For anyone visiting Ireland for the first time, one of the biggest culinary surprises is the local chipper. These traditional takeaway shops are found in cities, towns and villages across the country, serving everything from fish and chips to battered sausages, curry chips and chicken fillet burgers.
What surprises many visitors even more is how many of these businesses have Italian surnames. So why are Irish chippers so closely linked with Italy when Italy itself has no comparable takeaway culture?
The answer lies in more than a century of immigration and entrepreneurship.
How Irish chippers began
Although fish and chips originated in Britain during the 19th century, Italian immigrants played a major role in establishing chip shops throughout Ireland.
From the late 1800s into the early 20th century, families from areas including Frosinone and Caserta emigrated to Ireland in search of better opportunities. Many began by selling ice cream or running cafés before opening fish and chip shops.
These family businesses quickly became part of everyday Irish life, with many passing from one generation to the next. Today, numerous chippers are still operated by the descendants of those original Italian families.
Why doesn’t Italy have chippers?
It seems like a contradiction.
Despite the Italian connection, Italy has almost no equivalent to the Irish chipper.
Traditional Italian cuisine has always centred on fresh regional dishes, while the concept of dedicated takeaway shops selling battered fish, battered sausages, curry chips and garlic cheese chips never developed there.
Rather than importing an existing tradition, Italian immigrants helped create something uniquely Irish.
The Irish Traditional Italian Chippers Association (ITICA)
The history of these family businesses is preserved through the Irish Traditional Italian Chippers Association (ITICA).
The association represents many of Ireland’s traditional Italian chipper families, celebrating their contribution to Irish society while promoting high standards across the industry.
For more than a century, these families have played an important role in shaping one of Ireland’s best-loved food traditions.
Some of Ireland’s best-known chippers
Ireland has hundreds of excellent independent chippers, but a few names have become legendary.
Among the most famous are:
- Leo Burdock’s, founded in Dublin in 1913 and one of Ireland’s oldest fish and chip shops.
- Beshoff Bros, renowned for seafood and traditional fish and chips.
- Macari’s, one of the best-known Italian family names in the Irish chipper trade.
- Borza, another long-established Italian-Irish chipper family.
- Romayo’s, one of Ireland’s largest chipper chains.
- Dino’s, particularly popular throughout Cork.
- Supermac’s, while not a traditional chipper, has become one of Ireland’s biggest home-grown fast-food brands.
What every newcomer should try
A first visit to an Irish chipper can be overwhelming thanks to the huge menu.
Here are some classics worth ordering.
Fish and Chips
The undisputed classic.
Fresh cod or haddock coated in crispy batter and served with thick-cut chips, usually enjoyed with salt and vinegar.
Battered Sausage
One of Ireland’s most iconic takeaway items.
A pork sausage coated in batter and deep fried until golden and crispy.
Curry Chicken and Chips
Chicken pieces served with Ireland’s distinctive mild curry sauce and fresh chips.
Curry Chips
Perhaps Ireland’s favourite chipper side dish.
Fresh chips topped with rich, mildly spiced curry sauce.
Garlic Cheese Chips
Chips topped with melted cheese and creamy garlic sauce.
Chicken Fillet Burger
A breaded chicken fillet served in a bun with lettuce, mayonnaise and chips.
Taco Fries
Despite the name, these have nothing to do with Mexican cuisine.
They consist of chips topped with seasoned minced beef, cheese and taco sauce.
Spice Burger
A uniquely Irish favourite.
A flattened, seasoned meat patty coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried.
Onion Rings
A classic side order found in almost every chipper.
Scampi
Breaded langoustine served with chips and tartare sauce.
National Fish and Chips Day
Every year, fish and chips are celebrated during National Fish and Chips Day.
Although the event began in the UK, many Irish chippers also take part with special offers and promotions encouraging customers to support their local takeaway.
It has become another opportunity to celebrate one of Ireland’s most enduring culinary traditions.
More than just takeaway food
Irish chippers are far more than places to grab a quick meal.
They are family businesses that have served communities for generations, surviving economic downturns, changing tastes and increasing competition from international fast-food chains.
For anyone living in or visiting Ireland, eating at a traditional chipper is almost a rite of passage. Whether it’s fish and chips on a Friday evening, curry chips after a night out or your very first battered sausage, you’re taking part in a uniquely Irish tradition.
Ironically, that tradition exists thanks to generations of Italian immigrants who built something in Ireland that never truly existed back home.
