Welch Fishmongers

Suzy has checked into… yep — Welch’s …AGAIN! Either I’ve become predictable or this place is too good not to go to nearly once a week.
When I buy seafood — it makes a big impression that I can actually see the sea and boats from the store. Now add in years of experience, a super clean and shiny shop, great variety, friendly staff and of course fresh FISH.
Whole fish, fillets, ‘steaks’, shellfish — langoustines with the whiskers still twitching, a giant tank of lobster, piles of mussels and loads of extras. They have smokies, smoked haddock, cold smoked salmon and my favourite — their own Hot Smoked Salmon. You can even get slices of these vac packed (well — they can vac pack anything for you) to keep in the fridge for a few days. Soft, flaky, smoky, delicate — great cold or gently warmed up.
All this is set at the quaint Newhaven harbour — completely with picturesque lighthouse, dock with seats to sit and watch the boats from and a couple of restaurants. Makes it all worth the trip!

Don’t judge me, but this place makes me wonderfully happy. Saturday morning, I’ll roll myself down the hill to Newhaven harbour, see what they’ve got in, and spend the rest of my day looking forward to cooking dinner.
The selection — set out across four wide ice-​filled counters — is always amazing, often surprising and occasionally intimidating (in a good way, like the weekend one of the counters was entirely taken up by a shark). Even when things get exotic though, the large team of knowledgable fishmongers are there to dish out good advice and obvious enthusiasm.
Poke your head around the back of the building and you’ll see the secret of Welch’s success: vans rolling to and from the large commercial fishmarket, to which the retail counter is really just an add-​on. Welch’s main business is supplying hotels and quality fish restaurants across the city and beyond.
Alongside the very, very fresh fish is a range of high quality fish-​related ingredients, including French shallots and garlic, Spanish paprika and pimenton and Japanese Panko breadcrumbs.
As rituals go, the Saturday morning Welch’s run is something I can strongly recommend for your physical, emotional and gastronomic wellbeing.

I thought Welch’s in the West End was the seafood business, but big brother in Newhaven is THE King of fishmongers.
If it swims in the sea or lives in a shell, it’ll be found here. Live crayfish in huge tanks adorn a wall, filleted & whole fish, shellfish, prawns, you name it, they’ll most likely have it.
The most endearing point to make is the fact that rather than reside behind a counter, the fishmongers mix amongst the patrons and take an active interest in showing their produce in best light. Tesco, Morrisons, ASDA and the like, take note… this is seafood and that is service at it’s best! Bravo!