Rotorua's Essential 50: Day 4 - Fish and chips

A Rotorua essential - fish and chips, preferably down at the Lakefront. Photo/File.

Rotorua may be inland from the coast but there's no better way to relax and unwind than fish and chips by the lakefront.

Grabbing a takeaway wrapped up in newspaper is an essential thing for tourists and locals alike, which is why it features in our Essential 50.

There are at least 50 fish and chip shops dotted in and around Rotorua, catering to our demands for fast and fresh food. We all have our favourite shop too.

A post on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page garnered 60 comments within an hour with readers commenting on which shop got their custom.

The new shop at the Redwoods, Te Arawa Fresh Seafood, received a number of compliments as did takeaways at Devon St, Springfield, Thomas Cres and Mitchell Downs.

Two of our shops have had success in The Chip Group's New Zealand's Best Chip Shop competition. Oppies, owned by Michael Huang, was regional winner before scooping the national prize in 2011. Mr Huang was named the 2013 Chip Champion to acknowledge his outstanding contribution to the chip industry. This year King Size Burger Bar was highly commended.

Whichever shop is your preference, next time you have fish and chips at the Lakefront make sure you have enough tomato sauce.

The Rotorua Daily Post Essential 50 lists the city's must-see, must-do and must-try activities and experiences. We'll be highlighting one every day over summer.