Fish and chips pairs deep-fried chips with what?

Fish and chips pairs deep-fried chips with battered and fried fish.

The fish is usually a fillet coated in batter and cooked in hot oil, then served with thick-cut fried potatoes known as chips in Britain. Cod and haddock are especially familiar choices in the United Kingdom, although local species vary around the world. The fish should be filleted, so a typical serving is eaten without bones.

Fish and chips became a major British working-class food in the 19th century. Fried-fish shops and fried-potato sellers developed separately before the foods were combined; recorded fish-and-chip shops appeared in London and northern England during the 1860s. Railways and North Sea fishing helped distribute fresh fish to growing industrial cities.

The batter is often made from flour and water, sometimes with baking soda, vinegar, or beer to create a lighter coating. Common accompaniments include salt, malt vinegar, tartar sauce, mushy peas, and curry sauce. Roast beef, eggs, or chicken are separate dishes rather than the defining partner in fish and chips.