18 Restaurants Enter Fish Sandwich Contest

July 27, 2015

[Updated] Eleven local restaurants have confirmed their participation in the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s search for the island’s best fish sandwich next month. The deadline for enrolled participation is this coming Wednesday, July 29, 2015.

The BTA’s Product & Experiences division is challenging restaurateurs to win the endorsements of local foodies because those endorsements have credibility with visitors who want to eat where locals eat.

Fish sandwich from the kitchen of Chef Jean Claude Garzia at Beau Rivage:

FishSandwich_Beau Rivage

“The official contest will begin August 4, 2015 and last for two weeks. During that time the BTA will ask residents to sample as many fish sandwiches as they can find in search of the best Bermuda has to offer. Beginning August 4, they can then vote for their favourite online or by telephone at 525-FISH,” the BTA said.

“It is not required that a restaurant register with the BTA to be considered in the competition. However, they are asked to do so in order to benefit from BTA marketing exposure.

“Additionally, pre-registered restaurants will be listed in BTA Visitor Information Centres during the competition as culinary options for visitors looking for a Bermuda-made fish sandwich.

“Eateries with the highest volume of endorsements from locals will advance to a second round where a panel of judges will crown Bermuda’s Best Fish Sandwich. Judges will be asked to base their decisions on the following criteria: taste, presentation, value and local flair.”

Enrolled restaurants to date include:

  • Beau Rivage
  • Docksider’s Pub & Restaurant
  • Keith’s Kitchen
  • Flanagan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
  • Mama Angie’s
  • Mr Chicken
  • Pickled Onion
  • Seaside Grill
  • Tribe Road Kitchen
  • Rosa’s
  • Tempest Bistro

“If you have a favourite place for a Bermuda fish sandwich that hasn’t yet enrolled for the competition, please tell them to do so,” said Chief Product & Experiences Development Officer Pat Phillip-Fairn.

“We want a strong participation list so that we can help drive business for those stakeholders. Ultimately we hope to see as many establishments as possible considered by as many people as possible during the two-week competition.”

Restaurants should enrol via email at experiences@bermudatourism.com or by telephone at 525-FISH.

Update 4.57pm: The list of enrolled restaurants has grown from 11 to 18:

  • Beau Rivage
  • Bermuda Bistro at the Beach
  • Cambridge Beaches
  • Devil’s Isle
  • Docksider’s Pub & Restaurant
  • Keith’s Kitchen
  • The Flame
  • Flanagan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
  • Mama Angie’s
  • Mr Chicken
  • Pickled Onion
  • Seaside Grill
  • Tribe Road Kitchen
  • Red Steakhouse
  • Rosa’s
  • Swizzle Inn
  • Swizzle Inn South Shore
  • Tempest Bistro

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Comments (43)

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  1. Clarke L Jones says:

    I would hope that they are encouraged to use locally caught fish only.

    • Onion Juice says:

      Woody’s by far, and I don’t need no contest to convince me.

      • BlackTarintino says:

        Nice try, Owner of Woody’s…

      • Build a Better Bermuda says:

        Then they need to enter, don’t see their name on the list

    • real island man since 1779 says:

      if most of them where to uses local fish their price would go way up, but would be good for local fisheman…

  2. Ms. Poli Tician says:

    What!?!?!? Where’s Art Mel’s??????? Come on you lot – ENTER THE CONTEST ALREADY!

    • Not exactly says:

      I think that they close in August every year.

    • Uncle Ruckus says:

      Butch be like… “All them plaques on the wall say i aint gotta prove nuthin” lol

      • real island man since 1779 says:

        Butch uses foreign fish….. So I don’t rate em at all……. And many on the list do the same….. How can u call it a Bermuda fish sandwich when it has foreign fish???? Just saying!!!!!

        Woody’s you have a choice of local fish….. Wahoo, snapper, and grouper……
        Now I can rate that because it’s the whole experience……. Not no fish that was caught maybe a year ago

        • Amazed says:

          Fish is fish as long as you know how to prepare it correctly, is the main thing. Although Art Mells uses “foreign” fish, his sandwiches are one of the best because of how he seasons and dresses the fish.

          I’ve had so called “Bermuda” fish that was seasoned all wrong and the fish was just disgusting. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what part of the world the fish comes from, as long as it is prepared properly and tastes good.

          • Pequat1609 says:

            You dont have a clue what constitutes a good fish sandwich. You have restaurants using imported Tilapia which is little more than afresh water Bibbler.
            The fish should be clean white meat IE whitewater, yellowtail, Hind, grey-snapper, red snapper, Mahi Mahi etc. Some think Wahoo is great but Wahoo is dry and tough when overcooked as most restaurants do as many do not know how to cook fish PERIOD.
            Next would be the seasoning which should be dry flour or bread crumbs, anything with batter is a no no no.
            Garnishes are important so this also could be a game changer as everyone has their own recipe. Tradition calls for tartar sauce or cole slaw with both sometimes asked for so this also is worthy of consideration for those who seek the tittle.
            Bread could be a game changer as well, anyone with nice fresh home made bread could likely turn the judges with that alone.
            All in all I have seen and eaten all manner of local fish sandwiches most do not even rate as a traditional Bermudian Fish Sandwich, much like most of the Fish Chowders that are served.

        • just sayin' says:

          For the record…. all the fish you just listed, wahoo, grouper and snapper, can alllll be bought from local wholesalers, who import it. not saying that anyone place uses local or doesn’t, but so many people don’t realize that totally local fish is extremely unrealistic and highly unlikely.

          • Real island man since 1779 says:

            Mr. Just saying

            If it’s not Bermuda fish well it’s not a true Bermuda fish sandwich……. That foriegn fish could for been caught 3 years ago……. Not fresh……

        • smh says:

          COME onnnnnn every restaurant in bermuda uses forign fish…. there is no way woodys has bda grouper,snapper and wahoo as your choice at any given time. Im a commercial fisherman and i know the facts.You are buying forign snapper grouper and wahoo from there. People in bda make me really SMH. I see the owner of woodys boat always on moorings it moves alot during lobster season so who the hell is supplying them with local fish because i can rest assure u that he isnt buying fish from any other local person for the high fish prices. All one has to do is contact the wholesale fish providers in bda and they would greatly answer who buys what fish. Its that easy

          • real island man since 1779 says:

            excuse me smh
            it is obvious u don’t go to boaz island to Woodys…. the owner is actually a local fisherman and always fishing…. i bet he is out there now while your reading this…. and eating ur foreign fish… haha

    • Hurricane says:

      Not with that imported fish!

    • Come On ThRead says:

      Art Mels is definitely one of my favorites but as Im trying to decrease the waistline I decide to try a little less fish and tartar sauce. I now prefer the Tribe Road fish sandwich. A little less fish and at first I frowned at the idea of coleslaw in my fish sandwich (especially since I’m not a fan of slaw) but they go really good together.
      I might have to try Beau Rivage one too. It looks good in the picture.

  3. Greez says:

    No woodys? Or wahoos come on now ill be making some calls today

  4. NewSimons says:

    I would make a great fish sandwich if I could catch a damn fish after a day out on the water instead of catching a big piece of plastic. I might as well change my game from fisherman to ocean conservationist since the only thing I take out of the ocean is plastic.

  5. Ruthless says:

    Woodys easily best Fish Sangwich( Yup, I know spelling is wrong but that’s how we pronounce it when it’s well) in the world!!!!!!!!!

  6. Islander says:

    I went down to St Davids Seafood and Grill at St Davids Cricket Club very impressed with their fish sandwich as a matter of fact all witih me were impressed

    • Hog fish hill says:

      When did St. Davids get a restaurant?

  7. Vote for Me says:

    The fish sandwich contest is interesting. Bermudians already know which places to recommend for a good fish sandwich, fishcakes, conch stew, fries, milk shakes, ice cream, sherbert and anything else a visitor may want.

    A contest will create a bit of buzz but I am not sure if anyone will change their own recommendation based on the winner. Those that love Woody’s will always love Woody’s and those that love Art Mel’s will also do so, etc.

    It would be nice to know which restaurants use local fish but you can generally tell from the price.

  8. Real BDA Fish says:

    I wish my wife could enter as an individual, she would easily take home first place.

  9. Skink says:

    big up seaside grill!

  10. Terry says:

    Lots of stories out there.

    Best is local fish.

    Had one years ago made with wahoo ….not the same.

    Porgie/hind and yaltons make dee best.

    But you can’t get that stuff anymore.

    Shalom.

  11. Stephen says:

    As a self proclaimed fish sandwich expert , eating fish at the very least once a week for past 40+ years , I would like to give my votes for the best Traditional Bermuda Fish sandwich . Angelo’s in Old Moonglow St. Georges back in the day hands down probably the best . Always local wahoo made to order . Fish Hut and woody’s and a lesser known place by many was west end mini yacht cluba another awesome fish sandwich . A brand new favorite would be Café Ole @ Crystal Caves . Under a new partnership, they have put together a Welll Fish Sammich

  12. CoffeeCoffee says:

    Art Mel’s could be so much better if they cared enough. They don’t use local fish and they’re closed all the time.

  13. Terry says:

    Irony is we have all these protected zones.

    Local is best.

    Lots of fish out there.

    The guy that sells on the corner?

    Follow him on his ‘boat’.

  14. No contest here says:

    What happen to Art Mel’s and Woody’s….oh well may the best 3rd place restaraunt win. Because top two are definitely Art Mel’s and woodys. Everyone else obsolete.

  15. Jurist says:

    As the fish enters Bermuda’s waters it because Bermuda fish. What about Black Horse, they have good fish sandwiches made from wahoo!

    • Pequat1609 says:

      Wahoo fish sandwich is garbage just as much as Talapia is

  16. Oh,I see now says:

    What I find encouraging about this competition is that already it is stirring up my interest with the free adverts from customers loyal to their favorite dives.I wasn’t aware some of these places sold fish sandwichs and I’m interested in trying a new spot……sorry Art Mel’s but I’ll be back.

    • Shakey says:

      Interested in trying something new. Cafe Ole crystal caves. Wahoo sandwiches, nuggets, fish salads etc.

  17. Navin Sven Johnson says:

    No Art Mel’s ? It is a contest for second place

    • Goose says:

      Perhaps they didn’t want to place in the bottom half? Better to not enter and keep the legend going.

  18. Patricia says:

    Art Mel’s is all batter. I stopped buying them months ago. Every time I would get a fish sandwich from there I wonder where is the fish. Maybe I’ll try Woody’s now. Seem to be getting some good ratings here.

  19. Shakey says:

    Cafe Ole crystal caves. Best kept secret. Wahoo!!!

    • janice says:

      you must be friend with the owner or something bcuz you’ve commented about Cafe Ole more than 3 times.FYI i went there TODAY their wahoo nuggets are TINY!!! half the size of a normal wahoo nugget. I was disappointed in the portion sizes! flavor was OK but wasn’t worth the $10 i paid sorry