Florentine Fish is Quality Assured To Make Every Bite An Experience
The Florentine Traditional Fish Chip Shop in Banbridge had a change of ownership in November 2020 and new owners and partners Sarah and Adrian Peake have settled right down to business having built up a strong trade of returning customers.
Sarah said: “We actually started in the middle of Covid when you could still go into a take-away but social distancing of 2 metres was essential back then. But thankfully that’s all behind us now.
“My husband Adrian was a food rep and I worked as a civil servant. We both really looked at the business and fell in love with it. We knew it would be a challenge.
“Running a food outlet is a complicated business, and cooking iconic fish and chips is something that Adrian learned from the previous owner several weeks before he eventually took over himself. We pride ourselves in being a local family business.
“We have someone who is very reliable who comes in early in the morning and prepares the chips by peeling and chipping them. That gives us a great start to the day.
“We now have a excellent staff of 8 full-time workers and 10 part-timers. They are all just great with the customers, smiling and cheery, and they keep our business ticking away. And two are family members learning the ropes.
“We have an extensive menu but fish is a main item. Our quality fresh haddock fillets come from Lecale Seafood in Downpatrick. They are MSC certified * for wet fish, the only ones in Northern Ireland. The fish and the service are always first class.
“Harry Walsh from Lecale Seafoods supplies our fish throughout the week.
“Harry is the only MSC-accredited wet fish outlet in Northern Ireland and we are assured that the fish is caught and processed sustainably which gives us a great product second to none.
“We batter off several stones by blanching them which again gets us ahead of ourselves.
“And we hope to become the first MSC-accredited* fish and chip shop in Northern Ireland. We are now in the process of completing that. We only use fresh fish mainly haddocks, and avoid frozen-at-sea fillets. It is really great to be working with Harry. He really knows his seafood.
“He also delivers fresh battered Portavogie scampi to us which is really tasty and is always in great demand. And fish goujons are also one of the big favourites, especially with the children.”
Sarah explained that all of her staff “are trained in food hygiene and hold certificates and a couple had completed Allergy Awareness courses.”
Given that the business was going to have lots of purchases and sales, Sarah decided to take the plunge and went back to college and completed an Accountant Technicians Certificate and she now looks after her own accounts.
Sarah said that the menu mainly focusses on fish, but it is quite diverse catering for everyone’s tastes. “We have chip butties and pasties and a range of chips with super and cheezy sauces.
“For those who enjoy chicken. we have a range of fillet burgers, sizzler classic burgers, goujons, nuggets and poppin chicken, wings, and crispy shredded chicken. And we also have our popular Flo Chicken Box (Southern Fried) with thigh, wing and drumstick with chips.
“For those who enjoy tasty meat, the locally-sourced Farmyard Special burger also goes down a treat along with the Flo Signature Burger. And we also have a delicious 6oz steak served in a brioche bun with salad. Basically you can build your own burger to suit.
“We also serve up a lovely chicken supreme and a sliced chicken supper. Along with the selection of sausage items on the menu, the children’s menu caters for the younger ones with many of their favourite dishes.”
Sarah and Adrian are setting down for the winter season now and are looking forward to another busy year ahead keeping their customers far and wide with their extensive fish, chicken, burger menu with its many sides and sauces.
But the backbone to the many returning customers is the delicious fish supplied by Lecale Seafood, an MSC-certified fresh fish wholesaler.
“And for those who enjoy burgers, again there is a wide range from classic burgers, the Big Smoke, the American, and the Flo Special.”
To compliment all of the meals there is a wide range of sides, ad-ons, sauces and you can treat yourself to a variety of smoothies and thick shakes.
Contacts:
Phone: Florentine: 028 40627082.
Website ordering: https://florentine.touchtakeaway.net/menu Check out the touch menu.
Facebook: Florentine Traditional Fish and Chips
Opening times: Open 7 days a week: Monday + Tuesday 12noon to 9pm; Wednesday+Thursday 12noon to 9.30pm; Friday+Saturday open for sodas at 10am to ppm and Sunday 4-9pm.
Address: Florentine Traditional Fish and Chips, 19 Ballygowan Road, Banbridge, BT32 3PU.
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What is the MSC ? *
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation that works to protect oceans by encouraging sustainable fishing. You may recognise its blue fish tick label on seafood in supermarkets and restaurants.
It sets standards for wild-caught fisheries, covering healthy fish populations, protection of marine habitats and other species, and effective management. Independent organisations assess fisheries against those standards, with regular checks after certification.
The label means the seafood can be traced to a certified fishery. Its focus is environmental sustainability.
