Best Fish and Chips in Gisborne: 5 Local Favourites
Updated: Sep 29
Looking for the best fish and chips in Gisborne?
Our local picks are London Street Fish Shop, Waikanae Beach Cafe, Hong Kong Takeaways, Kaiti Fish Shop and Te Hapara Fish Shop.
These are the places Gisborne locals return to for generous pieces of fish, hot chips and an easy takeaway dinner near the beach.
Some are classic neighbourhood fish shops, while others are particularly handy before heading to Wainui, Waikanae or Midway.
There are some foods that feel permanently connected to coastal New Zealand.
Fish and chips is one of them.
And in Gisborne, it somehow tastes even more correct.
Maybe it is the proximity to the ocean.
Maybe it is eating beside the beach with salt air still in the wind.
Maybe it is simply that Gisborne still understands how to keep certain things uncomplicated.
Fresh fish.
Hot chips.
Cold drinks.
Ocean nearby.
Perfect.
Gisborne’s fish and chip scene is not built around trendy reinventions or carefully branded “seafood concepts”.
The best places are usually the ones locals quietly keep returning to: reliable, generous, affordable, and deeply woven into everyday Gisborne life.
Here are some of the best fish and chip takeaways in Gisborne.
London Street Fish Shop, Gisborne
Location: 17 London Street, Kaiti, Gisborne 4010
Phone: 06 863 2078
Website/Menu: www.londonstreetfishshop.co.nz
Hours: Mon - Sun 11:30 - 7:30pm
London Street Fish Shop is one of Gisborne's best-known fish and chip shops, particularly popular for generous fish portions and substantial servings of chips.
London Street is one of those classic Gisborne takeaways that has earned its reputation by keeping things simple and doing them well.
Located in Inner Kaiti, it is known for generously sized pieces of fish, crisp batter and the sort of substantial chip portions expected from a proper neighbourhood fish-and-chip shop.
There is no attempt to reinvent the experience.
You order at the counter, wait while everything is cooked and leave carrying a hot parcel that feels considerably heavier than expected.
Its location also makes it a convenient stop before heading toward Kaiti Beach, Wainui or the surrounding coastline.
Best For
Large pieces of battered fish
Classic Gisborne fish and chips
Fish and chips in Inner Kaiti
Takeaways before or after Wainui Beach
Waikanae Beach Cafe, Gisborne
Location: 285 Grey Street, Awapuni, Gisborne 4010
Phone: 06 824 1129
Website: www.waikanaebc.com
Menu/Delivery: www.delivereasy.co.nz/waikanae-beach-cafe-gisborne
Hours: Mon-Fri 6:00am - 5:00pm
Sat-Sun 7:00am - 5:00pm
Waikanae Beach Cafe is a Gisborne beachfront cafe and takeaway serving fish and chips just across from Waikanae Beach.
Formerly Captain Morgans, Waikanae Beach Cafe is one of those dependable Gisborne takeaway institutions people mention almost automatically.
The menu is broad enough to satisfy families and groups, but fish and chips remains the centrepiece. Crispy battered fish, solid chip portions, and fast service keep locals coming back consistently.
This is classic takeaway food designed for:
Best For
Family takeaway meals
Reliable portions
Fish and chips on Waikanae Beach
Early afternoon fish and chips
Hong Kong Takeaways, Gisborne
Location: 435 Gladstone Road
Phone: 06 868 0938
Hours: Wed - Sun 11:00am - 8:30pm
Tues 4:00pm - 8:30pm
Mon Closed
Hong Kong Takeaways is a long-running Gisborne takeaway serving traditional fish and chips alongside classic Chinese takeaway dishes.
Hong Kong Takeaways has quietly built a loyal local following over the years.
This is the kind of classic takeaway shop Gisborne locals genuinely use regularly rather than simply recommend online. The fish and chips are consistently generous, affordable, and satisfyingly traditional in the best possible way.
There is something deeply comforting about places like this.
Bright menu boards.
The sound of fryers working constantly.
Locals waiting for takeaway bundles wrapped in paper.
The smell of hot chips drifting into the street.
It feels less like curated food culture and more like real everyday Gisborne life.
Best For
Classic takeaway experience
Affordable fish and chips
Local atmosphere
Family dinners
Kaiti Fish Shop, Gisborne
Location: 502 Wainui Road, Kaiti, Gisborne 4010
Phone: 06 868 8749
Menu/Delivery: Kaiti Fish Shop
Hours: Mon - Sat 11:00am - 8:00pm
Sun 12:00pm - 7:00pm
Kaiti Fish Shop is a traditional Gisborne fish and chip takeaway on Wainui Road, well placed for anyone heading to or returning from Wainui Beach.
After surfing, swimming, or long afternoons at the beach, takeaway food somehow becomes part of the entire experience. Kaiti Fish Shop captures that perfectly.
This is not polished dining.
It is practical Gisborne comfort food done properly.
Best For
Post-surf takeaway
After Wainui Beach takeaway
Casual summer food
Family Fish and Chips
Te Hapara Fish Shop, Gisborne
Location: 655 Gladstone Road, Gisborne 4010
Phone: 06 867 7060
Website/Menu: https://tehaparafishshop.co.nz/
Hours: Mon - Sun 3:00pm - 7:30pm
Te Hapara Fish Shop is a long-standing fish and chip takeaway on Gladstone Road in Gisborne.
Te Hapara Fish Shop represents the classic neighbourhood takeaway shop that still forms part of everyday Gisborne life.
There is something reassuringly unchanged about places like this:
locals arriving steadily
orders wrapped hot
the smell of fried fish drifting into the street
The appeal is not sophistication.
It is familiarity.
And in coastal New Zealand, familiarity often tastes very good.
Best For
Traditional takeaway experience
Local neighbourhood atmosphere
Affordable comfort food
Classic Kiwi fish and chips
Why Fish and Chips in Gisborne Just Works
Part of what makes fish and chips feel special here is the setting around it.
People do not simply buy takeaway and rush home.
They:
drive to the beach
sit watching sunset
eat beside the ocean
stay longer than planned
turn dinner into part of the evening itself
That culture still exists strongly in Gisborne.
And honestly, it may be one of the simplest forms of happiness the city offers.
The Gisborne Version Of Coastal Living
In bigger cities, food increasingly becomes performance.
In Gisborne, fish and chips still feels tied to ordinary life:
families after swimming
surfers after sunset
groups sitting beside the ocean with greasy paper bags and cold drinks
That simplicity is part of the appeal.
No booking required.
No dress code.
No pressure.
Just good food near the sea.
Local Tips
Take fish and chips to Wainui, Midway, or Waikanae Beach for the full Gisborne experience.
Sunset takeaway dinners are practically a Gisborne tradition during summer.
Fresh snapper is always worth choosing when available.
Many local shops become extremely busy on warm Friday evenings.
Salt air somehow makes chips taste even better.
GisborneNZ Eat & Drink
Head over to our Eat & Drink page for all recommended Eat & Drink options in Gisborne including a Map:
