A sign up in the entrance to Rock And Sole Plaice proclaims there is nothing more British than a good helping of fish and chips doused in salt and sprinkled with vinegar. Indeed, along with afternoon tea, the Union Jack, Beckham and Victoria and the Gallagher brothers’ diatribes, this dish is one of the grand institutions of British society. Having staged a comeback in the islands after decades of decline, this simple but exquisite and foolproof combination of batter-fried codfish and a good helping of chips is drawing ever more adepts. Here, then, are London’s 10 best chippies, which will turn you into a die-hard supporter of the cause.

Bonnie Gull

Fish and chips is just one of the offerings on the menu at Bonnie Gull, but their version of it is so ineffably delicious they could easily dedicate themselves solely to this dish. Their fish is battered North Sea haddock with a varnish of beer and tempura, giving it a doubly crunchy texture. Their chips, a greasy indulgence, are cooked slowly in beef dripping. To not dip them in their homemade ketchup would be unforgiveable.

Fish Central

A veritable London culinary institution specialising in fish. Opened in 1968, very few things have changed since then at the Fish Central. In their case, this is great news. As its name suggests, their menu offers the best and freshest fish and seafood, from humble sardines to pompous oysters. Their fish and chips, among the best in town, provide an exquisite contrast between the excitingly crunchy chips, and tender codfish which melts in your mouth.

Fish Club

Strict rules about how fish and chips should be made limit the varieties of fish to cod – or, failing that, haddock. Luckily for our palates and stomachs, The FishClub flouts the regulations. This small chippy, with two branches in The City, also makes fish and chips from sardines, gilt-head bream, mackerel, sole and – the great speciality of the house – pollock, among others. Guests can choose between classical-style batter (a mixture of flour, egg and beer), breadcrumbs, grilled, baked or fried. The only item which is set are their chips, which are large, potent and crunchy.

The Golden Hind

A classic among classics, in 2014 the folks at The Golden Hind celebrated their hundredth anniversary as purveyors of fish and chips in London. Peerless masters of the trade, they conceal their scrumptious haddock under a feathery-light batter. This is accompanied, needless to day, by generous helpings of chunky potatoes. Those of you who are not too keen on tubers can swap the chips for colourful, appetising sautéed peas. Golden Hind, 73 Marylebone Lane.

Golden Union Fish Bar

In the heart of Soho, Golden Union has been frying up their wares for over a hundred and fifty years. Such centennial experience translates into generous portions of codfish, perfectly seasoned and coated in a crunchy batter which – thanks to some secret recipe – has a texture similar to puff pastry. Special mention goes to their silky, spongy French fries.

Kerbisher & Malt

A top-drawer chippy, with four restaurants dotted around London – we recommend the one on Shepherd’s Bush Road. Here, the popular British culinary classic comes in many venues and options, notably battered in beer, in accordance with tradition, fried in breadcrumbs or grilled, for those who are seeking a healthier variety. Their superior quality chips are accompanied with mouth-watering mushy peas, pickled onion rings, coleslaw or homemade tartare sauce.

Poppie’s

Behind a somewhat kitsch decor, a re-creation of London’s East End in the 40s and 50s, lies one of the best spots for wolfing down fish and chips. The classic aesthetics also spills over into their cuisine. The folks at Poppie’s don’t try to innovate, but to raise tradition to the nth degree – a hearty slice of codfish delivered fresh from Billingsgate market, and chips of the kind that are crunchy on the outside and spongy on the inside.

Rock And Sole Plaice

This is Idris Elba’s favourite chippy. We support his verdict, not so much for the quality of their fare as for the experience as a whole. Off the beaten track in an alley next to Covent Garden, the Rock and Soile Plaice is scarcely a few square metres of white tiles coated in a fine, greasy layer. Their cute terrace is the best place to eat. A typical venue where you feel like just another Briton stuffing yourself with fried fish.

Sutton And Sons

Danny Sutton, the owner of this fish-and-chips shop, listed in all guides as one of the best in town, also runs a fishmonger’s in the same street. No wonder then that anything they serve up at Sutton and Sons is so fresh it is liable to leap off the plate. Their top-of-the-line fish and chips is much more wholesome when paired with one of their numerous craft beers. For dessert, we recommend Mrs Sutton’s caramel pudding.

Toff’s

Ever since they opened in 1968, experts, connoisseurs and epicures of fish and chips have chosen it on more than one, two or three occasions as the best chippy in both London and the United Kingdom. Juicy, scaly codfish coated with fatless, crunchy batter. While the generous island of fish surrounded by crispy chips does not appear to be based on any special recipe, you will be itching to come back to this chippy on Muswell Hill even before you leave it.

Come and try this classic of British cuisine – book your Vueling to London here.

Text by Oriol Rodríguez for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Mark Hillary , Marshall Segal, RosieTulips, Ewan Munro, Duncan C

Yet another year has passed and Galician cuisine is still on the ascendancy, having earned recognition in the Michelin Guide, one of the most prestigious and demanding in the world. Twelve restaurants in Galicia have earned that distinction, a tribute to their culinary talent. But, we’re going to focus on three of them, which happen to be in A Coruña. We’ll talk about the rest another time. Some overlook the sea; others, the green countryside. Some are inspired by cutting-edge trends; others, by tradition. All of them however, have a unique flavour – a markedly genuine, Galician flavour.

Alborada
(Paseo marítimo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez, 25. 15002 A Coruña)
Chef: Iván Domínguez

This restaurant is located on the seaside promenade skirting A Coruña, halfway between the Tower of Hercules and the Castle of San Antón. It is done out in modern, elegant fashion, with two dining-rooms overlooking the Atlantic, and a third, more secluded, private one. The decor is a blend of fine woods, cork and ironwork, as befits the luminosity of the spacious interior.

The fare on offer at Alborada is based on local Galician produce, particularly fish and seafood, prepared using current techniques. This is haute cuisine, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2010. The menu always features the day’s fish and seafood, accompanied by tasty vegetables in season. Lobster, crayfish, scallop, sea bass, hake, sole… the star is the sea. There are two menus of the day – the “classical” menu, featuring dishes that chart the restaurant’s evolution, and the “tasting menu” spotlighting the chef’s latest, most surprising creations. To round off the experience, Alborada also offers a wine list with over 600 items.

Árbore da Veira
(San Andrés, 109 bajo. 15003 A Coruña)
Chef: Luis Veira

Árbore da Veira is just a few paces from the water’s edge, so ideally you should let yourself be enveloped in the sea breeze. The ambience is warm, relaxing and spacious. There are few tables, light wood finish and furniture inspired by Nordic design. The tables are sans tablecloths and the crockery is stunning, with unique, handmade pieces. This is a happy world. Their chef, Luis Veira, takes you on an alluring culinary adventure. Drawing on the most innovative techniques, the gastronomic experience is designed for the pleasure of the senses. Veira’s motto is to forge ahead, and to integrate new techniques and produce, particularly if it comes from the sea. The result is an array of splendid, signature-cuisine dishes, albeit grounded in the Galician tradition.

A word of advice: here there is no à la carte, but a dynamic offering of two new and attractive menus of the day – “Raíces” (Roots), which includes 8 snacks, 10 main dishes and 8 desserts, and “Árbore”, made up of 8 snacks, 15 main dishes and 8 desserts. Quite a mouthful! In the end, you’re looking at some 30 culinary creations to be consumed in one session. And, the produce is in season, especially from the sea (6 of the dishes are based on seafood) and estuaries of Galicia – oysters, crayfish, scallop, periwinkles and codfish offal. As an alternative, the chef likes to offer the odd meat dish, with Galician beef and porco celta (Celtic pork ham) being his mainstays. The dishes – or “mouthfuls”, as Luis tends to call them – vary in terms of the market and his inspiration. When it comes to the wine list, Árbore adheres to the same approach – around 250 items which include 30 DOs (designation of origin), both Spanish and international, although Galician wines are dominant. The selection, renewed every three months, is impeccable and designed to combine with the chef’s stunning dishes. There are two matches proposed – in the mouth with 8 wines and on the palate with 12.

A Estación
(Estrada da Estación, 51. 15660 Cambre, A Coruña)
Chefs: Beatriz Sotelo and Xoán Crujeiras

This restaurant lies 15 km from the centre of A Coruña and is striking for its siting, as it occupies the canteen and storeroom of an erstwhile train station. We found the refurbished interior captivating, particularly for its lighting. During the day, the dining-room is bright and lively, with glazed fronting on both sides, as in the old train coaches. By night, the salon turns intimate and elegant, with small points of light evocative of the dinner atmosphere on the Orient Express.

The master-chef tandem base their approach on a combination of technique and creativity, passion and delicacy, sea and mountain. They also share a preference for sourcing local produce, but with a view to the future. The dishes at A Estación point to a harmony of culinary experience, knowledge and recollections. The menu features dishes for snacking and sharing, with starters, fish and meat in season, and tastings that may optionally match wines and are renewed each month. Produce here is always in season, traditional, organic, proximity produce sourced from local cooperatives or small producers.

A Coruña offers a host of incentives to captivate you and one of them is their cuisine. Come and taste the creations of their leading chefs. Check out our flights here.

Text by Turismo A Coruña

Images by Alborada, Árbore da Veira

From mid-July to mid-September, around 50 killer whales grouped into five families can be sighted in the Strait of Gibraltar off Tarifa. And, if you’re a lover of these giant mammals, what an adventure you can have watching whales, dolphins and killer whales in their natural environment, toying with vessels and swimming to-and-fro through this sheet of water that joins the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean.

CIRCE (Conservation, Information and Research on Cetaceans) estimates that the striped, bottlenose, and common dolphin, and the short-finned pilot whale have their habitat in this Strait separating Europe and Africa. However, in mid-spring there are also sporadic sightings of sperm whales and such stunning mammals as the finback whale, measuring 20 metres long and weighing over 80 tons – one of the largest animals on the planet.

Killer whales are more on show in summer as they chase the tuna fish that head across the Strait of Gibraltar to the Atlantic at that time of year.

Tarifa is the Spot

But, the fun doesn’t stop there. Tarifa has a lot more to offer as it is one of Europe’s most attractive and cosmopolitan towns. It is a meeting point for young people from all over the world, drawn by the spectacular beaches and by the windsurfing and kitesurfing. If to that you add the entertainment provided by nature itself, the fun is guaranteed!

For those of you who prefer to be onterra firma,you can go for other activities you are sure to relish. In Tarifa, you can visit the beaches of Valdevaqueros and Bolonia, with their massive dunes which on clear days afford views of North Africa. Another essential enclave is Baelo Claudia, one of the major archaeological sites on the Peninsula. It is ideal for gauging what a typical Roman settlement would have been like, with its amphitheatre, roads, fish factories and walls. This was an important Roman settlement as it was here that the famous garum sauce was made and exported to Rome. The fish sauce was made of fermented entrails and regarded by Romans as an aphrodisiac.

Another of Tarifa’s emblematic monuments is the Castle of Guzmán El Bueno whose claim to fame is provided by the chilling tale of his preferring to hand over his son to the invaders than surrender the stronghold of Tarifa.

Make sure you don’t leave Tarifa without first trying their fresh fish, either in the bars or the beach stalls known as chiringuitos,or without tasting the delicious pastries with their long, Arab tradition in the town centre’s pastry shops.

Here you will be treated to a host of options, each with their own charm. So, take up your backpack, Vueling and fly to Jerez to enjoy one of southern Europe’s most powerful natural spots.

Text by Amparo Ortega and María del Águila Heras (Patronato Turismo de Cádiz)

Images by Patronato Turismo de Cádiz

It’s not just an incentive to encourage pilgrims on their way. Gastronomy in Santiago de Compostela has, indeed, recognized worldwide. From the products available at Mercado de Abastos, freshly arrived from the fishing harbours or the fields nearby, which are later available in baroque stills at counters and seafood restaurants.

Tourists go to Santiago looking for great quality on seafood, abundant and well-priced ¿The best? The seafood captured at Galician Rías by the North Sea, of course. Species like crab, lobster, shrimp, razor clams, oysters, crabs, crabs, barnacles, clams, oysters, prawns, barnacles and scallops, better known as "Concha de Santiago", which is also the symbol for the pilgrims and Santiago Way. Seafood is usually conserved alive until is prepared, simply boiled or grilled. However, you should know typically a Galician won’t put any sauce on it, as it masks the taste and qualities.

Then, there is the octopus. Any popular celebration to be considered must have octopus as the star course. Inside, it’s usually cooked "á feira", while in the coastline is usually prepared until is "recio", to be topped with coarse salt, pepper and a splash of oil. In Santiago you will find restaurants specialized in octopus at the streets Conxo, Vista Alegre o Concheiros, where you can also try recipes like octopus pie or octopus with rice.

There are other main products around here: Galician beef – juicy, with an intense and delicious flavour – or the cheeses from Arzúa-Ulloa or cheese roll, usually served with quinces, or the famous Santiago cake, made of almonds. In Santiago, you’ll usually get served a tapa as a courtesy. You can distinguish the tapa from an actual course as the ration is more abundant, sophisticated and not free. Near Obradoiro Square, at the streets of Rúa do Franco and Raíña, you can try all kind of tapas with high quality wines, like albariños and ribeiros.

The best option to discover the richness and gastronomic tradition of Santiago is to book one of the gastronomic tours, a guided visit to the most traditional stores and markets like Mercado de Abastos, to discover all the tips and secrets of their gastronomic culture and to try some of their products.

Another option if to go to some of the gastronomic events, like Santiago(é)Tapas, a tapas contest organized in November which allows you to discover the best and most innovative Galician gastronomy as you discover the city, too.

So you feel like visiting Santiago de Compostela, do you? Book your flights here!