Barnes Fish Shop

Welcome to Barnes’s five-star fish shop. If you’ve ever spent thirty minutes gutting a squid (and we have!) then you’ll love Michael, who runs The Barnes Fish Shop. He’ll have it neatly prepared for you in less than five minutes, and all with a smile. Michael and his equally knowledgeable and friendly staff, will happily descale, remove bones, gut and clean, leaving you with the freshest, best prepared fish you’ll see this side of Rick Stein’s kitchen.

And talking of Cornwall, the majority of Michael’s wares are fresh from the Cornish Coast; no previously frozen fish here. He can also offer handy tips on how to cook your fish, what’s best to accompany it and how to store it. We’re sure, if you asked nicely, he’d even pop round to cook it for you.

Don’t let the quirky window display put you off: a sign declares “All bikes, pushchairs, children, wives and husbands left here for more than five minutes will be towed away resulting in a fine”. We hope it’s a joke. We’ve not tested Michael yet; the service is so prompt we’ve not had to. Once inside you’ll discover what seems to be a decidedly old-school fish shop. But since 2006, when the Fabray family took over the old fishmonger’s on Barnes High Street and renamed it the Barnes Fish Shop, they’ve added a few little twists.

Apart from the great variety of fish on offer (regulars include cod, halibut, crab, lobster, oysters, whelks and mussels) Michael also offers some fresh vegetables, sauces and spices. Unsure whether marjoram or oregano is best for tuna? Can’t decide between a tartare sauce or saffron vinaigrette? Just ask. And if you’re after a particularly hard to find fish, once again, just ask. Michael will be happy to order in for you.

The Barnes Fish Shop also offers a home delivery service; perfect for any mums-to-be. A recent study of 9,000 families in Bristol suggested that eating fish during pregnancy has beneficial effects on both the communication skills of 18-month-old babies and the motor co-ordination of children by the time they are three and a half. Add to that bit of science the five stars from Which? (the highest rating they give) and you can see why The Barnes Fish Shop is one of our favourite plaices (sorry!).

The Barnes Fish Shop can be found at 18 High Street, Barnes SW13 9LW. It is open Tuesday – Saturday from 8.00am-5.30pm, but if you’re there outside those hours and the lights are on they’ll still serve you. They can be contacted on 020 8876 1297.

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