Culver's Is Picky About Its Fish: Here's Where It's Caught

Coming out of America's Dairyland, it should be no surprise that Culver's flagship burger is called the ButterBurger — thanks to the buttery roll on which it is served. But despite hailing from landlocked Wisconsin, the seafood offerings of this fast food chain's menu are surprisingly respectable. The nearly 1,100 Culver's restaurants across the U.S. serve up both butterfly jumbo shrimp and North Atlantic cod sandwiches, as well as plate dinners in which these proteins are flanked by a pair of sides and a dinner roll. 

According to Culver's proclaimed ethos, sourcing the best ingredients is the key to providing a good meal to its customers — and for its fish, that starts way up north in the Barents Sea. The Barents Sea might not be a particularly familiar one for many, but it is a very significant one for cod, the fish you'll find fried and nestled in the center of a buttered hoagie bun at Culver's. As a marginal sea, the Barents is considered a part of the Arctic Ocean, but the name describes an area above the Arctic Circle, north of Norway and Russia, and east of Novaya Zemlya. 

The Barents Sea is incredibly abundant, with the cold, nutrient-rich waters creating the most productive cod fishery in the world. It is these conditions that Culver's credits for the quality of its fried fish, claiming that the combination of frigid temperatures and plenty of nutrients leads to a slower-growing fish with a richer flavor.

There is no doubt that the source of the fish is paramount to the success of Culver's sandwich, and to its credit, it seems to have nailed it. The fishery in question has struggled with overfishing in the past, but regulations were tightened, and the fishery bounced back. Management of a fishery is a never-ending process, but Culver's seems committed to using sustainably supplied fish in its kitchens. Beyond where the fish comes from, though, it's every bit as important how it is prepared. 

Culver's fries its fish just right every time — each piece is meticulously hand-battered in store and cooked to order. This ensures that every single sandwich and plate the chain serves up is crisp and fresh when it reaches the customer — topped, of course, with the Culver's family tartar sauce made with olives, capers, and sweet relish. The proof of the pudding, however, is in the eating, as they say. Fortunately for Culver's, that's another category in which the chain can mark up a win. 

Culver's North Atlantic cod sandwich came out above the Filet-O-Fish in a Tasting Table comparison. According to our taste tester, the quality made it hardly recognizable as fast food. Between the source and the technique, the quality of Culver's fish sandwich is a step above the competition. You'd be forgiven for thinking the butter-slathered buns and fried cheese curds were the most unique aspects of the menu. But next time you visit a Culver's, you might want to order the fish instead.