'I tried the Scouse chippy loved by customers for their salt and pepper chicken'

Jess Molyneux reviews Kingsway Chippy, known as Tom's, in Huyton, trying their popular salt and pepper dishes
-Credit:Liverpool ECHO


All year round, there's nothing better than heading to your local takeaway and coming home to tuck into mouth-watering, traditional Chinese dishes. Luckily for us, Merseyside is home to some of the best Chinese takeaways in the country, which have been serving customers for decades.

As many know, Liverpool is home to the oldest Chinese communities in Europe and in the coming days, local businesses will be seeing more customers no doubt wanting to celebrate Chinese New Year and have a belly-full of their favourite meal. And ahead of the celebrations, the Liverpool ECHO wanted to crown the best establishments in our region.

We shared a survey with our readers asking them to name their favourite restaurant or takeaway in the city and saw hundreds of people getting in touch to share their favourites, as well as naming the best dish to order in every establishment. One of the businesses that got an overwhelming response was Kingsway Chippy, also known as Tom's, on Kingsway off Liverpool Road in Huyton.

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An institution in Huyton, the shop, recognisable for its dark green exterior, has been in the area for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Huyton, I've drive past the venue since I was a kid and I'm ashamed to say I've never popped in and tried it for myself.

That was my first mistake, as I've clearly been missing out on everything the the chippy has to offer. In our survey, many loyal customers said Kingsway Chippy had the best salt and pepper options, so as part of the ECHO's Friday Night Takeaway series, I paid it a visit for the first time.

The chippy was voted among the best by ECHO readers
The chippy was voted among the best by ECHO readers -Credit:Liverpool ECHO

Many suggested salt and pepper chicken, and salt and pepper chips were a must try, so I ordered a portion of each between two of us, with a carton of curry. In total, it came to £11 - much cheaper than the local chippy I usually visit and also, much more tastier.

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After rave reviews, I was really excited to try Kingsway Chippy's salt and pepper dishes as it's very much a go-to Scouse meal. Now a staple in many of our local takeaway, salt and pepper chicken started here in Liverpool.

In more recent years, demand has soared for chip shop chips tossed with onions, peppers, chillies and spices. Dishing out the portions and pouring the delicious curry over the top, we got stuck in.

Jess Molyneux reviews Kingsway Chippy, known as Tom's, in Huyton, trying their popular salt and pepper dishes
The salt and pepper chips -Credit:Liverpool ECHO

I first went for the chips, which were light and fluffy, with just the right amount of crisp to them. As for the chicken, it was so juicy and tender, with the right amount of crispy batter around it.

The individual pieces of chicken were quite large and filling and the overall meal was well complimented by the mild chip shop curry sauce. Now for the salt and pepper element.

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I'm usually quite fussy and don't handle spice well, but I absolutely loved every part of this meal. The diced onions and peppers were really lovely and crunchy and the red flakes on top provided a nice amount of heat.

Jess Molyneux reviews Kingsway Chippy, known as Tom's, in Huyton, trying their popular salt and pepper dishes
We split the meal between two and it was £5.50 each -Credit:Liverpool ECHO

It left a lasting flavour in my mouth which I was more than happy with, as I could have kept eating after it was all gone. From the first bite I was immediately impressed with this meal - it's by far one of the best chippies I've ever had and no wonder customers were so keen to vote for it.

At Kingsway, I didn't order large portions and it was still plenty between two of us. We were left satisfied without that bloated feeling of regret I've had too many times before from a takeaway.

This last year, I wrote about one of my favourite venues, Chong Hua in Old Swan, which has quickly become my go-to Chinese takeaway for a salt and pepper variety box. And while I still love it there, I do think I've found my new favourite venue for salt and pepper chicken and chips.

Jess Molyneux reviews Kingsway Chippy, known as Tom's, in Huyton, trying their popular salt and pepper dishes
It's long been a favourite in the area -Credit:Liverpool ECHO

Between two, the meal was £5.50 each and to me that's really good value for money. The food was so delicious, I'd actually pay more for it.

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Kingsway Chippy is very much at the heart of the community. After only being in there for a few minutes, it was evident that the chippy is not only very popular and busy, but that the staff have a great relationship with their customers.

Inside, customers were ordering everything from cones of chips to pies and special fried rice, all while catching up and chatting with the team working away behind the counter. If you're from Huyton or ever in the area, it is definitely worth a visit.

I know I'll be going back for the salt and pepper chicken and chips again, as well as to sample other items they have on the menu. Just days away, Chinese New Year 2025, The Year of the Wood Snake, falls on Wednesday, January 29.

You'll find everything you need to know about Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, as well as full coverage of the day itself, on our website. A number of other takeaways and restaurants received many votes from ECHO readers when we asked them to choose their favourites. and you can see our list here.