The Mermaid, Morley: The Best Fish and Chips in Leeds

Fish and chips are synonymous with Yorkshire and instantly remind me of after-school piano lessons on a Friday evening, followed by fish and chips wrapped in vinegar-dabbled newspaper wrapping.

A fish supper feels like a comforting blanket to my family and I, a weekly tradition, and over the decades, whilst fish and chips to some extent have evolved as much as we have (sadly my piano is not much improved) from its modest paper wrapping beginnings and being drenched in oil, we now have lightly battered fish and chips; veggie and vegan alternatives available, and even Mediterranean influences making their mark, when it comes to the nation’s favourite.

The Mermaid Fish and Chips Restaurant and Take-Away in Morley, Leeds effortlessly merges classic, beloved fish and seafood dishes with 21st century tweaks and additions such as king prawn filo parcels and even calamari on the menu!

Established in 1976, no less, The Mermaid is everything you could want from a banging (as the kids say!) fish and seafood-based meal, supper or otherwise.

Originally a restaurant by J Pullan & Sons Ltd, it became a renowned fish and chip restaurant in 1981. In 1997, it changed hands, continuing its commitment to high-quality food. Partnering with Yorkshire and Icelandic suppliers, it supports sustainable fishing practices and in 2023, new ownership brings modern updates while preserving top quality dining.

We were lucky to spend Easter Sunday there, which happened to fall on my Mum’s birthday this year (we celebrate Greek Easter which varies due to the Julian not Gregorian calendar but this year the dates synced up), for a family lunch, after my brother, Solos, the manager, kindly invited us to fill our boots with fish and chips, and celebrate the double whammy together.

It was one of several meals out over the week to celebrate my incredible Mama’s birthday, and the experience at The Mermaid, our first time dining there, delighted the kids as much as the adults.

We opted for soup of the day to start: a tangy and delicious tomato and red pepper number as well as fluffy Yorkshire puddings with caramelised onions and gravy; delicate king prawn filo pastries and deconstructed prawn cocktail. Next up were indulgent seafood baskets for main course for the adults, comprising of lip-smacking panko squid rings, salt and pepper squid chunks, crispy battered cod bites and breaded butterfly prawns which made me feel I was dining by the beachside in Cyprus. It had to be fish and chips with mushy and garden peas respectively for the kids! Every dish was beatifully presented with added chunks of buttery wholemeal bread; parsley garnish, seasoning, quarters of fresh lemon and every sauce you could possibly desire! I happily got to order my all-time favourite side of onion rings too. Yum!

Lightly fried fish, full of flavour with perfectly crisp and dressed salad (mustard, olive oil and vinaigrette) when it came to the starters, we followed our hearty mains with creamy scoops of Yorvale real dairy ice cream from the restaurant’s in-house ice cream van counter plumping for rum and raisin, chocolate chip and pistachio flavoured scoops between us as well as two sundaes, with cream, sprinkles and 99 flake toppings galore, of course! Go big or go home huh?!

Portion sizes for every course we colelctively enjoyed were ample so offer great value for money! The draught beer was the perfect drink (they even have an eponymous lager on offer) and the kids enjoyed pineapple juice on ice.

Choosing your flavours and toppings pleased Florence no end and she’s already asking when we’ll be back! Despite scoffing two of those cones, she managed to find room to dig into my Mum’s chocolate cheesecake celebratory birthday cake!

A family-run restaurant, it’s no surprise that families are the focus and beating heart of The Mermaid, with colouring-in packs delivered to your table to occupy the kids from the moment you sit down and drinks and bread baskets delivered quickly to avoid hangry meltdowns! There’s even a colourful wall at the entrance boasting previous young customers’ art work which is a thoughtful touch.

The staff are all kind, attentive and knowledgable. Even my brother, ha!

A stylish minimalist restaurant boasting high ceilings and expansive windows which can’t help but draw in the Yorkshire sunshine (when we see it), The Mermaid really is a top-notch, thoroughly modern restaurant that truly knows their fish and chips (and calamari too)!

Thanks for a fabulous lunch!

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We were gifted the meal but all words are honest.