THE HIP HOP CHIP SHOP, MANCHESTER
A beloved street-food crew has parked up and brought a fun, modern take on fish and chips to Ancoats’ thriving food scene. Since 2014, chefs Luke Stocks and Holly Robson have run the kitchen, with fellow director Jonathan ‘Ozzie’ Oswald making up a trio best known for their Stanley Chow-designed 80s boombox food truck. Following a string of residencies in kitchens across the city, this is their first permanent home.
Welcoming and unpretentious service greets diners, who come for the homely fug of vinegar fumes and mellow hip hop.
A lunch menu of wraps and butties gives way to an evening selection of globally inspired spins on the classics. From the Soyz in the Hood vegan ‘fish’ steaks to the DJ Kool Jerk fish with plantain, there’s an inclusive spread. Don’t be fooled by the jokey puns, though – this is serious food. All dishes are cooked fresh to order: there are different fryers for meat, vegetables, vegan items and chips, and all fish is sustainable coley caught daily in the North Sea.
The Feastie Boys main arrives as substantial, golden nuggets of battered fish accompanied by a pile of chips that range from scraps to airplane-chock wedges. Inside its coat of crisp, chewy batter the coley is mild but retains a moist, flaky texture. There are plenty of other good things here, too, like big and juicy battered gherkins, or vibrant-green, surprisingly moreish boulders of mushy pea fritters. And, in an aim to be zero-waste, all packaging and cutlery are recyclable or compostable. thehiphopchipshop.com