In a world where everything feels pretty fucked – from the political climate to the actual climate– we figured it was time to return to something comforting: fish and chips. For the 25th year running, Critic Te Ārohi has undertaken the sacred duty of eating our way around Dunedin's takeaway shops so you don't have to waste your hard earnt student loan on subpar kai.
We’ve put the reviews in order from closest to Central Library to furthest away, because geography is important and we eventually ran out of petrol money. To keep things fair, every review is based on a standard order of one scoop of chips and one fillet of the shop’s house fish, or the cheapest fillet. Each shop received a score out of 10 for Fish, Chips, and Overall Experience – a broad and highly scientific category encompassing value for money, portion size, wait times, customer service, ease of takeaway consumption, and most crucially: seagull-related hazards.
Here is your 25th annual fish and chips review.
The Reviews
Flying Squid — 0.26 km
Fuck, we love this place! It’s hard not to be biased when certificates showing that the Flying Squid took home the grand titles of best chippy from Critic a few times in the early 2000s are still pasted behind the counter. So cute! But in all seriousness, this place rocks. We placed our order on the phone, and the lady who picked up was an absolute doll. The vibes inside the shop are cosy, and everything looks clean and tidy. With the close proximity to uni, you could sit on campus, or park up inside or just outside the shop with only a moderate threat of seagull action. We were offered the choice of crinkle or shoestring cut fries, and somehow walked out with straight cut, which is the only reason for the single point being docked. These chips were beautiful – fluffy, crispy, and perfectly salty. We were so impressed that we didn’t even mind paying the extra 40c above the industry standard scoop price. The fish was golden, flaky and even had some mystery herbs sprinkled on top which was an incredibly welcomed addition to our five-a-day. It was a little bit fishy tasting, but that could be the whole point. Very solid, very standard fish. The Flying Squid has flown straight into our tummy.
Fish: 8/10 ($4.00)
Chips: 9/10 ($4.90)
Overall Experience: 9/10
Mei Wah — 0.85 km
Mei Wah is one of Critic’s personal favourite fish and chip spots in Dunners. That’s notjust because of how conveniently located it is, but also because of how consistently good they are. Not amazing, but reliably never bad – the perfect place to satisfy that fush and chup craving or sort out an easy flat dinner when you're feeling exceptionally lazy and kind of rich. The fish was exactly what you want from a takeaway shop: crisp batter without that oiliness that sticks to the roof of your mouth, a decent sized fillet, and no overly fishy taste. They didn’t tell Critic what kind it was, and we didn’t ask because we refuse to believe there’s any real difference in taste between Tarakihi, Cod or whatever else they’re called. Plenty of fish in the sea, in any case. The chips were the real strength, with the perfect golden shade, an ideal amount of salt, and a nice mix of crispy and soggy for those pesky differences in preference. One scoop comfortably fed two of us and still left leftover fries in the paper afterwards. Ordering ahead from the Science Library meant our food was ready by the time we arrived, and the staff were lovely as always. The wholly real downside was that the fries go cold unreasonably fast, which might have something to do with declining quality in newspapers – specifically the ODT. Fortunately though, the staff at Mei Wah know that wrapping it twice = twice as nice, and saved us from having our dinner stolen by the massive mutant seagulls that feed on Castle Street waste.
Fish: 7/10 ($4.50)
Chips: 8/10 ($4.00)
Overall Experience: 8/10
Best Cafe — 1.1 km
Best Cafe felt less like a takeaway shop, and more like stepping into a little slice of Dunedin history. We’d phoned our order in ahead of time, and while the price sat more on the expensive end of the fish-and-ship spectrum, there was enough charm in the place to soften the blow. At one point, an older bloke wandered in and was greeted by name by the guy behind the counter, which was objectively adorable and suggested a loyal customer base you only build by doing something right. In terms of the food, the fish itself was solid. We opted for the lemon sole, which arrived with an actual lemon wedge – a small touch that felt luxurious after stuffing our faces with endless amounts of fish and chips this week. The fish was flaky, fresh-tasting, and not overly fishy, while the batter was crispy without crossing into dry territory. As good as the fish was though, the chips absolutely stole the show. Hand cut and cooked in beef dripping, they were crispy, golden, and packed with the kind of flavour that had me munching on them before I had arrived at my eating destination. If there was a star of the meal, it was undoubtedly the chips. Between the store being somewhere I could imagine my grandparents meeting, delicious fish, and life-changing chips, Best Cafe is a hidden gem.
Fish: 8/10 ($9.50)
Chips: 9.5/10 ($6.50)
Overall Experience: 9/10
Willow Bank Dairy — 1.4 km
A short jaunt from campus, tucked under the slopes of Maori Hill, lies Willowbank Dairy. This is a must visit for any horrendously hungover student looking for chicken salted chips and a Powerade. In addition to these mighty fine chippies, they do also sell fish, making them just eligible to go onto the list for review. This is about as far as they should go though, with mediocre fish, but at least the bird who seems to occupy an outcrop (that doubles as a bathroom, based on the amount of birdshit on the walls) near the doorway seems to be OK with friends, which you likely will be, given the wait times. We were standing around for like 20 minutes, which was pretty shocking given the lack of anyone else ordering anything fish related for the duration of our time in the store. The “scoop” of chips was okay (the regular size carton) and the lemon-peppery chicken salt was certainly worth noting, as was the crunch from them sitting in the bain-marie for probably some time. However, the fish itself tasted as though it were tuna paper-machèd together to resemble a fillet. This was a rather disappointing outcome, and we wouldn’t even consider feeding it to that bird outside.
Fish: 3/10 ($5)
Chips: 9/10 ($6.50)
Overall Experience: 5/10
Botanical Takeaways — 1.7 km
With a name like that, we were picturing a thousand blossoms blooming, sunshine, and rainbows. However, this was not the case – despite its proximity to the Botans, Botanical Takeaways failed to put a smile on our dial. We can’t lie, this feed was pretty bad. The chips lacked any X-Factor – a bit floury, and with no variation between each chippie. Usually you get some firm ones, some squishy ones, some super long ones and some crispy ones, but these were all just dry ones. Where’s the fun in that? Additionally, the fish was straight up uninspiring. It was pale, thin and a bit slimy – just like your weird cousin. To give the BT team the benefit of the doubt, we might’ve just come on a bad night. Google Reviews show that the shop has a rating of 4.9 stars, so either we’re tripping or NEV residents have far poorer taste than we initially suspected. Although nobody asked, we also got a chicken burger. Do not do that! It was a slimy piece of chicken in there (no batter?) plus some beetroot and pity lettuce. In terms of the positives, the meal was double wrapped with your classic plain paper, and the staff were super friendly. Plus, being near the Botans means a picnic is only a hop, skip and a jump away.
Fish: 6/10 ($4.50)
Chips: 5/10 ($4.00)
Overall Experience: 5/10
Great Wall — 1.7 km
Fish and chips is an art form, a lifestyle, an addiction, and while Great Wall takeaways will certainly satiate your greasy cravings, it may also leave you nauseous and sweating in a state of post-grease clarity. Located on the other side of the Octagon (good luck braving this hellscape in the light of day) and next door to Peaches & Cream, the shop gives off a similarly sexual atmosphere that’s certainly hard to resist. The menu is long, the lights are blinding, the people are welcoming and the wait was minimal – like a strip club! While the fish was somewhat mushy and the batter almost cakelike (at one point leaving us questioning its oceanic origins), it fulfilled its purpose in prepping our palettes for the star of the show: the chips. Wow. They were warm, salty, with a good ratio of long to stubby, soggy to crispy –everything you could possibly want with $4.50. Overall, solid experience, and a special shout out to the deep fried moro bar – be seeing you in our dreams ;3
Fish: 4/10 ($4.50)
Chips: 8/10 ($4.50)
Overall Experience: 6.7/10
Māori Hill Takeaways — 2.4 km
Māori Hill Takeaways is the kind of place you probably won’t seek out for a quick study break or a spontaneous beach trip, but if you’re in the area it makes a strong case for itself. The fish was the standout, arriving with a batter that struck an ideal balance between crispy and oily. The fish also gained respect for the terrability of the fillet itself, enabling some good old fashioned hand to mouth action – as fish and chips should be consumed. The chips had us stumped, as the first one was way too salty, but the rest of the scoop was great. The colour of everything was good and they had a great crunch going, and the portions on both the fish and chips were also really solid. With this shop being our furthest from the beach, the experience was pulled up by the vibes of the shop itself, which has a great extensive menu, good seating options and the most darling neon sign. Māori Hill Takeaways seems worth the mission up the hill. Probably only if you're driving, though.
Fish: 9/10 ($4.00)
Chips: 8/10 ($4.00)
Overall Experience: 8.5/10
NEV Takeaways — 2.6 km
As the name suggests, this establishment is nestled in the heart of North East Valley (NEV, for those living under a rock) – a bastion of warm (and oily) relief on the frigid pavement of North Road. Our expectations were high:hungry and cold, eagerly awaiting a hot feed on a particularly gloomy autumn day. The spot itself is unremarkable but comfortable enough, with decent variety on the menu. Our order of deep fried hoki, chips, and a battered sausage maintained its heat on the short stroll back to the flat, so no faults on the packaging. Unfortunately, our high expectations were not quite met (perhaps a fault of our own). The fish had a satisfyingly salty and crispy outside, but the inside was mildly flavoured, and honestly kinda plain (but not too oily!) The chips were the standouts of this order, they were crispy and honestly more flavourful than the fish. However, the salt proved to be too much – this modest portion of chips left us absolutely parched. We also picked up a battered sausage (greedy), which was unfortunately one of the most flavourless meat cylinders we’ve ever had the displeasure of ingesting, and we were pretty sick of it by the time we were halfway done. Overall, NEV Takeaways will give valley-dwellers a satisfactory feed in the frigid winter, but the abundance of salt on the chips and lack of flavour in the meat department may leave some wanting more.
Fish: 6/10 ($4.50)
Chips: 7/10 ($4)
Overall Experience: 6/10
The Golden Wok — 3.4 km
With the price of fuel these days, a drive up to Mornington may as well be driving to a whole different town. Thankfully, The Golden Wok made the journey a thousand percent worth it. The vibes were immaculate and nostalgic, with an interior that likely hasn’t changed since most of us were born. The staff behind the counter were kind and cheerful, cooking everything fresh to order in front of your eyes. Their menu was massive too, and apparently paying $1 extra to get garlic chips is the down-low local’s secret. The fish and chips were cheap and cheerful, with a decent portion wrapped in soggy paper, the perfect thing to warm your soul during dreadful Dunedin weather. It certainly felt like a blessing to get a scoop of chips and some fish for under ten bucks in the big ‘26. The fish was not overly greasy and had a nice crisp, but it did taste pretty cheap and flaky. The chips, however, really made the meal. They were thick but still crispy, not dripping in oil and were a nice helping for just one scoop. A large amount of sturdy paper kept the cold at bay for the (long) drive down the hill, meaning your kai will still be steamy if you have to trek it back to North D. A meal from the Golden Wok was enough to teleport yourself away from frosty Mornington to a sunny North Island beach, scoffing down fish and chips with your parents in the height of summer.
Fish: 6/10 ($4.00)
Chips: 9/10 ($3.50, or $4.50 for garlic)
Overall Experience: 8/10
St Kilda Takeaways — 4.6 km
Walking into St Kilda Takeaways feels like stepping into a classic neighbourhood chippy. It's compact, unapologetically old-school, and exactly the sort of place you'd expect locals to swear by. Fortunately, the cramped conditions were offset by genuinely speedy service. We barely had time to contemplate adding a hot dog before our order was already being called out. The fish was a highlight of the meal, especially considering it only set us back $3.50. It was generously sized, making it one of the better value fish we sampled all week. Unfortunately, the batter didn't quite do it justice. It lacked the crisp crunch that separates a good piece of fish from a great one, leaving us wishing it'd spent another minute in the fryer. The chips followed a similar pattern. Some were nicely crisp, while others were limp and soft (a common recipe for disappointment). What really let them down, though, was the complete absence of seasoning. They desperately needed another enthusiastic shake of the salt shaker, and the lingering greasy aftertaste didn't do them any favours either. Despite a fairly average fish-and-chip performance, St Kilda redeemed itself with one unexpected hero: the onion rings. At just 90 cents each, they were outrageously good. Crispy, golden, and dangerously easy to justify ordering "just one more", they completely stole the spotlight from the rest of the meal. While we probably wouldn't make the trip across town purely for the fish and chips, we'd happily stop in again if those onion rings happened to be calling our name.
Fish: 6/10 $3.50
Chips: 4/10 $3.50
Overall Experience: 5/10
Takeaways on Marlow — 4.8 km
Marlow’s occupies a very visible place in the Dunedin fish and chip scene – people in our great city care a lot about this delicacy. It is something of a cult classic, and has spent years collecting the praise of Critic reviews, though last year's reviewer, Hugh, came away noticeably less impressed. After our visit, we’re somewhere in the middle. The thing about Marlow’s is that its reputation has never really been built on fish and chips alone. It wins people over with the burgers, the wider menu, and the overall takeaway experience. In fact, calling it a fish-and-chip shop almost feels misleading – it's a takeaway shop first and foremost, which is helpfully reflected in the name. Unfortunately for them, this is a fish and chip review. The chips were decent: crispy enough, salted well, and generally as enjoyable as carbs and oil can be, but nothing worthy of the pilgrimage across town. The fish was even less convincing. The batter lacked flavour to cut through the overwhelming taste of oil, and the fish itself was dry, which led us to suspect it has spent a little too long in the fryer. It wasn't terrible, just underwhelming, especially considering the reputation attached to this shop. This is one of those places we’d happily return for a burger, but based purely on the fish-and-chip offering, the food doesn't quite live up to the legend.
Fish: 5/10 ($6.00)
Chips: 6.5/10 ($4.00)
Overall Experience: 7/10
Tahuna Camp Shop — 5.2 km
Tahuna delivers exactly what you want from a classic fish and chip run: hot food, generous portions, and close proximity to the perfect eating location – the beach! The fish arrived not wrapped in newspaper, but on a wee cardboard tray. This had both pros and cons, with it not absorbing as much oil, but also not doing a great job at retaining heat. Can’t have it all, we guess. The fish was potentially more batter than fish, and also leaned toward the oily side – not enough to be a deal breaker, though. It also wasn’t a super fishy fish, which in our books, is a plus. The whole meal comes with sauce and salt packets, so if you have a penchant for sodium we would recommend this spot. The chips were cracker: hot, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and surprisingly generous considering we lowkey ran out of money and only got a half scoop. The only real hazard of this meal comes from the location itself. Being so close to the beach meant our review was conducted under the watchful gaze of several seagulls who looked more than willing to relieve us of our meals. Between the hefty portion, quality chips, and seemingly endless condiments, this was a thoroughly satisfying feed that was helped heavily by the nostalgia eating fish and chips at the beach provides.
Fish: 6.5/10 ($4.00)
Chips: 8/10 ($5.00)
Overall Experience: 8/10
Waverley Takeaways — 5.5 km
If we’re being honest, we had no fucking clue where Waverly was before doing this review, so Apple Maps came in clutch. After a 12 minute commute, we were greeted with friendly service behind the Waverly Takeaways counter. We’d ordered earlier by phone, and received the revered brown paper package after a short wait. The feed was reasonably priced, and the shop had a practical and traditional vibe. In terms of the food, the chips had some crunch, and had been blessed with an extensive salting. It was almost nearing too-salty, but not quite worth being upset about, and the portion size decent rather than generous. Moving toward kaimoana, this was a letdown. The fish was soggy, mushy, and fell apart, making it quite difficult to eat with any dignity. Our overall verdict is mixed: the chips were fine, and service was prompt and with a smile. We’re left feeling slightly underwhelmed with that fish, and overall very unsure if it is a treasure worth borrowing your flatmate’s car for. However, the quintessential NZ pastime is always set to produce some variety, so next time you’re coming back from Portobello, consider swinging by.
Fish: 5/10 ($4.50)
Chips: 6/10 ($4.00)
Overall Experience: 6/10
St Clair Fish Supply — 5.6 km
St Clair Fish Supply absolutely did not disappoint. Although out of the way for the average student, this would easily be our first choice to visit on a sunny day spent at the beach. The chips were hot, crispy and extra salty, making for the perfect chip buttie. The fish didn't stand out, but was certainly not disappointing. The batter was crispy: not too thick, and not too oily. We felt like Goldilocks if she ditched the porridge and got some real food. The meat was firm and flaky, with a bit of a chew to it. We think we found Dory, but the truth remains a mystery. There wasn’t an overwhelming fishy taste, but if you’re picky about your kaimoana, maybe stick to a hot dog. We’d like to give an honourable mention to their onion sausage, which was the best we’ve ever had – (10/10, $4.20). It had perfectly crispy batter, a generous amount of onion and was surprisingly juicy – arguably the star of the show. Customer service was quick and friendly. We phoned in 15 minutes in advance, the call lasted less than a minute but no item was forgotten. The food was ready when we arrived, despite them clearly being busy with other orders. After hearing mixed reviews about this shop, we can confidently say that St Clair Fish Supply is a solid purchase and handed over some of the best fish and chips we’ve had in a long time. We highly recommend this shop for the next (and much anticipated) Dunner Stunner.
Fish: 7/10 ($4.50)
Chips: 8/10 ($4.00)
Overall Experience: 9/10
And the winner is…
Like the FIFA World Cup, there can only be one winner. We are proud to announce that Best Cafe has lived up to its name with a total score of 26.5 (8 for fish, 9.5 for chips and 9 for overall experience). Just missing the top spot with a total score of 26 is Flying Squid, ranking 8, 9 and 9 respectively. In third place is Māori Hill Takeaways, scoring 9 for fish, 8 for chips and 8.5 for overall experience totaling 25.5. Don’t let the trek uphill deter you – the numbers speak for themselves. As a final warning, St Kilda takes last place, scoring a 6, 4, and 5 to total 15. Unless you go there just for the onion rings, we literally recommend any other fish and chip spot in Dunedin (that’s in this review – we probably missed heaps). Happy munching!
