You have spent the morning at the British Museum. The Rosetta Stone, the mummies, the Greek and Roman galleries — and now you are standing outside on Great Russell Street, wondering where to eat.
There are plenty of options nearby. But if you want fresh fish and chips — genuinely fresh, expertly cooked, in a proper restaurant that has been doing this since 1977 — there is really only one answer.
North Sea Fish Restaurant. Leigh Street, Bloomsbury. Ten minutes on foot.
Why North Sea?
Because the fish is never frozen.
Every morning, before the restaurant opens, a delivery arrives from Billingsgate Market. Cod, haddock, plaice, salmon, skate — all of it fresh. All of it prepared and cooked to order throughout the day.
This is not how most restaurants — even good ones — operate. The difference is immediate and unmistakable the moment you taste it.
“Best fish and chips ever! Amazingly fresh fish and refillable chips!” — MichelleB, TripAdvisor TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award Winner 2025 — Top 10% of restaurants worldwide.
What to order
If it is your first visit, start with the cod or haddock — the benchmark dishes. Large fillets. Crisp ground nut oil batter. Unlimited chips. Homemade tartare sauce.
If you want to go further, the menu has plenty of surprises. Cornish hand-dived Scallops. Whole Dover Sole. Grilled Octopus. A spectacular Fisherman’s Catch sharing dish for groups.
All of it cooked to order. All of it made from fish delivered that morning.
The walk from the British Museum
Exit the museum on Great Russell Street, turn right and walk east towards Bloomsbury Street. Turn left onto Montague Street, then right onto Bedford Way. Leigh Street is approximately eight to ten minutes on foot.
It is a pleasant walk through one of London’s most handsome neighbourhoods. Russell Square Garden is on your route if you want a brief detour.
Alternatively, from Holborn or Tottenham Court Road tube stations the walk is under fifteen minutes through quiet Bloomsbury streets.
Practical information
✓ Address: 7-8 Leigh Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 9EW
✓ Opening hours: Monday 5pm–9.30pm | Tuesday to Sunday 12pm–9.30pm
✓ Nearest tube: Russell Square (5 min) | King’s Cross & Euston (8 min)
✓ Booking: Recommended for groups and weekends | northseafishrestaurant.co.uk
✓ Walk-ins: Welcome when space is available
✓ Delivery: Available via Uber Eats and Deliveroo
If you are visiting London and you only have one lunch near the British Museum, make it count.
North Sea Fish Restaurant has been feeding visitors and locals since 1977 — and the fish is as fresh today as it has ever been.
