it did , I visited st John's in 2019 , fish n chips are a huge part of life here in Ireland too , so of course while in St John's my friends took me for fish n chips , sorry I can't remember where though , it was the first time I ever saw stuffing aka dressing to you & gravy on fish n chips !!! I didn't have that in mine ,but I was amazed it was a thing , we don't do that here , anyway really enjoyed your video 😊

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Thank you ☺️☺️ Next time give the dressing and gravy a try!

[@joecanning4004]

Great video!!!! Picking a favorite would be a tough call. The next time I am back in town I am going to try several of these fish & chips places. Cheers from Indiana!!

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Thanks for watching Joe! You really can't go wrong with either one of these spots.

[@coreyrees840]

By the beach on Portugal cove is the best

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

They sure can make a great feed of fish n chips 👍

[@wanderinglloyddenny]

Hey, Mark. I loved your review of the Fish and Chips joints in St. John's. I was born and raised in St. John's, but I live in Vietnam now. I have eaten at all seven restaurants. My favorite was Chafe's Landing. I did eat at the Big R original location. At the time, many years ago, I thought it was the best. I subscribed and look forward to more of your videos.

[@boogiecats]

Still haven't had Leo's all these years but I'll have to try it. A good little place that used to be in Kilbride was Betty's, but covid shut it down unfortunately.

[@jholly5747]

I married Labradoradorian and we also lived in Newfoundland for three years. So I am somewhat familiar with the fish and chips in Newfoundland. I have tried CHESSS on topsail Road, but I didn’t think it was that great. I’ve also had scampers near the Avalon mall and again that wasn’t very good either. I say d favourite is Keith’s dinerithe. I think that may have been the best fish and chips I’ve ever had in my entire life. If I ever get back to the rock, I may have to try CHAFES landing in Petty Harbor

[@NewfieOutdoors87]

I used to spend my lunch breaks at that Big R by the cop shop or at Leo’s up the road… Leo’s is one of my personal favourites 🤙🏼

[@jennyportobello]

How about Dicks' Fish 'n Chips on Bell Island? I know, not really technically in the city, but like Petty Harbour, a bit of a trek to get there :)

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Awesome. Never tried it but it’s on the list now! Been wayyyy too long since I took a trip over to Bell Island and now I have a very good reason to go. Thank you!

[@vla_dick2838]

Watched this video while having my meal 😋, otherwise i would drool all around 😂

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Bookmark this one so you can come back and remember which places to go to for your fish and chips when you arrive in Newfoundland! 😎😎

[@thetruenorthgardener2806]

Deadly video. all great places, ate at all of them, However the best fish n' chips on the island.... ALL New Rosie's in Gander. R.I.P Dwayne Abbott

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Thank you for the tip!! I mean it! I want to do another video like this outside St John’s and I never heard of Rosie’s. They’re on the list now 🫡

[@newburypi]

Last time I hit the rock, I was directed to Ches's. It was fantastic. Brought back memories I've never had :) Next trip it will be Leo's. And Chafie's. And two or three more, but Leo's for sure.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Can't go wrong with Ches's but you're making a very wise choice by putting Leo's at the top of your list for next time!

[@JudyArmstrong-og8yq]

So funny a tin of Pepsi lol. You are the most earnest person Mark. I love just watching and listening to you. Apparently, Leo's needs to add Tin of Pepsi on the bottom of their T shirt.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Haha can’t argue with the tshirt idea. Maybe I need to start doing thinking about merch like this for myself? 😂

[@hollyyetman3776]

I also miss Chuckys 🥺 Great food and decor! 🎣🦞

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Definitely 😔

[@jockey123able]

It was the best fish and chips in town.

[@TrevorSanger-zj7ow]

Hey there, great video! If you do a cross iIsland comparison of fish and chips spots, definitely try Badger Diner in Grand falls-windsor, hands-down the flakiest nicest batter on Fish and Chips I've ever had! Cheers

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Thank you for the suggestion! It’s on my list now, and I’ll be passing through Grand Falls in a few weeks. Definitely gonna give them a try 👍🏼👍🏼

[@livelauflace]

The Duke all the way! Chafes is a good second

[@recongx]

Great Video .. FYI .. Ches's Fish n chips location on Torbay Road is still open.. great atmosphere, plenty of tables and parking is by far the best IMO

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Yes! My bad, it was kenmount rd that I was thinking about.

[@Nothing-ol1gq]

I loved the old schoolbus fish n chips spots and Hot Roastbeef sandwich at little dairy king….not as good these days but, years ago, was awesome.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Little Dairy King is in Bonavista, right?

[@Nothing-ol1gq]

@@mark_royle_newfoundland yeah, exactly…what a great location. My grandfather was the lighthouse keeper up there for 30+ years & when I was a kid, we’d go for lunch up there. Can’t always cry about “how things were” and businesses changing hands for the worse, but that one stung a little 😂 anyway, hope someone else comes along, sees the potential & brings it back to the golden years.

[@shannanbrennan612]

This could be a huge debate! 😂

[@johnholmes8919]

leos rocks make sure that you ask to get your fries well done i hope its there forever the burgers and coleslaw are awesome also

[@steele1230]

Remember a fish n chips truck on the way to Torbay and shit was bomb 💣💥

[@judyhunt123]

When heading to St John's from Ontario this summer, I was also told to go to the Duke of Duckworth. I really must have hit it on a bad day. It was terrible! I would never recommend it to anyone. The music was so loud conversation was impossible, even with the person right beside you unless you yelled. We waited 15 minutes before someone even came to our table with menus, it was a 40 minute wait for our meal, and it was far from anything I was expecting. I've had better food from a coffee truck. I don't think I'd be willing to risk a second visit. The best meals I had during my 10 day visit were at the Squid Jigger in Calvert, about an hour(?) south of St John's. The service was great, the atmosphere was great, the food was very good, and our Screeching in ceremony was a blast. Now there's a place people need to try!

[@samanthathompson9812]

This might be the video that convinces me to move 😂. On the other hand I hear groceries are incredibly expensive in NL.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Groceries aren’t cheap and they’re definitely going up in price but I split my time between NL and BC and my grocery bills are always higher in BC. Depends on where you are now I guess, and what you normally buy too. Milk has always cost a fortune in NL for some reason. And some produce not only costs more but can also be harder to find. But overall I’d say food prices are at least in line with what you pay in other parts of Canada.

[@samanthathompson9812]

@@mark_royle_newfoundland Interesting, thanks. I'm in the Toronto area right now. Really want to get out, though I probably take the seasonal produce available in Ontario for granted.

[@cbcsucks2205]

Hard choice

[@shabadoo24]

My favorite was Johnny's on Freshwater Rd. They were next door to Ches's.

[@johnchafe794]

Hey bud you should try Riverside Restaurant in Cape Broyle

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Just googled it, looks perfect! I’ll definitely give them a shot but it looks like they do Jiggs dinner on Sundays so I might have to plan my visit around that… we’ll see. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@johnchafe794]

@mark_royle_newfoundland The Jiggs is really good too!!! Hahah. You will enjoy anything you have there I'm sure..

[@user-rd4cb6mk8x]

The Squid Jigger is da gear.

[@stevencharles4333]

i lasted until 7 minutes and then packed it in. . . no videos, no receipts, nothing, just a guy rambling on, . . . but still an interesting topic in which i'd like to know and see which fish and chips joint I should be going to when i get to St John's in April, . . .

[@joeybutt547]

Hay man you definitely should come to labrador and go to red bay and try their fish and chips. Ranked 10 top in canada I do believe.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Thanks for the tip buddy! I’ll definitely make that happen. Red Bay is supposed to be awesome and if they got a good place for fish n chips it’s definitely on my list now

[@tomhughes8794]

Next time try B’y the Beach in St Philips

[@JohnCritch-tf4mb]

So many variables. Who's cooking the fish itself when was oil changed and of course the staff.

[@michaelyoung8941]

Hey Brother good Channel, I've been away 28 yrs and went home last year and tried them all as well and to my surprize it was a place from my hometown in Norman's Cove Trinity Bay that had the absolute best fish and chips dressing gravy it is about an hour and 15 minutes west of St John's called Charlotte's and my second was Keith's if you get a chance go to Norman's cove and give Charlotte's a go

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Awesome, thanks for the tip. I just did a fish n chips tour across the province as far as La Scie (and back to Mount Pearl). I ate at 12 places over about 2 weeks but I didn’t know about Charlotte’s. When my body detoxes from that trip I’ll start making plans for the next one and Charlotte’s is now first on my list. Really appreciate the suggestion!

[@edwilson9243]

100%!!

[@brendaflower7790]

Hello from UK. Can you tell me what the dressing and gravy is? In UK we just have salt and vinegar or tomato ketchup.Must say your way looks delicious. Assume you have Cod? Thanks.😊 Love looking at St John's❤.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Around the rest of Canada the dressing is known as stuffing (do you use dressing or stuffing in the UK?? Haha I really try not to make any assumptions). It's bread crumbs and herbs (especially "savoury" from Mt Scio Farms) and it's amazing. The gravy is standard gravy but different places will make it from different stock (beef, chicken, turkey, etc.) I add vinegar to mine on top of the gravy still.

[@brendaflower7790]

@@mark_royle_newfoundland Thanks for replying. We do have almost the same thing in UK. It comes dried in packs that is reconstituted in boiling water and consists of herbs and breadcrumbs and used to stuff chicken etc. Some do like curry sauce with chips though. Thanks again.

[@anthonywebber2211]

the place that shut down in Brigus was called E&E Drive In

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Awesome thanks. I’m actually shooting video in Brigus right now (I’m sitting at the Riseover waiting for my fish n chips). I’m gonna try to find where that is/was

[@waynestock9990]

Chip Truck in Deerlake. Eat up. once you are in deerlake you will see signs or just ask any local. Eat up!!!!

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Deadly. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@mquigley7177]

Ok Mark, so here's the thing. Fellow Newf living in Toronto, MUN grad. I'm 11 minutes into your video and I'm still wondering if there's enuf time left in ur 24 min to get all the F&C restaurants in ur time slot. I thought the Big R was on Duckworth, but I'm going back to the early 70's. Sorry,but I thought I'd never arrive at the BEST F&C in St. John's, ha Knowledgable for sure but kinda long to get F&C's of the matter.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Thanks for giving it a try. The “like” rate on the video isn’t quite 100% but I’m happy with how this video turned out. Can’t please everyone, hey b’y!

[@rye1340]

Have you tried Keith’s

[@user-rd4cb6mk8x]

Can't stand Ches's tbh. Never had the Duke. Bad experience at Keith's. Sooo. Gonna say toss up between Leo's & Scampers. Great insight. 🍻

[@Centar1964]

Scampers all the way, The best was Henny's Lunch but they are gone many years now...

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

Where was Henry's Lunch? It really rings a bell but I'm not sure if I actually remember it or if I maybe just read about it.

[@Centar1964]

Merrymeeting Rd.@@mark_royle_newfoundland

[@carolmurphy7572]

Henry's Lunch was on Merrymeeting Road, just east of intersection of Merrymeeting and Freshwater Road. And yes, it was very good!😊😊😊

[@skiddymark]

leo's

[@ElvinaDumoulin]

I am very much deceived because I was waiting to discover with you the restaurants that serve fish and chips one by one so we could have an idea of what they serve but there was just talk so I left.Thanks anyway amnd have a great day!

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

If you are disappointed or didn't enjoy the video, I understand. I am always working hard, learning how to make better and more interesting videos but I understand that not everyone is going to enjoy every video I make. But there is nothing deceiving about this video.

[@SoleEpiphany]

By the Beach is a solid contender and a lot swear by Captains Table but I didn’t enjoy that at all. It’s very subjective for sure.

[@exilednf1647]

I find there is a difference between Townie and Baymen fish and chips. I'll always be a Ches's man but i know its not the same anymore. Keith's is excellent but it's in the Goulds and that will always be the Bay to me, boundaries be damned. The Duke is very good but it's more upscale than your classic fee n chee.

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

I have been trying all kinds of different restaurants around the island over the past 6 months or so and I agree 100%. Places around town are very similar (generally speaking, of course there are differences), but outside the city there are tons of different flavors, batter textures, etc.

[@stevegoodyear2107]

Don’t sleep on The Ship’s fish and chips!

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

You’re the second person that mentioned the ship recently. I never even thought of them for fish n chips before but I’m definitely gonna have to try them very soon

[@ellierosesaraorourke]

They have the same owners as the Duke so it’s probably mentioned because it’s the same recipe!

[@gordtulk]

The original Big R burnt down

[@adomair]

Mark, have you tried Ukrainian cuisine?

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

I sure have! When I was younger I had a very good friend whose parents immigrated from Ukraine. They loved to cook and I ate at their house often!

[@adomair]

@@mark_royle_newfoundland Ou, that's great. What did you like, if you remember?

[@PhredZed01]

15 mins in and still not one damn place reviewed... lost me

[@mark_royle_newfoundland]

100% ‘like’ rate is always the goal but not everyone is gonna like everything I do and that’s alright. This wasn’t a review video though: 3:39