The Grill
"The Grill's chips are chunky, fluffy and crunchy, thanks to decent agria potatoes and the duck fat used to fry them. As with so much at this underrated restaurant, they get the little things right — like serving the chips with Sean Connolly's home-made 'Bloody Mary' tomato sauce, and plating them up in an upright metal cone to stop them going mushy."
— Jesse Mulligan, eating out editor
Burger Fuel
"The kumara fries at Burger Fuel — boring but brilliant. I have a soft spot for these as the first time I tried kumara fries was at the Takapuna outlet when it opened back in 1997 ... plus the aioli is so good. Somehow I feel healthier eating these than regular fries even though I'm sure that is just an illusion."
— Fiona Ralph, writer
Molten
"The crinkle-cut fries with truffle aioli at Molten Wine Bar in Mt Eden are pretty spectacular. The texture reminds me of my childhood — eating crinkle-cut chips out of a packet, crimping my hair. They also cut them generously fat rather than long, providing generous stodge to the drinkers in the courtyard. And who doesn't love truffle?"
— Rebecca Barry Hill, writer
Coco's Cantina
"Fried polenta can go horribly wrong, but Coco's Cantina nails it every single time. A bowl of their perfectly fluffy polenta chips is even better with a glass of Prosecco in hand."
— Jessica Beresford, digital content producer
Burger Burger
"I love chips, probably a little too much. I tend to favour thick-cut over shoe-string, but I'm not fussy: I love classic fish 'n' chips wrapped in paper, KFC chips with extra seasoning, the polenta chips at Coco's Cantina. But the potato skins at Burger Burger with truffle aioli are the stuff dreams are made of."
— Zoe Walker, associate editor
Bird on a Wire
"I'm a big fan of the beer battered chips from Bird on a Wire with aioli; crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside. They taste even better washed down with an equally crispy pint of lager."
— Dan Ahwa, fashion editor
Velvet Burger
"When I was little, I would judge a restaurant based on its fries. Once I went to a Turkish restaurant that didn't have fries on the menu. As an alternative I was offered pita bread and I moaned, 'you call yourself a restaurant? And you don't have fries?'. Today I would say the skinnies at Velvet Burger are some of my favourites. They also have the option of fatties and for an extra dollar you get a very generous serving of sauce."
— Rosie Kelway, writer
McDonald's
"Don't judge me, but at the end of a big night, it's almost rude not to swing by the golden arches to indulge in some classy Maccas fries. Crammed with calories, they make all my drunk dreams come true at the end of a big night out."
— Anna Lee, editorial assistant
Point Chev RSA
"It's hard to get a perfect no-frills fry and they nail it."
— Rebecca Wadey, wellbeing editor
The Federal Delicatessen
"I have only recently started getting into fries — and I may have found my new love. Starting out a night on the town, nothing goes down better than some traditional hot home fries from The Fed. These crispy fries are best with simple tomato sauce."
— Lucy Casley, digital and design assistant
