Stanislaus County fish and chips restaurant going mobile with new food trailer
Not even a year after Ryan Donnelly resurrected his family’s restaurant — Ann’s Fish & Chips — in Hughson, the 29-year-old is expanding his business.
It’s much more common for me to write about food truck or trailer owners opening a brick and mortar than it is the opposite, but the opposite is exactly what Donnelly is doing.
“It’s always been my vision and goal to open up multiple Ann’s Fish & Chips, both brick-and-mortar places and food trailers” he said. “Expanding with the food trailer first was a way we could expand our reach to new customers and get the name of Ann’s Fish & Chips out to new towns and areas.”
Allow me to be candid, readers. Ann’s serves some of the best fish and chips I’ve had. I can’t count how many times I’ve been and recruited others to go since I wrote about its opening in April.
That said, the opportunity to drive less of a distance to eat it is exciting.
The restaurant has a long family history, too. Donnelly’s grandmother, Ann, emigrated from England to the United States in the 1970s. She opened a couple of restaurants under different names in the Bay Area before opening some under the name of Ann’s Fish & Chips.
Her son (and Donnelly’s dad) Rick and his wife, Teresa, opened an Ann’s Fish & Chips in Turlock from 2012 to 2015.
Donnelly was a junior in high school when he started working at his parents’ spot. All seven of his siblings also were involved in the business.
Each sibling, aside from one who lives out of state, and Donnelly’s nephew work at the Hughson restaurant, continuing the tradition of Ann’s being family operated.
When and where will Ann’s Fish & Chips food trailer open?
The menu at the Ann’s food trailer will be largely the same as the restaurant’s, Donnelly said. Scallops will not be served at the trailer, though, and the fried vegetable options (onions, zucchini, mushrooms) will be rotated.
Other than fried fish, fries and vegetables, Ann’s serves fried shrimp, chicken strips and house-made coleslaw. Donnelly uses his grandmother’s preparation methods and recipes for the most part, with small adjustments made to the tartar and cocktail sauces.
You will be able to find the food trailer at local breweries, fairs, festivals and events. Its locations will be posted on the Ann’s website (annsfishandchips.com) and social media weekly.
The trailer’s first appearance will be at Contentment Brewing Company on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 4 to 10 p.m.
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