New Westminster has a quiet confidence about its food scene, and nowhere is that more apparent than in its fish and chips, a dish that suits this river city about as well as anything could. We have the Fraser running right through our backyard, a Quay that invites lingering over lunch, and a handful of spots that each bring something genuinely different to a plate of battered fish and crispy fries. You can get the full English chippy experience, a waterfront table with a glass of white wine, or a quick bite before hopping the SkyTrain, and New West delivers on all three.
We put together this guide to help you find the right fish and chips for the right occasion, and we have kept it honest by sticking only to spots we can confirm are open and serving right now in summer 2026. You will notice a couple of beloved old names missing from this list, and that is because we would rather point you to places we know are still going strong than send you across town to a closed door. Pull up a chair, pass the malt vinegar, and let us tell you where to go.
Cockney Kings Fish and Chips: The Classic English Chippy
If you want the real thing, the English chippy experience that has stayed consistent for decades, then Cockney Kings at Columbia Square Plaza is where you go, and it is not really a debate. This family-owned institution has been serving New Westminster since 1965 and the menu reads like a greatest hits of the British chip shop tradition: cod, pollock, haddock, snapper, halibut, prawns, all in that signature crispy batter with hand-cut fries on the side. You will find it inside the Columbia Square Plaza near 10th Street and Columbia, which puts it a comfortable walk from the Columbia SkyTrain station and not far from the Quay.
The prices at Cockney Kings are fair without being cheap, and there is genuine value in the specials if you time your visit right. A piece of halibut and chips runs around $16.20, and the weekday student special between noon and 4pm brings the price down further for chips, a drink, and a protein. They run daily fish specials too: pollock on Mondays, haddock on Thursdays, snapper on Fridays, prawns on Saturdays, and family packs on Sundays. If you are planning a Monday or Wednesday lunch with a group, check with them directly about their all-you-can-eat option, which has been a draw for families in the neighbourhood for years. Hours are Monday through Saturday 11am to 8pm and Sunday noon to 8pm, so plan accordingly.
The room is straightforward and casual, nothing fussy, and that is exactly the point. Reviews on TripAdvisor sit at 4.4 out of 5 across nearly 400 reviews, with consistent praise for the batter crispness, the fluffy fries, and the value, and we think that track record over six-plus decades says more than any single review could. This is our go-to answer when someone asks where to get proper fish and chips in New Westminster, full stop.
The Boathouse Restaurant: Waterfront Fish and Chips Worth the Splurge
Right on the water at 900 Quayside Drive, The Boathouse sits at the far end of the dining spectrum from Cockney Kings and is unapologetically so, and we mean that as a compliment. This is where you go when fish and chips is the occasion rather than just the meal. Their halibut fish and chips comes in at $44 and is plated with lemon dill tartar and sea salt fries, and you are eating it while watching the Fraser River roll past the windows or the outdoor patio if the weather cooperates. The Boathouse is now the only remaining location of this BC restaurant group after closures at multiple other locations in the past year, which makes the New Westminster outpost feel like something worth visiting while it is here.
The broader menu at The Boathouse leans into West Coast seafood in a way that gives context to the fish and chips: Thai glazed black cod, Portuguese seafood stew, fresh oysters, seared halibut, and crab cakes are all on the card, and happy hour runs Wednesday through Sunday from 2pm to 5pm if you want to work your way through the starters at a gentler price. The fish and chips at $44 is genuinely a splurge by New Westminster standards, but the combination of the setting, the quality of the halibut, and the fact that you are sitting on one of the better patios in the Lower Mainland makes it easy to justify on the right afternoon.
A note on planning: based on current listings the restaurant appears to operate daily, though hours shift between weekdays and weekends, with weekend brunch service beginning at 9am on Saturdays and Sundays. We recommend checking their website at boathouserestaurants.ca or calling 604-525-3474 before your visit to confirm hours, particularly if you are coming on a weekday, as the schedule has changed in the past year and we want you to arrive when the doors are actually open.
More Places Worth Knowing About
Angelina’s Dutch Corner at the River Market on Quayside Drive is not a fish and chips restaurant in any traditional sense, and we want to be upfront about that, but it earns a mention here because it sits at number one on TripAdvisor for all of New Westminster and because their cod dinner at around $21 is genuinely good. The real draws are the Dutch pannekoeken and the patio that runs along the Fraser River boardwalk, and if you are already at the Quay for a morning or early afternoon, adding a fish order to the table makes for a pleasant enough lunch. Just know that they close at 4pm daily, so this is a daytime-only option and not a dinner destination.
Match Eatery and Public House out at 350 Gifford Street near the Starlight Casino is a different kind of spot: a large neighbourhood pub with sports TVs and a heated patio, and their Reel Deal Fish and Chips is a solid two-piece beer-battered haddock plate with coleslaw, tartar, and fries for $25.75. On Mondays they run a dine-in special that brings a single piece with all the sides down to $15, which pairs naturally with the Guinness discount they run on the same day. It is not the most central location for visitors, but for residents in that part of New West or anyone catching a show at the casino, it is a reliable and unpretentious option. Over at the New Westminster SkyTrain station, The Spud Shack Fry Co. at 800 Carnarvon Street is primarily a Belgian frites and poutine counter, but reviewers on TripAdvisor consistently single out the fish as a highlight, with one noting it is cooked with minimal batter and a generous portion, and at a budget price point it is worth knowing about if you want something quick and good near the train.
How to Pick the Right Spot for Your Visit
The honest answer is that the right fish and chips in New Westminster depends entirely on what kind of afternoon you are planning. If you want the chippy experience, the one with sixty years of proof behind it and prices that will not require a second thought, Cockney Kings is the answer and we would be surprised if it ever stopped being the answer. The batter is consistent, the fries are thick, and the specials calendar means there is almost always a reason to go on a particular day of the week.
If the occasion calls for something more, if you are taking someone out or you want to combine a meal with the best river view in the city, The Boathouse at the Quay is where we would send you, with the understanding that you are paying for the whole experience and not just the fish. Angelina’s Dutch Corner works beautifully if you are already walking the Quay boardwalk before 4pm and want to sit outside with a cod dinner and a coffee, and Match Eatery is the pub answer when you want something satisfying without any pretension. New Westminster has always been a city that punches above its weight for the people who actually live here, and the fish and chips scene is a reasonable small example of exactly that.
A Word on What Did Not Make the List
We looked at every fish and chips option that has appeared on New Westminster lists in recent years and we excluded a few notable names for a simple reason: they are no longer operating. New West Fish and Chips Seafood at 413 6th Street is permanently closed according to current listings, and we did not want to send you there. A few other names that circulate on aggregator sites turned out to be in Steveston, Roberts Creek, or other areas outside New Westminster entirely, so we left those off too. The five spots in this guide are all confirmed open as of June 2026.
We also looked at the Quayside Tiki Bar, the newer waterfront bar that opened in the former Paddlewheeler Pub space at 810 Quayside Drive. It is a genuinely fun spot for a cocktail on the boardwalk and we like what they are doing with the space, but fish and chips is not on their current menu, so it does not belong in this particular guide. If you are spending an afternoon on the Quay and want to pair your Angelina’s lunch with a later tiki drink, it is a natural follow-on stop.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Fish and Chips Day in New Westminster
Timing matters more than you might think. Cockney Kings runs their student special from noon to 4pm on weekdays and their best daily fish deals happen on specific days of the week, so if you are flexible, checking their specials before you go can save you a few dollars and steer you toward the freshest fish of the day. The Monday pollock deal and the Thursday haddock discount in particular are worth planning around if you are in the neighbourhood on those days.
If you are visiting the Quay, build your day around the lunch window. Angelina’s Dutch Corner closes at 4pm, the Boathouse patio is at its best in the early afternoon when the light is coming off the river, and the boardwalk walk between the two is a pleasant fifteen minutes if the weather cooperates. The Westminster Pier Park is right there as well, so a fish lunch followed by a walk along the water is one of the better ways to spend a summer day in New West without spending very much money.
Call ahead when hours matter. We have noted in this guide where our research found some uncertainty around specific hours, particularly at The Boathouse where the schedule appears to have shifted in the past year. A thirty-second phone call before a special occasion meal is worth the effort, and all five spots in this guide list their phone numbers publicly. For everything else in the New Westminster food scene, our New Westminster food guide is a good next stop for ideas beyond fish and chips.
Questions Often Asked
Where is the best fish and chips in New Westminster?
Cockney Kings Fish and Chips at Columbia Square Plaza near 10th Street is our top pick for classic fish and chips in New Westminster. They have been open since 1965, offer cod, haddock, halibut, and prawns in a crispy English-style batter, and run daily specials that make the value hard to beat. For a waterfront setting, The Boathouse at Westminster Quay serves halibut fish and chips at a higher price point but with Fraser River views.
Is there a fish and chips spot right on the water in New Westminster?
Yes, two options sit on Quayside Drive along the Fraser River. The Boathouse at 900 Quayside Drive is the most upscale, with a patio right on the water and halibut fish and chips at $44. Angelina’s Dutch Corner at 810 Quayside Drive in the River Market building also serves a cod dinner and has a patio along the riverside boardwalk, though they close at 4pm daily so it is a lunch-only option.
What is the cheapest fish and chips in New Westminster?
For budget-friendly fish, The Spud Shack Fry Co. at 800 Carnarvon Street near the New Westminster SkyTrain station is the most affordable option, offering fish n frites as part of their Belgian frites menu. Cockney Kings also offers good value, with a weekday student special from noon to 4pm and regular daily fish discounts. Match Eatery runs a Monday dine-in special with one piece of haddock, coleslaw, tartar, and fries for $15.
Are there any fish and chips spots in New Westminster open on Mondays?
Yes, several options are open on Mondays. Cockney Kings is open Monday through Saturday from 11am and actually runs a pollock special on Mondays. Match Eatery opens at noon on Mondays and runs their best fish and chips dine-in deal of the week that day. Angelina’s Dutch Corner is open daily including Mondays from 7am to 4pm. The Spud Shack is also open Mondays from noon.
