Hill’s Quality Seafood Market Review

3605 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073

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Last week, on my way to an appointment in Newtown Square, I passed a big white attractive sign for “Hill’s Quality Seafood Market” along an unfamiliar drive I had to the Main Line, near Philadelphia. 

The sign looked so inviting that I could not wait to visit this venue after my appointment. 

Within an hour, I was finished with my appointment and had arrived at this newly found seafood specialty market. As I approached the front door to enter Hill’s Quality Seafood, I saw a large printed sign posted on their door explaining how they would proactively disinfect all surfaces (including door handles, scales, countertops, cash registers, etc) every HOUR to help ensure that they were doing everything they could do to protect their customers from the Covid-19 Coronavirus. I took a picture of this sign, and stopped to look at it, and thought to myself how amazing the owners and managers were to do all of this so everyone felt safe. 

With that thought, an elderly gentleman arrived behind me on the front path to the door, and he asked what the posted letter said. I read it out loud to him, and he said he wasn’t surprised. He stated that this seafood market was the best place around, and that they have such high quality and high standards always maintained there. I asked him if he had ever shopped there before, and he smiled and said, “Of course, about 2-3 times a week!” With that answer I smiled back, and he held the door for me as we both happily entered the market.

My first impression was how spotlessly clean everything was. Not just the usual things like floor and counters, but every single piece of fish for sale was extremely neat and tidy and laid out in long perfect rows, as if someone meticulous set up all the glass shelves of fresh seafood. Then I thought about how many selections of different beautiful fish there were to choose from. They seemed to have just about everything you could possibly wish to buy. 

Next, I was noticed by a smiling friendly man from behind the counter. 

He greeted me with a friendly welcome, and asked if he could help me with anything. 

Of course I said that I had many questions for him and that this was my first visit to the store. I also told him that I write a food blog and reviews, and that I planned on writing about Hill’s Quality Seafood. 

The smiling face then came around from the back of the counter and greeted me again, and introduced himself as Brendan the store manager. He took so much pride in his work and store, and I was bubbling over with joy over finding this gem of a seafood place.

Brendan then proceeded to show me all kinds of their fresh fish they have for sale, and to explain lots of ways they recommend cooking different fish for easy and delicious recipes. 

I gravitated toward the gorgeous case of crab cakes, that were arranged single file and all in rows. 

They were so perfectly set up that you would think someone actually took a ruler to be sure each were exactly the same distance apart from each other. I was amazed at just how clean and utterly neat all of the fish and cases were kept. It all looked so pretty, the air fresh and clean, and I then began taking lots of pictures to be able to post and praise them for such an impressive store. 

I decided to purchase one jumbo lump crab cake for myself for $8.98, and give their product a try. 

I feel as though you can gain a lot of information about a store or restaurant by tasting something really simple they make. You can taste and see if they use top quality ingredients or not, or use a lot of fillers, cut corners, or if their products aren’t quite as tasty as they look. 

I asked Brendan if they cook the seafood or the crab cakes there at the store for the customers, but he said they do not. That was alright by me, as that gave me a chance to take the crab cake home, take pics of it uncooked and then cooked, and then enjoy it in the comfort of my own kitchen instead of eating it in my car, lol.

Well I must say with full enthusiasm that I really loved this retail seafood market so much. 

There just wasn’t anything not to give full raves about. From the notice on the door that they were taking extra precautions for sanitizing in this worrisome time of the corona virus, to the outpouring of friendly helpfulness and knowledge that the staff and Brendan gave to me, and the perfect cases of the finest quality fish kept perfect as a picture. This all made me wish that I had a place just like this one closer to me in my suburban town.  

I’ve also made a promise to myself to always be completely honest in all of my reviews, as well as to not easily give 5 out of 5 J’s to businesses. I want there to be room for absolute perfection in getting a 5 out of 5 from me. But with all that said, I seriously cannot justify not giving this incredible seafood market that I accidentally stumbled upon all 5 out of 5 J’s. It really was absolutely perfect in every way that I can think of or want. 

The only improvement I can think of, is if they had the restaurant lobster claw packs of cooked meat that I went there looking to buy, and of course ideally at a cheaper price then what I pay for it now (I pay nearly $50 per pound for lobster locally)! 

Brendan explained to me that they don’t supply restaurants, just the public, so that’s why they don’t carry the restaurant packs of lobster I was searching for. 

Honestly, I am really thrilled to have found so much more than lobster here at Hill’s. 

I found a really awesome new place to come for the freshest and best quality fish I have ever seen anywhere around Philly suburbs (even if it is an hour drive to get there for me). It is well worth it!

Well done Brendan and everyone at Hill’s Quality Seafood Market! I will definitely be back soon!

A very well deserved 5 J’s out of 5!!