Popular Isle of Wight chip shop a cut above for Matt and Cat

Nearly two decades later here we are again — 2022 saw the venue reimagined as Hayden's Chip Shop, with an all-new team and menu.

We were greeted by the garrulous proprietor, who somehow kept track of the diverse assemblage of customers waiting for collections, orders, or there for the friendly banter.

One thing was obvious — Hayden's is now a very popular shop indeed.

Hayden's Big Beautiful Beast. (Image: Matt and Cat)

As the price of fish continues to rise, it's perhaps no coincidence that Hayden's doesn't even mention fish in its name. It is a chip shop — and it sells chips.

Fish is now a big-ticket item — and most of Hayden's menu is not about fish at all.

We declined the offer of a half cod for only £6.50, which would please the smaller appetite — and the smaller purse.

Our full-size cod and chips was a generous pair of delicious, flaky cod pieces with thick, crispy batter and no soggy bits.

Classic fish and chips as it should be eaten. 

What sets Hayden's apart from other chip shops, is the rest of their menu. With a huge range of family-sized sharing boxes and chip trays, you can get a substantial meal here without breaking the bank.

Our choice was the Big Beautiful Beast speciality chip tray. This outstanding construction featured a burger, freshly-cooked battered sausage and bacon — all from local Ryde butcher DW Jarvis — piled onto huge swathes of cheese, crispy onions and flavoursome sauces, so extensive, that it would be pointless to describe them.

This is the 'dirty fries' concept taken to the extreme. It was magnificent.

The meat was chopped up, allowing the sauce to penetrate throughout. The chips were proper, freshly-cut chip shop chips, that actually tasted of potato, not those skinny dry fries.

Other options would have been home-cooked pulled pork, chicken tenders, doner meat and even lamb breast.

A well-conceived and executed bit of tasty takeaway delight. 

So it turns out, not all High Street shops are struggling. Hayden's has transformed the little chip shop in Oakfield into a bustling community resource.

The food is good, the service is brisk and the value is outstanding. We recommend it.