Poppies, London – Famous Restaurant With Retro Vibe Serving Delicious Fish And Chips

There are plenty of fish and chips restaurants in London, but Poppies stands out with its delicious food and wonderful ambience. I was pretty excited to visit this restaurant and check out its version of London’s national dish.

Poppies

Poppies is an iconic fish and chips restaurant in London, with a history that can be traced back to almost 70 years ago.

The owner, Pat ‘Pop’ Newland, started his career in the fish and chip business in 1952 at the tender age of 11, when he got a job cutting up old newspapers to wrap fish and chips in.

Since then, he has come a long way to open three Poppies branches in London, located at Soho, Spitalfields, and Camden.

The restaurant uses locally-sourced fish that is delivered fresh every day. The fish are then prepared by their own in-house fishmonger.

I visited the Soho branch along Old Compton Street because it is the most central location.

Vintage Retro London Vibe

The restaurant is decorated with vintage light fittings and furnishings to take diners back to 1950s East End London.

It is a fun space lined with posters of classic movie stars and singers, including “The King” Mr. Elvis Presley.

I also saw plenty of interesting retro memorabilia scattered around the shop.

And it was pretty cool to see a vintage poster of the classic musical film, Grease!

Poppies Menu (click to enlarge)

The main item is of course the Fish and Chips, and you get to choose from a variety of fish like Cod, Haddock, Skate, Rock, Plaice, Lemon Sole, Mackerel and Halibut.

If it’s your first time visiting, just stick to Cod or Haddock.

Other than fish, the menu also offers other tasty dishes like the Seafood Platter, Calamari Rings, Prawn Cocktail, etc.

If you are unable to take seafood, there are other alternatives like Rotisserie Chicken and Steak Pie.

The extensive drinks menu offers a variety of soft drinks, beers, cocktails, spirits, wines, and champagne.

There are kids meals available too.

Fish and Chips (Cod)

Because we were not too hungry, the wife and I decided to just share one Regular Cod Fish and Chips (£13.95). I’m glad we did so because the portion was actually quite big for a “regular” size.

The cod fish was really delicious!

It was served hot, and I loved how tender and juicy it was. The deep fried batter was spot on, with a crispy and savoury taste.

And of course, I highly recommend eating the fish with the tartar sauce, which adds tang and an extra dimension to the dish.

As for the chips, I felt they could have been a little more crispy, but the delicious fish overshadowed this minor imperfection.

Take-Away Shop

Take-away menu (click to enlarge)

There is a take-away shop beside the restaurant, where you can order fish and chips wrapped in newspapers printed with edible ink by Poppies.

Conclusion

I had a very pleasant meal at Poppies, and I can understand why it is one of the most popular restaurants in London. The fish and chips was delicious, the ambience was fun, and the staff was friendly and attentive. We visited the Soho branch on a weekday at 2.30pm and there was no queue at all. If you happen to be visiting on Friday or Saturday night, you will even get to enjoy free live music.

Poppies (Soho)
What to Order: Regular Cod Fish and Chips (£13.95)
Address: 55-59 Old Compton St, Soho, London W1D 6HW, United Kingdom
Directions: Six-minute walk from Leicester Square Station
Opening Hours: | Mon to Thurs: 11am – 11pm | Fri & Sat: 11am – 11.30pm | Sun: 11am – 10.30pm |
Phone: +44 20 7734 4845

Poppies (Camden)
Address: 30 Hawley Cres, Camden Town, London NW1 8NP, United Kingdom
Opening Hours: | Sun to Thurs: 11am – 11pm | Fri & Sat: 11am – 12pm |
Phone: +44 20 7267 0440

Poppies (Spitalfields)
Address: 6-8 Hanbury St, Spitalfields, London E1 6QR, United Kingdom
Opening Hours: | Mon to Thurs: 11am – 11pm | Fri & Sat: 11am – 11.30pm | Sun: 11am – 10.30pm |
Phone: +44 20 7247 0892