There is a moment, early every morning, when the day’s catch arrives at North Sea Fish Restaurant.
Long before the first customer walks through the door on Leigh Street, our fresh fish has already made its journey from the boats to Billingsgate Market and into our kitchen.
The fish is caught overnight, landed and delivered to Billingsgate in the early morning, before reaching our kitchen later that morning ready for service the same day.
It is a commitment that has defined us since 1977. And it is, quite simply, why our fish tastes the way it does.
What most restaurants don’t tell you
Most London restaurants — even good ones — rely on fish that has been chilled, transported, and in some cases frozen along the way. The difference in flavour is real and immediate to anyone paying attention.
Fresh fish has a clean, sweet flavour and a texture that holds its shape beautifully in the fryer or on the grill. Fish that has been frozen loses moisture, softens, and gains a flatness that no batter or seasoning can disguise.
At North Sea, our fish is delivered fresh from Billingsgate each morning. Our cod, haddock, plaice, salmon, sea bass, skate and other fresh fish arrive ready to be prepared for service that day. The exceptions are king prawns and breaded scampi, which are supplied frozen. This is not simply a marketing claim – it is the way our kitchen has operated for decades.
If you’ve never tasted truly fresh cod — sweet, white and flaking apart beneath a crisp batter — this is where to start. There is nothing quite like it.
The fish we are proud of
Our cod and haddock are the heart of the menu. Generous fillets. Unmistakable white flake. Fried in crispy ground nut oil batter or grilled simply to let the fish speak for itself.
Our plaice is delicate and sweet, responding beautifully to grilling. Our salmon steak arrives on the bone — which keeps it moist through cooking in a way a fillet cannot match.
And our grilled octopus — tender, with a slight char, finished with lemon and olive oil — is a world away from the rubbery version most people have encountered elsewhere.
Every one of these dishes begins the same way: fish delivered that morning from Billingsgate, prepared by our kitchen team, and cooked to order.
