Fresco Fisheries is a beloved fish and chips shop on Riccarton Road in Upper Riccarton, Christchurch, known for serving genuinely fresh fish every day. The casual, unpretentious shop has built a devoted following among locals, many of whom call it the best fish and chips in the city — one customer even discovered it through a YouTube food documentary and has been hooked ever since. Whether you dine in or grab your meal to go, the focus stays on quality seafood fried to order.
The menu centres on fresh fish daily, with crowd favourites like blue cod and tarakihi joined by hoki, sole fillet and a rotating fish of the day showcasing seasonal catches. Beyond the fillets, you'll find deep-fried scallops praised for their buttery flavour, chunky crispy chips in famously generous portions, batter-covered hot dogs, and old-school savouries like steak & onion and pork & bacon. A small touch regulars love: a selection of different salt options to season your meal just how you like it.
Fresco Fisheries offers dine-in with table service, takeaway and delivery, and is a popular spot for dinner, with most meals falling in the $10-$20 range — great value for individuals and families alike. The shop provides wheelchair-accessible parking and seating, a customer toilet, and generous free parking. Credit and debit cards are accepted. Part of the charm is the owner himself, whose old-school wit and warmth reviewers say make a visit memorable beyond the food.
Fresco Fisheries is the kind of fish and chip shop people drive across town for. Tucked into 8/380 Riccarton Road in Upper Riccarton, Christchurch, this long-standing local has quietly built one of the city's most devoted followings on the back of a simple promise: fresh fish, delivered daily and fried to order in a crisp, golden batter. Reviewers regularly call it the best fish and chips in Christchurch, and some mean it literally — one customer who saw the shop featured in a YouTube food documentary made the trip, has been hooked ever since, and now counts it as their favourite in the city.
The headline act is the blue cod. Time and again it gets singled out as outstanding — perfectly cooked, fresh as it gets and, in more than one reviewer's words, the best they've ever had. Tarakihi, hoki and sole fillet round out the regular line-up, all cooked fresh to order, and the fish of the day special showcases seasonal catches so there is often something new to discover. If you're craving something beyond the fillets, the deep-fried scallops are a quiet favourite, praised for their buttery flavour and satisfying crunch.
The rest of the menu covers all the classics of a proper Kiwi fish and chip shop. Chips come chunky and crispy and are famously generous — one reviewer joked about receiving too many chips, though nobody seemed upset about it. Hot dogs feature a flavoursome sausage in a delicious golden batter, and the savoury range — savoury meat, steak & onion, and pork & bacon — offers hearty, old-school options for anyone in the mood for something different. A small detail regulars genuinely love is the selection of different salt options, letting you season your meal exactly to your taste.
Part of what keeps people coming back has nothing to do with the fryer. The owner has become something of a local character — reviewers describe his old-school charm, wisdom and great sense of humour, with one suggesting the conversation alone is worth the visit. The shop itself has been around a long time, and some reviewers note the decor is showing its age, but most agree that is part of the unpretentious appeal. This is a place that puts its energy where it counts: fresh fish, crisp batter, generous servings and fair value, with most meals falling between $10 and $20.
Fresco Fisheries is popular for dinner and works equally well as a fuss-free takeaway run or a casual dine-in meal, with table service available. Families are well catered for — the relaxed vibe and generous portions make it easy to feed a group without breaking the bank. Practicalities are thoughtfully covered too: there is generous free parking including wheelchair-accessible car park spaces, wheelchair-accessible seating inside, and a customer toilet. Credit and debit cards are accepted, and delivery is on offer if you would rather enjoy your fish and chips at home.
One thing worth planning around: this shop gets busy, particularly on Friday evenings, and waits can stretch longer than hungry customers would like. Regulars recommend ringing ahead on +64 3 348 1299 to order in advance. Off-peak visits — think Thursday afternoons or weekend daytime — tend to mean shorter waits and more of that personal, unhurried service. Whether you eat in, take away or get it delivered, expect fresh fish cooked to order, chips by the bucketful, and possibly a bit of wisdom along with your wait.