Gluten-free fish and chips in Windsor — cooked in a separate fryer

Why a shared fryer isn’t safe for coeliacs

Fish and chips is one of the harder takeaways to get gluten-free, and it’s worth knowing why. Batter is made with wheat flour. In a shop with one set of fryers, the battered fish, sausages and other items share the same oil — so that oil carries gluten. Chips dropped into it pick up traces of gluten even though potatoes have none of their own.

For most customers that doesn’t matter. For someone with coeliac disease, a trace is enough to make them ill, and “we use fresh chips” doesn’t fix a shared fryer. Avoiding that cross-contamination means a genuinely separate fryer, oil and handling — which is the point of this page.

How we handle gluten-free orders

The fryer

It’s only ever used for chips and gluten-free products — never for anything made with wheat batter, at any time. So its oil stays free of gluten.

The oil

The gluten-free fryer has its own oil, changed every other day.

Utensils & prep

Separate utensils, baskets, batter tub and prep surface, kept for gluten-free orders.

The batter

A gluten-free batter.

The chips

Always cooked in the gluten-free fryer — there’s no second chip fryer. Please still tell us it’s gluten-free, as gluten-free orders are packaged separately.

Sausages, scampi & pies

Gluten-free sausages and scampi are cooked separately. We don’t offer gluten-free pies.

What you can order gluten-free

These are the items on our gluten-free menu. Prices and the full list are on the menu page.

• Fish
• Sausages
• Chicken
• Sides & Sauces
• Chips
• Kids

See the full menu & prices →

Ordering

When you order, please specifically tell us you want gluten-free. Gluten-free orders are packaged separately, so it matters even if you’re only ordering chips.

You don’t need to pre-order. Pre-ordering can reduce your wait, but it isn’t necessary.

To order for collection, call 01753 863376.

Being honest about risk

We want to be straight with you: non-gluten-free items are prepared in the same kitchen, but always on separate work surfaces from gluten-free orders.

Gluten-free questions

Why can’t I just eat chips from a normal chip shop?

In most fish and chip shops the battered items are fried in the same oil as everything else. The batter is made with wheat flour, so gluten ends up in the oil and on the shared equipment. Chips cooked in that oil then carry traces of gluten, even though potatoes contain none. For most people that is harmless; for someone with coeliac disease it is enough to cause a reaction. That is why using fresh chips in a shared fryer does not make them safe.

Do you cook gluten-free orders in a separate fryer?

Yes. Our gluten-free fryer is only ever used for chips and gluten-free products — it is never used to fry anything made with wheat batter, at any time. That means its oil doesn’t come into contact with gluten.

Is the oil separate, and how often is it changed?

The gluten-free fryer has its own oil, and we change it every other day.

What equipment do you keep separate?

Separate utensils, baskets, batter tub and prep surface are kept for gluten-free orders.

Is your batter gluten-free, and what do you use?

Yes — we use a gluten-free batter.

Are the chips safe for coeliacs?

Our chips are always cooked in the gluten-free fryer — there is no second chip fryer. Please still tell us your order is gluten-free, because gluten-free orders are packaged separately.

What about gluten-free sausages, scampi and pies?

Gluten-free sausages and scampi are cooked separately. We don’t offer gluten-free pies.

Are you accredited by Coeliac UK?

We’re not yet accredited by Coeliac UK. The steps we take are described above.

What should I say when I order?

Please specifically tell us you want gluten-free when you order. Gluten-free orders are packaged separately, so this matters even if you’re only ordering chips.

Should I order ahead, or come at a quieter time?

You don’t need to pre-order. Pre-ordering can reduce your wait, but it isn’t necessary.