Fish and Chips

British food · fried food · comfort food · takeaway

A British invention. Fish and chips came from England in the 1800s and became such a popular dish that many people think of it as Britain's national food.

Fish gets a crispy coat. The fish is covered in batter, a wet mixture of flour and other ingredients, then dropped into hot oil to fry until it's golden and crunchy on the outside.

Chips mean fries here. In Britain, 'chips' are what Americans call french fries, thick golden sticks of fried potato that go perfectly with the fish.

Spread across the world. What started in England became a favorite takeaway food in many countries, especially places where English is spoken like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

Quick meal tradition. Fish and chips shops became popular because people could grab hot, tasty food quickly and cheaply, making it a perfect street food.