Tracking down a great example of Britain's national dish is not as simple as sniffing out a magnificent cheese in Paris or exquisite sushi in Japan.
Originally served up as cheap, filling food for the country's growing working class in the 19th century, most of the 250 million portions of fish and chips sold today by roughly 10,000 British vendors of the dish, the "chippies" to locals, remain unappealing pairings of grey-looking fish in soggy batter, served alongside anaemic fries and limp packets of ketchup.
No wonder that many first-time visitors to England and the rest of Britain wonder what all the fuss is about, never mind where to find a mouthwash strong enough to scrub the taste of stale cooking fat off their palate.
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That's a shame, because a handful of places are wonderful exceptions to the mediocre rule and turn out to be well worth a visit.
Many are family businesses that use local produce and deliver an experience blending the scent of the ocean with the warmth of a home hearth, all in one delicious paper-wrapped package.
Our list of the 10 best fish and chip shops in Britain wraps up with the latest winner of a prestigious national award.
Chez Fred (Bournemouth)
A commitment to quality shows at every stage in this legendary seaside chippy, from the chunky chips cooked in rapeseed oil to the house-made mushy peas, the traditional side to fish and chips in Britain.
The cod and haddock are certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.
Ethical yet gloriously tasty, this is fish and chips of the highest order.
We recommend: plaice fillet with a generous portion of chips and mushy peas.
The Company Shed (West Mersea, Essex)
It pays to keep an eye on the clock if you're heading to this ramshackle but welcoming little seafood cafe near the ancient Roman town of Colchester; misjudge the timing and you risk getting stranded when the tide surrounds the tiny island where the chippy sits.
Not that it would be so terrible, given the fabulous spread of seafood to be enjoyed at simple picnic tables, from local oysters at 80 pence each to crab and lobster sandwiches, cockles, prawns and locally smoked salmon.
Prices are a fraction of what you'd pay in London, and you can bring your own wine.
We recommend: the cold seafood platter.
The Big Fish (Stratford-upon-Avon)
Owner Marina Angelides carried the fishy theme through her career (she once sang in a band called The Big Catch) when she opened this restaurant and takeaway.
Shunning the retro (or simply shabby) look favoured by many chippies, the Big Fish is all floor-to-ceiling windows and sleek design lines.
The menu caters to gluten- and wheat-intolerant diners, but less fussy fish lovers might zero in on the Big Fish Combo of cod, whitebait, squid, langoustines, haddock goujons (breaded mini fillets), chips, coleslaw and salad.
We recommend: whole-tail langoustines with chips and salad.
Rock and Sole Plaice (London)
With steep prices matching low quality, London's West End is something of a tourist trap for fish and chips.
The revered Rock and Sole Plaice is a local exception: this Cypriot chippy near Covent Garden has been serving portions of perfectly crisp battered cod, crunchy chips and mushy peas since 1875.
The West End theatre posters lining the walls hint at the occasional big-name actor who drops in: both Peter O'Toole and Anthony Hopkins have eaten here when in town.
We recommend: cod and chips with mushy peas.
Latimer's Seafood Deli (Sunderland)
A former fisherman, owner Rob Latimer runs an unusual blend of fishmonger and chippy at this spot.
Alongside the usual fried fare, the freshest squid, lobster, crab and langoustines are on offer.
We recommend: the catch of the day.
Burton Road Chippy (Lincoln)
This plainly named chippy in genteel Lincoln is almost as much of a local legend as the mischievous imps said to have escaped from the city's magnificent cathedral in the Middle Ages.
The dominant fish here is battered haddock: cod tends to rule in the south of Britain and haddock in the north.
Everything is fried to order, and almost every item on the menu is made on site from scratch.
We recommend: haddock, chips and scraps (bits of batter from the bottom of the fryer).
Whetstone Fish Bar (Leicester)
Deep in the Midlands, far from the coast, it's the devotion to quality ingredients that makes this chippy, run by the parents of British TV presenter Gok Wan, stand out: the fish arrives daily from the port of Grimsby.
The fish cakes here are the size of a tyre, and this is just the place to try a regional chippy speciality: dousing your chips in thick gravy before eating them with the fish. (It's tastier than it sounds.)
We recommend: haddock, chips and gravy.
Magpie Cafe (Whitby)
Queues form long before this handsome old sandstone building opens on the harbourfront of this sleepy Yorkshire fishing town.
The standout here is the variety of fish, with sustainable and rarely seen specimens including gurnard, coley and hake served alongside classic cod and haddock dishes in the oak-panelled dining rooms upstairs.
If the restaurant is full, you can perch on the harbour wall with your takeaway.
We recommend: fried coley, chips and mushy peas.
Seniors Fish and Chips (Thornton, Lancashire)
In classic fish and chips territory, a small northwestern town of narrow Victorian terraced streets, Seniors has been drawing queues around the block from its car-park location since 2006.
Haddock and cod are complemented by sea bass and plaice.
The staff will bake your fish in the oven rather than deep-fry it, if the thought of a whole fried fish would break your vow to finally lose weight this year.
We recommend: fish goujons, steak pudding and chips.
The Bay (Stonehaven)
And officially the Best Fish and Chip Shop in Britain?
As of 2013, the winner of this hotly contested competition, which judges and rewards everything from customer service to sustainability and hygiene, sits in a fishing town on the far northeastern coast of Scotland.
The tricky-sounding specialities at The Bay include fried black pudding, a compact tube of congealed pig's blood cooked with oatmeal, beef fat, bread and potato.
From its harbourfront setting, The Bay also serves haddock straight from the North Sea and mackerel caught by a member of the family.
We recommend: haddock and chips with black pudding on the side.
