Best Fish Sauces in the UK

A good fish sauce shouldn’t just taste “fishy.” It should taste deep, savoury, and clean, the kind of umami that disappears into a dish and makes everything taste more like itself. In the UK, you’ll see two main paths: traditional Southeast Asian fish sauce (anchovy-based) and vegan “fish-style” sauces made for the same job without seafood.

This guide breaks the options down by what they’re best at, so you can buy once and use it properly.

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First: what “best” fish sauce actually means

If you cook Thai/Vietnamese food often

You want anchovy-based, amber, strong aroma, and a flavour that becomes mellow when heated.

If you need fish sauce for dipping sauces

You want something balanced and not too harsh, because it’s going in uncooked (nuoc cham style).

If you’re vegan (or cooking for someone who is)

You want a seaweed/mushroom-based sauce that adds umami and slight “sea” character without tasting like soy sauce only.

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Best fish sauces in the UK (top picks)

1) Red Boat Fish Sauce – best premium, clean umami

Red Boat is the “buy once and stop thinking about it” option. It tends to taste cleaner, deeper, and less muddy than many supermarket bottles, which is why people love it for Vietnamese-style cooking.

Best for: nuoc cham dipping sauce, pho and broths, marinades, finishing dishes
Why it stands out: rich umami with a cleaner taste, great when fish sauce is a main flavour, not just a background note.

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2) Tiparos Fish Sauce – best everyday cooking bottle

Tiparos is a classic “workhorse” fish sauce you can use in stir-fries, curries, and fried rice without feeling precious about it. It delivers that familiar Thai-style punch.

Best for: Thai curries, pad kra pao, fried rice, wok cooking
Why it stands out: strong and practical, very good for heat + cooking.

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3) Thai Taste Fish Sauce / Thai Taste Vegan Fish Sauce – best easy-to-find option (plus vegan choice)

Thai Taste shows up a lot in UK shopping results, and the vegan version is useful if you want a simple plant-based alternative that behaves similarly in recipes.

Best for: quick home cooking, simple marinades, beginner Thai recipes
Why it stands out: easy availability, and the vegan version makes it convenient for mixed households.

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Best vegan “fish-style” sauces in the UK (from your screenshot)

4) NISH Sauce (vegan fish sauce alternative) – best vegan umami for cooking

These vegan “fish sauce” alternatives usually rely on seaweed + fermented notes + umami boosters. NISH is the type you’d use when you want that savoury depth in noodles, stir-fries, and dipping sauces, without anchovies.

Best for: vegan pad thai, tofu stir-fries, dipping sauces, salad dressings
Tip: use a little less at first, then build, vegan sauces can vary a lot in saltiness.

5) NOYSTER (vegan oyster sauce style) – best when you want glossy stir-fry sauce

This is more like an oyster sauce substitute than a fish sauce substitute, but it’s worth mentioning because people often confuse the roles. If your goal is a thicker, glossy stir-fry coating, this style is perfect.

Best for: broccoli stir-fry, noodles, glaze-style sauces
Not the same as fish sauce: fish sauce is thin and salty; “oyster-style” is thick and sweet-savoury.

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What to buy depending on how you cook

If you want the best “one bottle” fish sauce

Red Boat (premium, clean, versatile)

If you cook Thai food weekly and use fish sauce like salt

Tiparos (strong everyday cooking sauce)

If you want a vegan option that still feels “sea-like”

NISH (vegan fish sauce alternative)

If you mainly want stir-fry gloss and thickness

NOYSTER (vegan oyster-style sauce, different job, but very useful)

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How to use fish sauce without ruining a dish

Use it in layers

• Add a small splash while cooking (umami base)
• Adjust at the end (final balance)
• In dipping sauces, keep it lighter and add lime/sugar to round it out

Avoid boiling it hard for too long

High heat is fine, but long hard boiling can make it smell harsher. Add early for depth, then adjust late for balance.

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Quick FAQs

Is fish sauce the same as oyster sauce?

No. Fish sauce is thin and salty (like liquid seasoning). Oyster sauce is thick and glossy (like a finishing sauce). They can overlap in stir-fries, but they don’t taste the same.

Can I replace fish sauce with soy sauce?

Soy sauce adds salt, but it won’t give the same fermented “sea umami.” If you must substitute, soy sauce + a tiny bit of sugar + a squeeze of lime helps, but it won’t fully match.

What’s the least “fishy-smelling” option?

Usually premium bottles like Red Boat taste cleaner and smell less harsh once used in food.