Best Fish and Chips in Napier: 4 Local Favourites
Napier is a fishing town and it shows in the chip shops. The four below are all in Napier proper, all run their own kitchens rather than a shared menu, and between them they cover everything from a straightforward feed of gurnard and chips through to whole fresh fish sold by weight. Hours vary more than you might expect, so it is worth a check before you head out.
1The Fisherman’s Shop
The Fisherman’s Shop is a chippery and fresh fish market run by Matt Douglas, his wife and family, who also operate Douglas Fishing Ltd. Matt has more than thirty years of fishing experience in Kahungunu waters, and the team catch and fillet locally rather than buying through a wholesaler. There are two Napier shops, one on Taradale Road in Onekawa and one on Hastings Street in the city, with the fresh fish cabinet at Taradale Road.
Services
- Fish and chips cooked to order at both shops
- Family feast packs, dinner for two and kids packs
- Whole fresh fish and fillets from the iced cabinet
- Half kilo, one kilo and two kilo fish packs
- Seating inside at the Napier City shop
Highlights
- Run by Matt Douglas and family, who also operate Douglas Fishing Ltd
- More than thirty years of fishing experience in Kahungunu waters
- Fish caught and filleted locally rather than bought through a wholesaler
- Species change with the catch, from gurnard and snapper through to hapuka and crayfish
- Open seven days at both shops
Customer Feedback
Location & Contact
Name: The Fisherman’s Shop
Address: 140 Taradale Road, Onekawa, Napier
Phone: 06 842 0586
Website: thefishermanshop.co.nz
Contact The Fisherman’s Shop via Email
2Pirimai Chippy
Pirimai Chippy sits on the corner of Allen Berry Avenue and Bill Hercock Street, run by owner-operators Hoki and Lisa. Alongside the fish and chips there is a seafood range that runs well past the usual, taking in raw fish, seafood salad, creamed paua and seasonal Bluff oysters. The burger menu is build your own, with beef, chicken, lamb, scotch fillet and vegetarian patties. It opens Tuesday through Sunday from late afternoon.
Services
- Fish and chips, with snapper, gurnard and a fish of the day
- Seafood sides including scallops, mussels, squid rings and paua fritters
- Raw fish, seafood salad and creamed paua
- Seasonal Bluff oysters
- Build your own burgers with beef, chicken, lamb, scotch fillet or a vegetarian patty
Highlights
- Voted Best Fish and Chips by the people on The Hits Hawke’s Bay in 2024
- Also carries a Best Takeaway 2024 badge
- Run by owner-operators Hoki and Lisa
- Allergen information published on the menu, including peanuts in the vegetarian fritter
Location & Contact
Name: Pirimai Chippy
Address: Corner Allen Berry Avenue and Bill Hercock Street, Pirimai, Napier
Phone: 06 843 4532
Website: pirimaichippy.co.nz
3Charles Street
Charles Street is a family owned shop in Westshore, known to locals for years as Westshore Fish Cafe before it was revamped. The menu names each fish and describes what it is like, with gurnard as the best seller, hoki for a milder flavour and snapper listed as the fisherman’s pick. Everything is cooked to order rather than held under a lamp, and there are garlic chips and kumara wedges alongside the standard chips.
Services
- Fresh fish including gurnard, hoki and snapper
- Chips, garlic chips and kumara wedges
- Seafood sides including scallops, crab sticks, prawn twisters and squid rings
- Burgers, including a vegan and vegetarian option
- Hot dogs, donuts and fritters
Highlights
- Family owned
- Previously traded as Westshore Fish Cafe before a full revamp
- Fish cooked to order rather than prepared ahead and held
- Tasting notes published for each species so you know what you are ordering
Location & Contact
Name: Charles Street
Address: 112A Charles Street, Westshore, Napier
Phone: 06 834 0227
Website: charlesstreet.co.nz
4Woody’s Fish n Chips
Woody’s is on Trinity Crescent in Pirimai and covers both battered and crumbed fish across four named species, along with a grilled gurnard seasoned with dill and lemon pepper for anyone who would rather skip the fryer. The seafood range takes in Pacific oysters, mussels, scallops, prawn twisters and salt and pepper squid, and there is a large burger menu plus kids and dinner packs. It opens seven days.
Services
- Battered or crumbed hoki, gurnard, tarakihi and snapper
- Grilled gurnard seasoned with dill and lemon pepper
- Pacific oysters, mussels and scallops
- Prawn twisters and salt and pepper squid
- Burgers, kids packs and dinner packs
Highlights
- Grilled fish offered as well as battered and crumbed
- Four named species, each available two ways
- Open seven days in one straight block from midday to 8pm
Location & Contact
Name: Woody’s Fish n Chips
Address: Trinity Crescent, Pirimai, Napier
Phone: 06 843 6839
Website: woodysfishnchips.co.nz
Fish and Chips in Napier at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| The Fisherman’s Shop | Onekawa | Run by Matt Douglas and family, who also operate Douglas Fishing Ltd |
| Pirimai Chippy | Pirimai | Voted Best Fish and Chips by the people on The Hits Hawke’s Bay in... |
| Charles Street | Westshore | Family owned |
| Woody’s Fish n Chips | Pirimai | Grilled fish offered as well as battered and crumbed |
How to Choose a Fish and Chip Shop in Napier
- Ask what the fish actually is. Shops that buy off local boats will name the species and tell you what came in that day, and the answer changes with the weather.
- Check the hours before you set out. Some Napier shops open only from late afternoon while others run from midday straight through, so a lunchtime trip needs a look first.
- Decide whether you want battered, crumbed or grilled. Not every shop offers all three, and grilled in particular is worth ringing ahead for.
- If you are cooking at home rather than buying a feed, look for a shop with a fresh cabinet so you can buy whole fish or fillets by weight.
- Think about the rest of the order. Most Napier shops do burgers, and several carry a full seafood range, so one stop can usually cover a mixed group.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fish and Chips in Napier
What fish will I actually get?
It depends on the shop and the day. Gurnard, hoki, tarakihi and snapper are the species most often named on Napier menus, and shops buying off local boats change what they have with the weather and the catch. If the species matters to you, ask when you order. Fisheries New Zealand publishes information on how New Zealand fish stocks are managed if you want to read further.
Can I buy whole fresh fish rather than cooked?
Yes. The Fisherman’s Shop runs a fresh fish market at its Taradale Road site, with an iced cabinet of whole fish and fillets sold in half kilo, one kilo and two kilo packs as well as whole.
What is the difference between battered, crumbed and grilled?
Battered fish is dipped in a wet batter and deep fried, crumbed is coated in breadcrumbs and fried, and grilled is cooked without either. Not every shop offers grilled, so it is worth checking if that is what you are after.
How should I get fresh fish home safely?
Keep it cold and cook or refrigerate it promptly, especially in summer. New Zealand Food Safety sets out food safety guidance for seafood and other specific foods, including storage temperatures and handling.
Do Napier chip shops do more than fish and chips?
Most do. Burgers are standard across the board, and several run broad seafood ranges taking in scallops, mussels, squid, oysters and paua fritters. A few also carry hot dogs, fritters and desserts.
How We Chose the Best Fish and Chips in Napier
Every business in this guide was found by searching for fish and chips in Napier, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Napier, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.
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