Fish Cafe

I just had lunch with my daughter here. This restaurant just keeps on getting better and I was pleased to see it busy at lunchtime. Both of us were very impressed with the fresh seafood and excellent service. Rye Bay scallops — pan fried — terrific. Wine list is not too long and well explained.

Mortgage Free Fish Dinner ! (
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We visited this restaurant on Friday 16 of March 2012 around 7 pm. We asked for a table but it was all booked. The only possibility was that we could have a table if we left by 8 o clock. We were starving and it took no time to decide. So in we went. Atmosphere is a rustic/​chic type, very pleasant.
We sat down and we ordered a potted crab and a mix of smoked fish for a starter which were served on very arty plates. The fish was at its freshest although there was a little accident as I found a couple of bits of shell in my crab (although unpleasant this shows it was freshly prepared). I called the manager and he was very apologetic and he said he would take the dish off the bill. For a main course we had fish and chips and a steamed plaice with veggie. Once in your mouth you didn’t have to do anything it just melted like ice cream. We had a bottle of sparkling mineral water, their own brand which was also very good, not too fizzy like a lot of brands, that once drunk you feel that you can take off !!!
The bread (we could see had at least 6 different types of loaf, tasted like the oven was next door and at 50 PENCE PER SERVING !!! In London it would have been the same price we paid for the starter here. The bill come to £ 35 without the Crab dish which would have made it £ 42. An absolute bargain for fish at such a level. One minor point. The music in the background was in a kind of loop as it played the same song for the whole of the hour we stayed. I suppose we were too busy stuffing ourselves to notice it earlier. We will go back anytime we are in the area. This is a top notch Fish Restaurant.

We went following the recommendations on this site and were somewhat disappointed. Have to say the food was truly excellent and fresh (fish & chips and plaice), but their timing was completely off. We received the «on arrival» amuse-​gueule olives just a minute before the main course arrived. And the staff was not very attentive, so we never got a chance to order more drinks.

This is a stunningly converted old warehouse made into a Bistro style café downstairs and a fancier restaurant upstairs, plus a function suite. The Fish café downstairs is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, if you want really fresh and well prepared fish and seafood this is the place to come. I had cod in a beer batter which came with amazing chips, very upmarket fish and chips. My mother had the local lobster which came with chips and a great rocket salad. Prices are on the high side but the quality is worth it.
Only negative was service being a little haphazard, there seemed to be plenty of staff but they were not always very attentive so it seemed we were forgotten about for a time.