Good Friday Fish: What to Cook and Order

Why fish on Good Friday

Good Friday is the traditional day to give up meat and eat fish. It is one of the busiest fish days of the year in Britain. Whether you keep the tradition for faith, habit or the fact that it is a good excuse for fish and chips, this page covers what to cook, how much to buy and how to order it in time. Good Friday falls in early spring, so the counter leans towards white fish and the first of the season's shellfish.

What to cook

Fish and chips at home: cod or haddock in batter, with a kilo of potatoes for the chips.
A simple baked or roasted fillet: cod, hake, sea bass or plaice, in the oven in fifteen minutes.
A whole fish for the table: sea bass or bream, roasted whole and brought out to share.
A fish pie: made ahead and baked on the day, good for a crowd.
Something lighter: grilled mackerel, or a piece of poached salmon with new potatoes.

If you are not sure, tell us who is eating and how you want to cook and we will cut the right fish to order.

How much per person

Fillets for fish and chips or baking: 150 to 200g per person
Whole fish to roast: around 400 to 500g whole weight per person
Fish pie: around 200g of mixed fish per person once made up
Salmon to poach: 150g per person

How to plan it

Decide your dish and your numbers. Order online or call in. Order by 1pm for next day delivery across west and south west London, or order ahead and collect in Barnes in about two hours, Tuesday to Saturday.

Everything is cut and prepared to order by hand, filleted, skinned and pin-boned the way you want it. Good Friday is a public holiday and the counter gets busy in the run-up, so order early. Delivery is free on orders from £50. Below £50 it is £5.95. Check our opening dates over the Easter weekend before you plan to collect.

Fish and chips, done properly

Our fish and chips box pairs cod or haddock with a kilo of potatoes for the chips and those potatoes come from the greengrocer next door. It is the whole Good Friday dinner from two shops on the same street.

Frequently asked questions

What fish should I eat on Good Friday? Traditional choices are cod or haddock for fish and chips, a baked white fish such as hake or sea bass or a whole fish for the table. We cut all of it to order.

How much fish do I need per person for Good Friday? Allow 150 to 200g of fillet per person, or around 400 to 500g whole weight if you are roasting a whole fish. For a fish pie, around 200g of mixed fish per person.

When should I order for Good Friday? Good Friday is one of the busiest fish days of the year, so order early. Order by 1pm for next-day delivery, or order ahead and collect in Barnes the same day.

Can you prepare a whole fish for Good Friday? Yes. We scale, gut, trim and prepare whole fish to order, ready to roast. Tell us how many you are feeding and we will suggest a size.

Do you sell fish and chips for Good Friday? We sell a fish and chips box with cod or haddock and a kilo of potatoes for the chips, sourced from the greengrocer next door, so you can fry it at home.

Are you open over the Easter weekend? Our regular hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 4pm. Good Friday and the bank holiday can change those hours, so check our opening dates before you plan collection.

Order for delivery

Popular from the counter: cod, haddock, plaice, pollock, lemon sole and salmon. See what is on the counter today or read how delivery works.

Our smoked fish counter covers the kedgeree and the fish pie too.