There’s no denying the popularity of fish and chips in New England, but beginning on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, sales skyrocket.
Fridays and fish and chips are kind of a thing, a long-standing Catholic tradition of not eating meat on Fridays during Lent, substituting fish instead.
Most of us have a favorite year-round go-to spot for fish and chips, whether it’s at Harry’s Restaurant in Westboro, or Worcester restaurants such as the Sole Proprietor, the Boynton, Quinn’s Irish Pub or Herbie’s. There also are the neighborhood pizza shops and seasonal haunts like Ronnie’s in Auburn and Charlton.
Ask the question, "Where do you get the best fish and chips?" and the number of answers makes your head spin.
Foley & Son Fish and Chips
Fish and chips put Foley & Son Fish and Chips, 274 Plantation St., Worcester, on the map.
Owner Patti J. Foley has run the business since she took it over from her mother, the late Evelyn Foley, who established the business in 1967.
The cash-only, no-frills takeout spot is open Fridays only and on Ash Wednesday.
Foley uses her mom’s recipes not only for fish and chips, but also clams, scallops and shrimp.
An order of fish and chips at Foley & Son costs $9.75 and a fish and chips dinner, $10.75. Fresh haddock takes a dip into a wet batter before being fried, said Foley, who makes the coleslaw and tartar sauce served alongside seafood.
“The business hasn’t changed since I took it over except I get older,” said Foley. “I always remember what happened at Spag’s (a Shrewsbury icon) when family members took over the store and made changes after the owner died. The business began to go downhill and eventually closed. I’m sure there were other reasons for closure, but change always come to mind.”
Foley & Son celebrates its 54th anniversary this year. Foley attributes success to fried seafood, of course, but also location.
“We’re in a Catholic neighborhood," said Foley, which is one of the reasons the store always opens on Ash Wednesday. Hours on Feb. 17 are 3:30 to 8 p.m.
The Lenten season is extremely busy, said Foley, adding that she is truly blessed and so appreciative of her customers.
“I wouldn’t be in business without them, especially during this pandemic,” she said. “We’re like family.”
Customers can connect on Facebook for Foley & Son’s one-page menu. Call (508) 756-6492 to order. Pick up in the store, or request curbside service. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays.
Suney’s Pub & Family Restaurant
Suney’s Pub & Family Restaurant in Worcester is a place where generations of families have gone to eat. Owner Dan Kachadoorian’s father purchased it in 1970.
“It was George’s Café back in the day before my dad bought it,” said Kachadoorian. “We have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for in our 50 years of business.”
Fish and chips on the menu?
You bet.
Suney’s usually is closed Wednesdays, but Kachadoorian opens the doors on Ash Wednesday, serving fish and chips from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Lenten season gives the restaurant a boost especially at a time when the industry has been hit so hard, said Kachadoorian.
Fish and chips alongside other seafood are on the regular menu, available Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It’s all-you-can-eat chicken from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturdays at the restaurant.
Kachadoorian said haddock is favored at the restaurant and the most commonly used by chefs. His older brother, Thomas (Tommy) Kachadoorian, is the cook who makes the traditional fish and chips.
“We don’t use a gimmicky batter and that’s all I can say about the recipe,” said Kachadoorian. “What happens in the kitchen, stays in the kitchen.”
At Suney’s, customers can order the classic fish and chips with coleslaw, but also can request just fried haddock, or even double the fries in a dinner order. Some customers request a salad as a substitute for fries, said Kachadoorian.
Suney’s Pub & Family Restaurant, 216 Chandler St., Worcester, has indoor seating, takeout and delivery, and a full bar. Visit suneys-pub-and-family-restaurant.jimdosite.com for the menu. Call (508) 753-9072 to order.
“I never get tired of hearing stories from customers about how they brought their children to the restaurant, and now, their grandchildren,” said Kachadoorian.
He appreciates the loyalty of customers, he said, and as owner he works in the business, sometimes behind the bar.
If you want good seafood, Suney’s is the place to go, said Kachadoorian.
“I sometimes tell people that ‘Suney’s is a place with the best fish and chips and the worst parking,’ ” he said. (Customers use on street parking in front and near the restaurant.)
Clam Box in Brookfield
Head to the Clam Box in Brookfield if you’re looking for fish and chips and other seafood specials during Lent. Owners Tim and Cindy Dugas turned the Clam Box into a year-round business when they bought it three years ago.
The couple had closed the restaurant last December due to the pandemic, but reopened on Valentine’s Day.
Fish and chips is back!
Clams are a front runner at the Clam Box, but don’t underestimate the popularity of fish and chips at this venue.
Dugas said every Friday during Lent, the Clam Box has a special deal: buy three large orders of fish and chips and get one free, coleslaw included.
“We usually sell more orders of fish and chips on Fridays than during the week,” said Dugas. “It changes with Lent when people seem to crave fish and chips more. Customers get about a pound of fresh haddock in each order. You won’t find that happening at other places.”
Ash Wednesday is the busiest Wednesday for fish and chips at the Clam Box, he said, while Good Friday sets the record for the biggest day of the year. The batter recipe for fish was developed by the original Clam Box owners, said Dugas.
The Clam Box is in its 70th year.
Dugas worked for the second owner of the business for a while before heading to Florida with his wife. They returned to the area when they heard the Clam Box was up for sale, he said.
The restaurant located at 53 South Maple St., Brookfield, offers indoor seating and take-out. There’s no delivery, but Clam Box staff will take food orders from customers seated in their cars and deliver food to them. Check out the “kids eat free” Mondays and Tuesdays offer. Visit www.brookfieldclambox.com or call (508) 637-1790.
Dugas expects to open outdoor seating as soon as warm weather arrives.
“We have so much room, I could safely seat people 10 feet apart from each other,” he said. The restaurant accommodated 120 people outdoors before COVID-19.
Dugas and his wife have put in 18 years in the food service industry.
“It was always our dream to have our own place,” he said, “and we have no regrets despite the pandemic.”
You’ll find great seafood served throughout Worcester County, and it’s a personal choice of where to eat.
I’ve critiqued food for years, eating my way around restaurants in and out of the state. When it comes to fish and chips, I have no desire to make the dish at home, preferring to let a local chef or cook do the work.
Fish and chips for me is lightly fried, fresh-caught haddock (or cod) and hand-cut fries, a combo that pairs perfectly with a shake of salt and malt vinegar. Beer battered fish is OK, and so are coleslaw and tartar sauce on the side. But please, hold the petrified fries. They’re the worst!
File under things to know: The National Edible Oil Distributors Association announced National Fish and Chip Day will be observed on June 4 this year.
The Link LonkFebruary 17, 2021 at 05:04PM
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The great Lenten debate: 'Where do you get the best fish and chips in Central Mass.?' - Worcester Telegram
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