Chippery: Where an Australian classic blends with Goan seafood culture

On a quiet stretch of road in Saligao, where village life meets the steady flow of traffic between Candolim, Calangute, and Parra, the smell of hot oil and crisp batter stops people mid-step. It isn’t rava fry or Chonak masala. It’s fish and chips. Proper ones.

From Australia to Goa

Chippery, a laid-back fish-and-chip shop run by Alex McPherson and Shivikka Aggarwal, is carving out a loyal following by doing something deceptively simple: taking a deeply nostalgic Australian dish and letting it find its place in Goa’s seafood-first culture.

Beach memory

For Alex, who grew up in Sydney, the idea arrived unexpectedly.

“I was getting into the beach one morning, and I smelt fish and chips,” he says. “It wasn’t actually there, but it just hit me because fish and chips are so synonymous with beach culture in Australia. I came home and asked Shivikka, ‘Where’s the fish and chips?’ And she said, ‘No one’s really doing it.’”

First trials

That question lingered. What began as a passing thought turned into months of testing, research, and trial runs at home. Their first batch, cooked casually with a couple of beers, is still saved on video. “We didn’t know then that this would become a business,” Shivikka says. “It was just the two of us having a good night and trying something out.”

Kitchen years

Alex brings more than a decade of hospitality experience, having worked across fine dining, casual kitchens, and multiple restaurant launches in Australia. “I never actually ran my own place,” he says. “But I kept ending up in startups. I knew the end result I wanted, even before I knew how to get there.”

Gold standard

That benchmark, he says, came from Melbourne. “That’s where I had the best fish and chips growing up. Light batter, good fish. In Sydney, it was often oily. I knew I wanted something crisp, light, and clean.”

The legal path

Shivikka, a former copywriter and qualified lawyer, had no formal background in food and beverage. Food, however, was always personal. “I’ve always cooked at home. I love experimenting and feeding people,” she says. Her legal training helped with licences and compliance. “That part mattered more than I expected.”

Defined roles

They joke about their roles. “Alex is the fish and chips,” Shivikka says. “I’m the condiments.” That’s where Chippery quietly sets itself apart.

The fish

The core dish stays classic. Local Modso, chosen after testing seven varieties, is battered and fried until crisp without heaviness. “It’s flaky, sweet, juicy,” Alex says. “Goa is synonymous with seafood, so we wanted to respect that while offering something different.”

The extras

Around it sit condiments shaped by Shivikka’s travels and palate. “I don’t really like fried food,” she admits. “So I kept thinking, how would I make this lighter for myself?” Tartar sauce made with house-made mayonnaise. Pico de gallo is inspired by Mexico. A pineapple, chilli, and dill salsa that feels distinctly Goan, sharp enough to reset the palate between bites.

House-made

Everything is made in-house, apart from basics like ketchup and mustard, which are available without judgment. “If someone wants it, it’s there,” she says. “Kids love it.”

Easy drinks

The drinks follow the same thinking. Local beer, simple spritzers, easy pairings. “We’re not trying to be purely Australian or purely Goan,” Shivikka says. “It’s its own thing.”

Location shift

Originally, the duo planned to open in Siolim, leaning into a street-food format. Market realities shifted that plan. Rising costs, closures of larger restaurants, and a post-pandemic correction prompted a rethink. Saligao emerged as a better fit. “We wanted to serve people who actually live here,” Alex says. “Goans, people who’ve moved to Goa, expats. This felt more grounded.”

Local crowd

That focus shows. They hosted a neighbourhood-only evening soon after opening. Regulars now have favourite condiments. Older customers recount childhood memories of Friday-night fish and chips in the UK or Australia. “You can see it,” Shivikka says. “They’re genuinely nostalgic when they eat it.”

No delivery

Chippery doesn’t deliver, at least not yet. “Fish and chips should be eaten fresh,” she says. “You come, you sit, you eat, or you take it home quickly.”

Daily rhythm

A typical day starts early with prep, cleaning, and paperwork before service begins around noon. Afternoons often bring sandy, sunburnt customers stopping by on their way back from the beach. “That’s the classic chippy vibe,” Alex says. “Salty, messy, satisfying.”

Goan standards

What has surprised him most is how seriously people in Goa take food. “There’s a real respect for flavour and quality,” he says. “Especially with seafood. Everyone who walks in has an opinion, and I mean that in a good way.”

The comparison

And that inevitably leads to the most important question. When asked whether the fish in Australia is better than the fish in Goa, Alex laughs, fully aware he’s stepping into dangerous territory.

“I tell you what, I said before I wouldn’t eat fish and chips much in Sydney because the best fish came from Melbourne, that was Flake, and it’s actually shark. But I’d say the Modso here rivals the flavour in Australia, especially for fish and chips. It’s super flaky, it’s just the right amount of flavour and sweetness. So yeah, I think it comes close. I don’t want to start any wars.”