Looking for a 'chippy shop'? London's only Irish food truck's got you covered

Irish-born chef Liam Brannigan says there are four words he loves to hear about the food he serves as he drives his food truck around southwestern Ontario.

“That tastes like home,” he exclaims! “When you give it to them and they go away then come back, they’re saying ‘thank you’ and they’re praising you because it tasted like home.”

Brannigan, who co-owns Brannigan’s Fish & Chips with his wife Tracey, serves up homestyle Irish food on a daily basis, and today will be parked in London, Ont. for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

The menu today will include several items that can be found at “chippy” shops in Ireland, including fish and chips, curry fries and Brannigan’s St. Paddy’s Day exclusive item, Guiness-braised beef poutine.

“It warms your heart knowing that you can be anywhere in the world away from home and still get what you normally get,” Brannigan said.

Typically on Mar. 17, the food truck sets up shop directly outside of Brannigan’s north London home so neighbours and friends can stop by for Irish eats. 

This year, the festivities will be bigger as Brannigan parks his food truck outside The Off Licence Pub in Woodfield, just a short walk away from Richmond Row.

“This year is different and more of a family thing because my cousin owns the pub,” Brannigan explained. “He asked us if we would come down and do a static here for him and I was like, ‘Yeah, why not? Family is family.’”

Brannigan said he’s spent a lot of time preparing for the day, adding that he expects a non-stop line of customers who will stop on their walk home from local bars. 

“Every St. Patrick’s Day is different, but the one thing you’re guaranteed is people are going to be drinking lots of Guinness and they’re going to be eating a lot of food. They’re enjoying life and that’s the way it should be.”

Brannigan, who was born in Belfast, started working in the food industry when he was 15. He moved to London in 1997 and took on several different jobs before deciding five years ago that he wanted to go back to the food business and open his own truck.

He and his wife renovated an old firetruck, turning it into a bright green vehicle equipped with all of their cooking and business needs. 

Brannigan said he’s spent a lot of time getting his signature recipes just right. He uses a zero-alcohol beer in his fish and chip batter to be more inclusive of people who don’t drink. He said it took him a week to create that batter, ensuring that the flour mixture and seasonings were balanced correctly. 

“Anybody can open a bag of batter, add water, dip a piece of fish in it, fry it and hand it out,’” he said. “It doesn’t work that way. You’ve got to put some love into it.”