When the sun is shining and a cool breeze blows, there are few dishes more satisfying than a basket of fish and chips.
The humble meal of fried fish and french fries can elicit images of the Oregon coast, an English pub or a family reunion. In Portland, there are about as many takes on the classic dish as there are ways to remember it.
Whether you’re looking for beer battered halibut or cornmeal breaded catfish, there’s bound to be a fish and chips joint for you. And while all are not made equal, there’s a great joy in exploring the many fried fish varieties across town – as long as you pace yourself.
At the St. Johns Food Cart Pod in North Portland, Paula Wing has been frying up fish for four years at her tiny Arlo’s Fish & Chips cart. Wing, whose family owned the now-shuttered Port and Starboard restaurant on the southern Oregon coast, is probably more passionate about fried fish than anyone else in Portland
“I’m pretty sure there’s not many that make it the same way that I do,” Wing said. Her way involves generous portions of fresh cod, smothered in beer batter and fried to perfection, served over a pile of fresh-cut french fries.
“Which is what fish and chip people want,” Wing said. “I mean real fish and chip people, that’s what they want to eat.”
Paula Wing, owner of Arlo's Fish & Chips, serves up large pieces of perfectly fried cod over fresh-cut french fries from her food cart in North Portland. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
Rock Paper Fish is the latest effort by Portland restaurateur Micah Camden, where fish and chips were designed specifically to withstand delivery during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
The notion of “real” or “authentic” is quietly threaded through Portland’s fish and chips scene. British-born fish fryers hock blonde-fried haddock over English-style chips, while adherents of the Oregon coast style swear by their beer batter and seafood markets boast the all-important freshness of their fish.
At Arlo’s, there’s even a sign posted that reads “PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE BOX,” warning customers that their freshly fried fish may not remain crispy if they shut the lid. Wing said she’ll offer verbal warnings to people who start to fold down the cardboard flaps, and claims to have chased people down. Such is her passion for perfect fish and chips.
She would be horrified to see what’s happening at Portland’s newest fish and chip shop. Rock Paper Fish, the latest venture by famed local restaurateur Micah Camden, was created specifically for the pandemic era, with breading and fries made to withstand steamy to-go boxes that are typically a death knell for fried fish.
Camden, who teamed up with Craig Peterson of RingSide Steakhouse and local NFL legend Ndamukong Suh, created the new delivery-centric restaurant inside one of his shuttered Boxer Ramen locations on East Burnside Street last year.
“We thought holistically about how to deliver a great product from our location to your home,” Rock Paper Fish manager Joe Stone said. “I believe you gotta bring some flair, you gotta make it something that’s memorable.”
Stone said the owners of Rock Paper Fish landed on fish and chips because they saw a need for the dish in Portland, and decided they had the opportunity to fill it. Except Portland already had a vibrant fish and chips scene. By the time Camden got into the game, there were already nearly a dozen fish and chips spots in town, not to mention the many pubs and seafood restaurants that serve it.
Rock Paper Fish is the latest effort by Portland restaurateur Micah Camden, where fish and chips were designed specifically to withstand delivery during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
At 42nd Ave. Fish and Chips in Northeast Portland, the specialty is fried basa and catfish, though they also serve up other kinds of fish and wide selection of sides.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
Across town in Northeast Portland, Aaron Peterson has been quietly selling his own take on fish and chips to steady crowds of customers for years. And if there’s any debate over authenticity among Portland restaurants, it’s not happening at his 42nd Ave. Fish and Chips.
“We just here on 42nd doing our thing,” Peterson said, sitting on the front porch of his restaurant.
He and business partner Cedric Burton opened the business four years ago, after a short-lived stint on Northeast Alberta Street (coincidentally, their building was purchased by Suh, who then redeveloped the site). Their new location on Northeast 42nd Avenue was an immediate success, Peterson said, owing perhaps to his different approach to the dish.
Peterson fries his fish in a cornmeal breading with his own secret recipe of spices – an adaptation of the way his mom used to cook it when he was growing up in Los Angeles. And while 42nd Ave. serves halibut and cod like other restaurants, they specialize in catfish, including basa, a Vietnamese species of the fish.
The Northeast Portland restaurant takes pride in doing a different kind of fish and chips, he said, and making something that people will want to come back for, time and time again.
“It’s consistent,” Peterson said. “Once you taste the fish you’re going to come back for another bite.”
With more sunny, breezy days ahead, there are a lot of opportunities to explore Portland’s colorful fish and chips scene. Joining 42nd Ave., Arlo’s and Rock Paper Fish are at least nine other fish and chip joints around the city. Not all have the resources of Micah Camden, the passion of Paula Wing or Aaron Peterson’s secret recipe, but each one serves up a slightly different spin on the classic dish.
Though the metro area has its share of English-style pubs that serve the dish, this list focuses primarily on places that specifically specialize in fish and chips. So here they are: the 12 best fish and chips spots in Portland.
Batterfish in Happy Valley serves golden-fried fish over British-style chips. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
12. Batterfish
A small food cart in the Happy Valley Station pod, Batterfish boasts an endorsement from Guy Fieri beside the menu – though I wouldn’t necessarily take his word for gospel. The cod comes as one piece (the traditional British way), with a blonde-colored fry that’s extremely greasy. While perhaps more traditional, the excessively oily fry is less appealing compared to other fried fish in the Portland area.
Open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 13551 S.E. 145th Ave.; 424-235-6096.
The Original Halibuts food cart in Northeast Portland specializes in fish and chips as well as clam chowder. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
11. The Original Halibuts
With good fish and a classic beer batter, The Original Halibuts has the right pieces in place for a solid fish and chips cart in Northeast Portland, it’s the execution that unfortunately falls flat. On both my visits the batter slipped off as I ate, leaving a mess in the basket. The fries were disappointing both times, but on one occasion they were seasoned well enough to be enjoyable.
Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday; 625 N.E. Killingsworth St., Portland; 503-421-2827.
The Frying Scotsman in Beaverton's BG Food Cartel serves British-style fish and chips alongside other British treats.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
10. The Frying Scotsman
The former downtown Portland cart now lives in Beaverton’s BG Food Cartel, where the haddock, cod and halibut come out with an oily, bright yellow fry. This might serve the comforts of Scottish ex-pats, but just doesn’t compare favorably to other fried fish in Portland. The Frying Scotsman also serves a few other U.K. staples for good measure: mushy peas, sausage supper, and cans of Irn Bru.
Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday; 4250 S.W. Rose Biggi Ave., Beaverton; 503-706-3841.
Flying Fish Co. on East Burnside Street in Portland offers fish and chips on its expansive menu of fresh seafood. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
9. Flying Fish Co.
It’s no surprise that the fish is good at Flying Fish Co., a popular fish market on East Burnside Street that specializes in sustainable seafood, but buried on a menu that boasts everything from fresh oysters to cioppino, the fish and chips seem like an afterthought. The batter here is cooked to a crunch, and while replacing fries with jojos is a novel idea, they end up being too big and too plain to remain appealing.
Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday to Monday; 3004 E. Burnside St., Portland; 971-806-6747.
Year of the Fish sells all kinds of fried seafood, including fish and chips, from its food cart in Southeast Portland's Carts on Foster. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
8. Year of the Fish
One of the Carts on Foster in Southeast Portland, Year of the Fish serves halibut, cod, snapper, steelhead and prawns, which are breaded and fried a golden brown. The fish and thinly-sliced potato wedges are good, but the cart falls on this list due to a lack of any distinguishing features. Year of the Fish does earn brownie points for its adorable tiny cups of malt vinegar.
Open noon to 8 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday; 5205 S.E. Foster Road, Portland; 971-258-6567.
The Fish & Chip Shop is a British-style chip shop in North Portland that sells fried haddock among other fish.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
7. The Fish & Chip Shop
A British-style chip shop in North Portland, The Fish & Chip Shop prides itself on its traditional fish and chips, served with classic tartar sauce and packets of malt vinegar. You can order “The Codfather” if you’re hungry (it’s a half-pound cod fillet and one pound of chips) or order haddock, halibut, pollock or shrimp. Just make sure to order English-style chips, which are thick-cut potatoes fried in beef tallow, and go great with that malt vinegar.
Open noon to 8 p.m. daily; 1218 N. Killingsworth St., Portland; 503-232-3344.
Captain's Galley is a small seafood restaurant on the side of the highway in Gresham, serving flavorful fried fish and homemade American-style chips.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
6. Captain’s Galley Fish and Chips
An unassuming fish and chip joint on the side of Powell Boulevard, Captain’s Galley is a pleasant surprise out in Gresham. Their ling cod is fried in a thicker batter that’s plenty flavorful, with either fries or a serving of homemade American-style chips. It’s not necessarily worth a road trip, but it’s definitely worth a stop if you’re in the area.
Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; 750 E. Powell Blvd., Gresham; 503-593-8602.
Tall Boy Fish & Chips and Seafood serves fried cod and other fish over addictive french fries dusted with Old Bay.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
5. Tall Boy Fish & Chips and Seafood
Found in the Hawthorne Asylum food cart pod, Tall Boy Fish & Chips serves up lightly fried cod alongside addictive fries that are well-seasoned with Old Bay. Definitely splurge when another fish is on special – I found the cod to be just OK, but the halibut was excellent. And whatever you do, make sure to order their signature jalapeno lemonade, which is perfect on a hot day.
Open 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday to Saturday; 1080 S.E. Madison St., Portland; 971-832-5965.
The Portland Fish Market sells fresh seafood from its Southeast Portland storefront, as well as fish and chips from a window on the side of the building. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
4. Portland Fish Market
The Portland Fish Market is a good stop in Woodstock for fresh seafood of all kinds, but for fish and chips you’ll want to head to a window on the side of the building. There, you can order all manner of golden fried seafood – including salmon, shrimp and oysters – but, as always, the halibut is the way to go. The Portland Fish Market is the definition of solid fish and chips: high quality, with nothing fancy about it.
Open 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; 4404 S.E. Woodstock Blvd., Portland; 503-477-6988.
Fried basa fish and french fries from 42nd Ave. Fish and Chips in Northeast Portland. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
3. 42nd Ave. Fish and Chips
With a focus on catfish and a good selection of sides, 42nd Ave. Fish and Chips clearly stands out from the rest of the pack in Portland. Their flavorful cornmeal breading is to die for, and the tartar is generously offered in large squeeze bottles kept in a mini fridge near the counter. The specialty here is catfish as well as basa, a Vietnamese species of catfish, but they also fry up cod and tilapia.
Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday; 5302 N.E. 42nd Ave., Portland; 503-477-5312.
Arlo's Fish & Chips serves up large pieces of perfectly fried cod over fresh-cut french fries from a small food cart in North Portland. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
2. Arlo’s Fish & Chips
Anyone who’s serious about their fish and chips will find a friend in Arlo’s Fish & Chips, the St. Johns food cart that takes the meal more seriously than anyone else in town. Enormous pieces of fresh cod are perfectly fried in a beer batter, paired with a classic tartar sauce – just like you’d find at the coast. The fries are made from fresh-cut potatoes, and while that’s an admirable consideration, they just don’t hold up to the well-seasoned frozen fries from other spots. But with generous portions and a perfect fry, Arlo’s is one of Portland’s best go-to fish and chips spots.
Open 12:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday and Sunday, 12:30 to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 7316 N. Lombard St., Portland; 971-813-9711.
Rock Paper Fish is the latest effort by Portland restaurateur Micah Camden, where fish and chips were designed specifically to withstand delivery during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
1. Rock Paper Fish
Fried fish purists, avert your eyes. While Rock Paper Fish has neither the best fish nor the best chips, the new fish and chip shop earns the top spot on this list by being one of the only restaurants to put the whole package together – and by packing the meal with flavor.
Spices (which include Old Bay, bay leaves, onion and garlic) are introduced both in the breading and in a brine for the halibut and cod. The fries get a dusting of seasoning as well, and the restaurant offers a wide range of dipping sauces for good measure, in addition to its creamy take on tartar sauce that comes with the fish.
Designed for takeout, the breading has a tendency to get a little chewy, so as not to fall apart while steaming in a closed paper box. That feature alone is heresy among fish and chip aficionados, who may well shake their heads in shame. Heretics they may be, but Rock Paper Fish makes a seriously delicious take on fried fish that’s too good to ignore.
Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday; 2605 E. Burnside St., Portland; 503-764-9150.
--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB
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