We visited the ‘best fish and chip shop’ in Bristol - and tried its pineapple fritter

It’s a question which will divide opinion. What’s the best fish and chip shop in Bristol?

Well, online casino Betway believes it has been able to find the exact one by looking at Google reviews, the size of menus and the vegan and vegetarian options. Drum roll..... yes, Mario’s Fish Bar in Soundwell has been judged to be the best in Bristol.

We were a bit apprehensive. Since when has an online casino been an expert in fish and chip shops - so we decided to pay this business of more than 20 years a visit, and, most importantly, try out the food.

Located in Pool Road the clean blue and white chippy can be found next to a pharmacy, barbershop, convenience store, Chinese takeaway and the Pool Road bus stop. Unfortunately, there was no seating, so I decided to share the meal with my partner, George, and his housemate, Ran, at their accommodation an hour’s bus journey away - this was an obvious test for the food.

The menu included a selection of vegetarian dishes including jacket potatoes, spring rolls, salads, cheese and onion pasties and pineapple and pea fritters, as well as a gluten-free menu. The queue was very fast and the service was very friendly.

I decided to order two classic cod and chips, mushy peas and curry sauce, small chips and spring rolls. Intrigued, I also ordered a pineapple fritter with lemon syrup and cinnamon sugar. The meals added to £27.80 and I was pleased when the order was ready within 10 to 12 minutes.

The staff members were also very helpful when I called to confirm whether the vinegar used on the chips was Kosher-friendly (it was). And we were all very pleased to find the food was still warm when I arrived at the house.

The chips were soft and fluffy and very flavourful. It was clear they had been cut by hand, and the portions were also very generous. The curry sauce was the standard curry powder mixed with water but it paired well with the chips. As for the spring rolls, they were juicy, and the batter was thick and slightly crunchy. They were average but not oily which I was pleased about.

George found the cod to be standard and the batter to be a bit chewy, and Ran felt that the batter and fish were not very cohesive. This might, however, have been the case because the dish was not fresh after travelling for an hour. We all agreed, however, that the portion of the fish and chips was very generous for £9.20.

As for the pineapple fritter, we unanimously agreed that it was okay but not great as the sweet batter clashed with the sourness of the pineapple.

READ MORE: 8 of Bristol’s best fish and chip shops according to Tripadvisor

Overall, we felt that the food was overall average, however, we were pleased with the generous portions, and the fast and friendly service. The chips were by far the main highlight of the meal, the food was not oily and not heavy on the salt and vinegar.

It’s a good chippy option if you’re in the area and would definitely recommend the chips

Mario’s Fish Bar, 1D Pool Rd Bristol, BS151XL