Fish & chip shop in Eastleigh named among the best in the country

Mike’s Traditional Fish and Chips has been shortlisted for the National Fish & Chip Awards for the first time since 2019.

Mike Isaac, who runs the chip shop, said: “We’re really pleased. It’s a good accolade to be in the Top 40 in the UK, but to be the only one from the local area is a proud feeling.”

Stickers in the front window of Mike’s Traditional Fish and Chips which show previous accolades in the Takeaway of the Year competition. (Image: Newsquest) Chip shops competing are put through a rigorous process which looks at every aspect of how a takeaway is run, from the ingredients to the cooking process to the way the staff and the community are treated by the business.

“The application itself takes a few weeks to get through so that I can make sure I’ve got everything how I like it to be to present us in the best way,” Mike explained.

Mike Isaac in front of the fryer at Mike’s Traditional Fish and Chips. (Image: Newsquest) “There’s Zoom calls as well, where they’ll have a look around the entire shop and we’ll prevent every aspect of the shop, there’s no hiding in this competition.

“It’s a good few hours of them running the rule over us to see if we can compete.”

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The awards panel, which is made up by industry leaders in the fish and chips world, will then send in mystery shoppers to try Mike’s food.

Mike said: “Usually they tend to ask for a recommendation of fish, and then they might ask a few questions that your average customer might ask, like portion size and the source of the fish or the variety of potatoes that we’re using at the time.

Mike Isaac and Jacob Grigg standing in front of Mike’s Traditional Fish and Chips in Eastleigh. (Image: Newsquest) “Then after they order the food, they let it sit for a while to see how it holds its heat and quality. Then they’ll try it 10 to 15 minutes later and hopefully the food has held the heat to the standard they expect.”

Mike admitted that he always recommends haddock and chips with curry sauce to the mystery shoppers, who turn up with no notice, but also explained his winning formula.

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“I’d be remiss If I didn’t congratulate my staff and thank them for their hard work,” Mike said.

“I don’t do it all on my own. Customers keep coming back and that’s more of an accolade than any award we can receive. To serve the local community with their lunch or dinner every evening, that’s a huge honour for us.”

The winner of the award will be presented a trophy February 26, 2025 at the Fish and Chip Awards 2025 in London.