Farnham’s @ FontyYGary, located at Fontygary Leisure Park, is an award-winning fish and chip shop.
The shop has been under new management for the past four years and was recently named as one of the UK’s 50 Best Fish & Chip Takeaways.
The prestigious title was awarded to the shop by food critics at Fry Magazine.
While in the shop I spoke to staff member 49-year-old Jo Yilmaz about life at the takeaway.
She said: “It’s very weather dependent up here. If it’s nice weather, we can have up to 100 to 150 customers and in the winter it’s a bit quieter.
“Fish and chips are very, very, popular and the chicken curries, they go out with a bang.”
The shop has even seen its fair share of famous faces, including Welsh rugby legend Gavin Henson, who Jo described as a “nice, quiet man”.
Jo spoke to us about how happy the staff were having received the new award.
She said: “We are very proud. My son thought I’d won the lottery, but to me I had won the lottery. This is my life and my shop.”
While at the takeaway I ate a small carton of chips slathered in Irish curry sauce and washed it down with a Coke Zero. This reached a total of £7.50 overall.
The chips were warm and long if you like a crispy chip there were a few of those sprinkled in for good measure.
The potato and Irish curry combination was proper local comfort food.
The award-winning chips lived up to their name’s sake and were really tasty.
The shop is currently owned by David Farnham, who has helped build the business up via mobile chip vans at UK festivals.
Jo said she’s worked the chip van at key festival events in the UK including cities like Brighton, Newcastle and Luton.
Despite visiting the shop late in the evening, the little takeaway was busy as ever, with locals in the Rhoose community and holidaygoers peckish for a quick evening bite.
Overall, it was a lovely place.
This is a republished version of an article that first appeared on the Barry and District News in February 2025.
