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This week, we get ready for the local elections and check out the best place to get some classic fish and chips

🐟 5 Top-Rated Fish and Chip Shops Near Finchley

Sunday night sorted!

We went through Tripadvisor ratings and review counts for chippies within reach of Finchley, and these 5 came out on top.

Whether you want something close by, or are happy to make a short trip, there is a very decent plate of fish and chips closer than you might think.

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1: Frydays Fish Bar, 3 Salcombe Gardens, Mill Hill, NW7 · 020 8959 4318

The highest-rated chippy within reach of Finchley on Tripadvisor, Frydays scores 4.5 from a loyal set of reviewers who return repeatedly for the freshness and properly crisp chips. A short hop up to Mill Hill that comes very well recommended.

2: Fish n Flame, 100–102 High Road, East Finchley, N2 · 020 3638 9171

Right on the High Road in East Finchley, Fish n Flame is the most conveniently placed option for a quick, reliable fish supper. It carries Tripadvisor's Travellers' Choice badge and a solid 4.1 rating backed by 90 reviews.

3: White Fish, 10–12 Bell Lane, Hendon, NW4 · 020 8202 8780

A kosher fish-and-chips specialist in Hendon, White Fish scores 4.4 on Tripadvisor from 158 reviews — one of the most substantial review bases of any local chippy on the platform.

4: Toff's, 38 Muswell Hill Broadway, N10 · 020 8883 8656

​Toff's is arguably the most-reviewed chippy in North London on Tripadvisor, with nearly 400 ratings and a 4.1 score. A long-standing Muswell Hill institution, its sheer volume of positive feedback makes it one of the most trusted names on the platform.

5: Friends Restaurant, 223–225 Woodhouse Road, North Finchley, N12 · 020 8361 9531

A long-running North Finchley local with solid Tripadvisor feedback and a 4.0 rating. The review count is modest at 39, but recent scores are consistently positive - the kind of neighbourhood chippy that earns its reputation quietly over years.

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Have a favourite local chippy that deserves a mention? We would love to hear about it. And if you do make it to any of these 5, let us know how it was. 🐟 🐟 🐟

Events

ARTS

Wednesday 15th April

​Special Film Screening Event 'Goodbye Breasts!' Documentary + Q&A | Wed, Apr. 15 | 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm | Phoenix Cinema, 52 High Road N2 9PJ | £13 | Special screening of documentary Goodbye Breasts! at Phoenix Cinema, East Finchley on Wednesday 15 April plus post-screening Q&A discussion with Katrina Sarig of Cancestry. |

Thursday 16th April

​The Long Road by Shelagh Stephenson | Thu, Apr. 16 | 7:30 pm to 9:00 am | Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate | £15 | Garden Suburb Theatre’s next production will be The Long Road, a beautiful, poignant and troubling story of grief, forgiveness and loss by Shelagh Stephenson. The Long Road invites our audiences to witness the courage required to face loss and the possibility of understanding across divides. The story explores the aftermath of a tragic murder of a young man and the emotional journey of a London family.

Cold War Aircraft Tour with Age UK Barnet | Thu, Apr. 16 | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm | RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, NW9 5LL | Free but donations welcome | Join for a thrilling journey into aviation history with our special Cold War Aircraft Tour. Highlights include some of the era's most iconic jets - including the legendary Vulcan, the sleek Vampire, the groundbreaking Meteor, and the formidable Hunter. Email activities@ageukbarnet.org or call 0738 446 6840 to book.

Sunday 19th April

​Out of the Box | Sun, Apr. 19 | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | Tickets from £13.75 | The most ordinary items become extraordinary in Darryl J Carrington's delightful new show, packed with world-class juggling, inventive tricks and hilarious audience participation. For ages 4+ |.

​Art Exhibition & Live Painting Art Exhibition & Live Painting | Sun, Apr. 19 | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | Peak Performance Health and Wellness Centre, 1268A High Road, N20 9HH | Free | A soulful and expressive art experience and exhibition. Alongside a collection of soulful dark flower prints, merchandise, and postcards, visitors are offered the opportunity to receive a live, personalised watercolour painting to represent the individual's energy.

COMMUNITY

Sunday 19th April

​Paws2Rescue dog rescue. An evening of compassion and celebration | Sun, Apr. 19 | 4:30 pm to | Signature at Highgate, 58 The Bishops Avenue, N2 0BE | £20 | Join for an inspiring evening supporting Paws2Rescue, hosted by Peter Egan. Enjoy stories, live music, food, auction and raffle prizes — all helping save animals who rely on human kindness.

MUSIC

Friday 17th April

​Barnet Boogie 2 | Fri, Apr. 17 | 7:00 pm to 12:00 am | Chipping Barnet Social Club, 33 High Street, EN5 5UW | Free | Barnet Boogie is back for Round 2. Spinning a top shelf selection of: Northern Soul + Underplayed Soul; Modern Soul + Disco; Motown Philly Sound; RnB + Mod Classics; and obscurities all on glorious vinyl.

SPORT

Saturday 18th April

​Seated/Standing Yoga At Edgware Library | Sat, Apr. 18 | 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Edgware Library, Hale Lane, HA8 8NN | Free | Seated/Standing yoga sessions that are perfect for beginners, seniors and those with reduced mobility. Gentle stretches and movements to improve flexibility, balance and strength. Reduces stress and anxiety. No prior yoga experience necessary.

OLDER PEOPLE

​Free Chair Exercise Sessions for Older Adults | Sat, Apr. 18 | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | Visitor Pavilion, 145 Claremont Road, NW2 4AL | Free | In partnership with the Silver Jubilee Charitable Foundation, Brent Cross Town is offering free Chair Exercise Sessions designed to be dementia‑friendly and accessible for older adults.

KIDS

Saturday 18th April

​Under 18s Open Mic Night | Sat, Apr. 18 | 7:30 pm | The Bull Theatre, EN 5 5SJ | £10.69 | Under 18s Open Mic Night is back this month with an evening of incredible talent from local youngsters.

NATURE

Tuesday 14th April

​Forest Bathing | Tue, Apr. 14 | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Covert Way Nature Reserve, Covert Way, EN4 0LT | £16.96 | Join a relaxing and connecting springtime Forest Bathing Session before sunset in the beautiful Covert Way Nature Reserve.

Events - Book Ahead

Wednesday 13th May

​National Smile Month - Oral Health Drop-In at Mill Hill Library | Wed, May. 13 | 10:45 am to 11:45 am | Mill Hill Library, Hartley Avenue, Mill Hill, NW7 2HX | Free | To coincide with National Smile Month, the oral health team from Whittington Health will be available for guidance on your child’s oral health needs. Please come along and feel free to speak with them.

Thursday 14th May

​AFC Southgate Trials 2026/27 | Thu, May. 14 | Sussex Way, Cockfosters, EN4 0BL | TBC | Whether your child is aiming for a higher level in the JPL or wants to join one of the Grassroots / Watford Friendly League teams, now is the time to book their trial place.

Saturday 23rd May

​Hearts Of Arkley Village Fayre | Sat, May. 23 | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Brickfield Lane, EN5 3LD | £1 | Save the date for the Arkley community village fayre with a hosted fun dog show, face painting, live music and plenty of street food. free for under 12s.

Local Lowdown

Fuelling

• With petrol prices rising amid Middle East tensions, it's worth knowing where to fill up cheaply. The nearest budget option for North London drivers is Morrisons on Southbury Road in Enfield, currently the second cheapest in Greater London at 145.9p per litre - around £80 for a typical 55-litre tank.

Completing

• A London Ambulance administrator has ticked off all 1,028 English Heritage blue plaques across Greater London, finishing his three-year quest in East Barnet. His final stop was a plaque on Burlington Rise, Oakleigh Park, honouring philosopher Sir Karl Popper, who lived there briefly after the Second World War before moving to Buckinghamshire.

Achieving

• Great news for a local school. Parliament Hill School on Highgate Road has been ranked in the top 10% of non-selective schools nationally for student attainment, following recognition by SSAT's Educational Outcomes Awards. The honour is based on 2025 Key Stage 4 exam results, drawing on data from the DfE and Ofsted across all state-funded schools in England.

Thrifting

• A new pre-loved fashion hub has opened at the O2 Centre on Finchley Road. Charity Super.Mkt, co-founded by designer Wayne Hemingway, takes over empty retail units to sell curated second-hand clothing from leading charities under one roof. Brands include Armani, Levi and Ralph Lauren, with prices from £7. Events and upcycling workshops are planned throughout May.

Striking

• Plan ahead if you use the Tube. London Underground strike dates have been announced for late April and May, with four separate walkouts scheduled: 21–22 April, 23–24 April, 19–20 May, and 21–22 May. Each strike runs from midday to just before midnight the following day, covering the afternoon and evening rush hours.

Title: Barnet Local Elections

Barnet voters are still set to go to the polls on Thursday, 7 May 2026, despite the wider row over delayed local elections in parts of England. After ministers dropped plans to postpone 30 council contests following legal advice, all scheduled elections are now expected to go ahead.

In Barnet, that means all 63 council seats will be contested across the borough for the next four years. Residents can vote in person, by post or by proxy. The deadline to register to vote by post is Tuesday, 21 April 2026, 5:00 pm. The deadline to register to vote by proxy is Tuesday, 28 April 2026, 5:00 pm.

The contest matters locally because Barnet is one of London’s biggest boroughs, with councillors overseeing services including housing, planning, roads, waste and local amenities. At present, Barnet is Labour-controlled, with 40 Labour councillors, 19 Conservatives, three non-aligned members and one vacancy.

Editors' Note - From Tessa

If you haven't seen the BBC TV series Ghosts, you are missing out. It's one for all the family.

They've been filming a feature film that's due to come out in October this year, and have opened up the house for tours.

As giant fans, we made the trip out to West Horsley Place (about 1-1.5 hours from Finchley) and saw round the fabulous Button House.

Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

​And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze