Let’s be honest the best fish is straight out of the sea and in the pan, but we can’t all live by the sea. I want to see really fresh fish on display at any fishmonger I use with clear, bright eyes and bright red gills. Here’s my secret list…
1. James Knight
67 Notting Hill Gate, Notting Hill, London W11 3JS
Tel: 020 7221 6177
Selfridges Food Hall, 400 Oxford Street, London W1A 1AB
Tel: 020 7318 3725
I always think the quality and selection you get at James Knight is among the finest in London. (They’ve got Royal warrants from the Queen and Prince Charles so I’m not the only one who thinks so). Really fresh fish, whichever way you want it. Call them and they’ll be happy to tell you what’s good this month a nd every month.
2. Selfridges
Selfridges London: 400 Oxford Street, London W1A 1AB
Selfridges Manchester Trafford: 1 The Dome, The Trafford Centre, Manchester M17 8DA
Selfridges Manchester Exchange Square, 1 Exchange Square, Central Manchester, M3 1BD
Selfridges Birmingham, Upper Mall East Bullring,
Birmingham B5 4BP.
Tel: 0800 123 400
3. Beside the sea
If you can get down to the coast, you can often buy really fresh fish straight off the boat from the fishermen. Wherever you are in Britain, you’re only ever 70 miles from the sea so it’s not difficult and let’s face it you can’t buy fresher.
4. Supermarkets
I live in London and I can’t always get to the coast and so down the supermarket is where I get the majority of my fish. Many of them have stalls run by proper old fishmongers and they’ll usually be able to fillet the fish, skin it or give hints on what varieties are good this month. See My Short Guide to Fish for some of my favourites.
