Dining at Bankers Fish and Chips

If you live around Brighton and Hove, it’s likely a few names will spring to mind at the mention of fish and chips – Bankers will be one of them. With the flagship restaurant just a stone’s throw (lols) from the beachfront, I’d never really considered the sit-in part of Bankers before. Then the team got in touch to invite* me to try out their revamped dining menu.

Impressive starters at Bankers

I have to admit, I hadn’t been aware of the scale of Bankers’ sit-in menu before, so I was quite surprised upon sitting down and spotting so many options.

We started with some pan fried garlic king prawns in butter and calamari to share. The prawns came sizzling hot with some sourdough bread on the side to soak up the buttery goodness – a nice touch. The texture was perfect for me, a good amount of bite to them whilst tender at the same time. The calamari was fresh tasting and supple, no stringiness in sight.

Alternative options to the usual fish and chips

I love battered cod, but I sometimes find the batter a bit overwhelming – particularly when coupled with the generous portions of chips at the standard chippy. The menu at Bankers provides a good variety of alternatives, including fillets of salmon or halibut, but also several salads, chicken dishes and specials. I was pleased when I clocked the fish special on during that time – baked sea bream, served with chips and salad.

The sea bream came stuffed full of lemon, parsley and red onion, infusing it with fresh, zesty flavours and an almost buttery texture inside, with a satisfying crisp on the outside. With it, a fresh and crunchy salad, which I was relieved to see was more than your usual side of green leaves. The side portion of chips was sensible, although still generous, and I struggled my way through in a bid to eat as many as I could – anyone who knows Bankers will know about these chips.

Dessert at Bankers

Despite being fit to burst by this point, I couldn’t leave without sampling one of the dessert. Bankers offer a traditional array of puddings, including British favourites like triple or knickerbocker glories, but I had my eye on the brownie.

It was huuuge! Thank goodness we’d decided to share (although you know I ate most of it anyway). It was, warm, gooey and satisfying, with plenty of caramel drizzled over and a lavish scoop of vanilla gelato.

Third place?

With a decent sized restaurant area, it’s the perfect spot to bring the family or stop by for a good value dinner that’s guaranteed to leave you full – the good kind, not the overly heavy or oily kind you might get from some chippies. This is testament to the importance placed on good quality ingredients and well-sourced produce.

It was great to see such variety on the dine-in menu at Bankers, with plenty of the traditional chippy dishes, but also a couple of vegetarian options, lighter alternatives and even a pretty comprehensive drinks menu.

Where is your favourite spot for fish and chips in Brighton and Hove? I’ve not explored nearly enough of our local chippies, so would love to know your thoughts below!

*I was invited to try the menu at Bankers in exchange for a review, but my opinion remains my own – as always.