Skipjacks on Streatfield Road is one of three London shops in the National Fish & Chip Awards top 40. Next: a cut to 20, then the final on 24 February.

Skipjacks in Kenton has been named one of the 40 best fish and chip takeaways in the UK. It is on the longlist for Takeaway of the Year at the 2027 National Fish & Chip Awards.

The National Federation of Fish Friers, which runs the awards, published the top 40 on 22 September. Only three London shops are on it:

  • Chipping Wharf Fish & Chips, Bow
  • Fish! Kitchen, Southwark
  • Skipjacks, Harrow

Skipjacks is the only one in north-west London. The only other entry close to the borough is The Corner Plaice in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.

What the judges looked at

The federation says its judges are sector specialists. The shortlisted shops now face a fuller assessment covering:

  • the quality of the fish and chips
  • hygiene
  • environmental and operational sustainability
  • customer service
  • industry knowledge

Entry is free, and the federation says every shop gets written feedback.

On hygiene, Skipjacks already has the top mark. The Food Standards Agency register lists Skip Jacks Restaurant, 270 Streatfield Road with a food hygiene rating of 5, from an inspection on 30 June 2026.

What happens next

The 40 will be cut to 20 for the semi-finals, and then to a top 10. The federation says the top 10 will be revealed “in a couple months’ time”.

The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony on 24 February 2027, at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London.

Andrew Crook, the federation’s president, said: “Every year, the Takeaway of the Year standard continues to rise and this new list of top 40 contenders exemplify that.”

The current holder is The Scrap Box in York. Its co-owner, Aman Dhesi, gave this year’s longlist some advice in the federation’s announcement. “Be proud of what makes your shop yours and tell that story,” he said.

A Kenton family business

Skipjacks describes itself as a family business that began selling fish and chips in London in 1969. According to its own history, it moved to Belgravia in 1979, then came to Kenton in 1982.

The family says it opened the Kenton shop because a grandmother “could not get good quality fresh fish to cook her famous fish kebabs”.

Today it runs a dine-in restaurant and a takeaway. The menu offers fish fried, grilled or cooked in matzo meal, alongside Mediterranean and halal dishes.

What it means for you

The next date to watch is the top 10 announcement, which the federation expects within a couple of months.

Skipjacks is at 268-270 Streatfield Road, Kenton, HA3 9BY. Check the restaurant’s website for opening times before you go.

Looking for somewhere else to eat locally? Our Harrow business directory lists shops and restaurants across the borough.

Sources: National Federation of Fish Friers, top 40 announcement, 22 September 2026; Food Standards Agency hygiene rating; Skipjacks, About.