If you live far from the seaside, but love the bounty of British shores, then you might be in the market for a fresh fish delivery box. These are a great solution if you don’t have somewhere local to buy seafood from, with the best online fishmongers in the UK going above and beyond to source responsibly and get you the freshest catch of the day each time.
We all know by now that tucking into fresh seafood is a great way to maintain a healthy diet. The NHS recommends we eat at least two portions of fresh a week, with one of those being oily fish like salmon or mackerel. Happily, it’s not hard to get your fix in a tasty way. With recipes from paella and prawn curries through to fishcakes and seafood pastas, there are quite literally endless ways to use our native fish and seafood in creative culinary ways. While we can’t quite get to yours and help with the cooking itself, we can help with the sourcing of the best fish delivery boxes in the UK.
We’ve scoured the best online fishmongers in the UK to bring you a curated list of the best British websites to buy seafood from, which in many cases support local fishermen and put an emphasis on sustainability. Some of our favourite options give you a subscription model, where you can have a box delivered each week or month to keep your fridge or freezer stuffed with incredible seafood.
If you’re not sure you want to commit to regular deliveries – and we get it – then all of our favourite online fishmongers allow you to pick and choose individual portions to suit your household. Additionally, because we’ve chosen experts in their field, more often than not you’re able to request how you’d like your fish presented, with a choice between whole and filleted fish a common option on the below menus.
Abel & Cole
Already well-established for its organic fruit and veg offering, Abel and Cole also does fresh fish delivery boxes. Abel & Cole works with the Marine Conservation Society to source its seafood sustainably. Pick from family favourites like a fish pie mix or organic salmon, or plump for something more unusual by way of cod cheeks or kippers. There’s a fairly wide selection, they deliver to most of the UK and there is also an option to choose a recurring order of a weekly fish box, which gives you three portions of different fish for two people.
Buy it: abelandcole.co.uk
Pesky Fish
Pesky Fish gives you the tools to buy directly from British fishermen, cutting out the middleman and consequently allowing you access to some of the freshest fish on the market. You simply select the species and volume you need and then note whether you’d like it whole or filleted, which all happens within 48 hours of it being landed. Not bad, eh? Delivery on orders over £35 is free, or else there’s a £5 charge on smaller quantities. You have to sign up to get the alerts for what’s been caught each day, and you’re then able to access the virtual marketplace, which is open between 8pm and 9am five days a week. We love that this platform also gives you the chance to get to know who caught your fish, and where it was caught for full transparency across the supply chain.
Buy it: peskyfish.co.uk
Coombe Farm Organic
While Coombe Farm Organic might already be widely known for its high welfare meat offering, it also deals in sustainable seafood boxes by way of its fresh fish delivery service. All fish is either organic, reared in ChalkStream rivers or ethically and sustainably sourced through British fishermen. The range is far-reaching with everything from trout and salmon through to sea bass and smoked fish. There’s also high-end tinned fish on offer as well as things like salmon heads, which are great if you’re a keen cook who enjoys cooking creatively. These kinds of lesser-used cuts and carcasses are great for adding rich body and flavour to things like stocks, while they also cut down on food waste.
Buy it: coombefarmorganic.co.uk
Fish for Thought
Fish for Though was started by two friends and the company is passionate about sourcing sustainably from Cornish markets. The point of difference here is that you can order the popular ‘Fish and Sauce’ packs which combine fresh seafood with an accompanying sauce, which makes the whole thing into an easy meal. Think chunky diced white dish with a Tuscan bean stew which comes together in 15 minutes. Because everything is super fresh – an estimated 3-5 days fresher than you’d find in the supermarket – it’s easily frozen too, so you can order some fish for now and some for later, stashing it away in the freezer for a meal in the future. Feeling fancy? There are all kinds of high-end options here, with our favourite being the luxury lobster and shellfish box – perfect for special occasions. All packaging is recyclable too which we like.
Buy it: fishforthought.co.uk
The Wright Brothers
You may well know The Wright Brothers brand from its restaurants, of which there are a handful scattered across London. Now the hospitality group will deliver you the freshest restaurant-quality seafood straight to your door. As you might expect there are wonderfully luxurious options if you’re in the market for impressing someone special, with a favourite of ours being the fruits de mer platter box. This compilation of popular serves will bring the restaurant experience to you in your own home. For everyday eating there is a wide range of fresh seafood and shellfish, as well as catch of the day boxes which come with a subscription option for regular deliveries of all the family favourites.
Buy it: shop.thewrightbrothers.co.uk
The Cornish Fishmonger
Stocking over 30 species of fish at any one time, The Cornish fishmonger (as you might have guessed) predominantly sources their seafood from Cornish quaysides. With an accommodating team on hand to help, you’re able to request how you’d like to have your fish delivered to you – whether that’s whole or instead filleted by their experts. While you can buy individual species of fish, you can also select to have one of The Cornish Fishmonger’s fish delivery boxes. These range from oily fish selections through to a BBQ fish box. The latter includes things like scallops, prawns, mackerel, trout, salmon and plaice, which at £68.95 gives you loads of options for a big get together, or for smaller households it’s a way to see you through the summer if you freeze everything in individual portions.
Buy it: thecornishfishmonger.co.uk
Bethnal Green Fish
While there is no website for Bethnal Green Fish, there is a pretty popular Instagram account which is followed by a distinctly ‘in the know’ foodie crowd. The family business is manned by friendly, customer-focused people who will work hard to get you what you want. They regularly post up-to-date menus on their account which you can order from, or if you’re after something unusual they can usually get it specially for you. There are fresh and frozen sections as well as a deli list which gives you the choice of things like dressed crab. One of our favourites is the frozen salt and chilli squid, which makes a delicious ‘fakeaway’ style meal.
Buy it: instagram.com/bethnal_green_fish
Morrisons
Morrisons’ food boxes have been a popular addition to the supermarket’s offering, and one of their latest options is their fish box. This one is stuffed with family favourites – it includes 18 portions all in – and is a great way to keep the menu at home hearty and healthy. Salmon, cod, haddock and seabass are all included, and at £35 it’s pretty good value for anyone cooking for a few different people at one time. If you prefer you can also plump for a subscription, which gives you a bit of a discount and means you no longer have to worry about running out of your favourite fish. Prices all include delivery too.
Buy it: morrisons.com
Moxon’s Fresh Fish
Moxon’s is a high-end fishmonger mini chain which has shops in Clapham, Dulwich, Kensington and Islington. Happily, you don’t have to be a Londoner though to get your hands on some of the shop’s best seafood though, as they have an online shop which offers nationwide shipping. The seafood itself is sourced from all across the UK – from the north of Scotland down to the southernmost tip of Cornwall. Moxon’s is also unique in that it has its own smokehouse, which means treats like hand-sliced smoked salmon are on the menu here. If you’re looking for a regular fish delivery box then you might like the catch of the day box, which typically includes ten portions of fresh fish and reflects what’s been caught that day, so you get the season’s best bounty.
Buy it: moxonsfreshfish.com
Fancy someone else cooking the seafood this time? Here is our pick of the best fish and chip restaurants in London