Where Does Culver's Source Its Cod From?

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We love to see a high-quality fish dish having its moment in the spotlight, and thus, we couldn't help but notice the appreciation being spread around lately for Culver's fried cod. Whether popping up in places like this Reddit cod dinner appreciation post, or ranking number one (superior) on our list of chain restaurant fried fish baskets ranked from worst to best, according to customers, people are taking note. Some are pushing their curiosity one step further and inquiring where the delicious fish comes from. The answer — Culver's fresh, wild-caught North Atlantic cod is sourced from the Arctic region, North of Norway, from a body of water called the Barents Sea.

In a video on Culver's website, owner Craig Culver speaks with Terje, a fifth-generation fish exporter. The two men discuss the process of sourcing the fish from the Barents Sea. "Those waters are pristine," Terje says. "They're cold, they're clean. They are rich in flavorful nutrients, and that comes through with the fish." He describes how the fish grow and develop slowly in this region (compared to the expedited growth of farmed and aquaculture fish). Terje says the slow maturation process allows time for flavors to develop. "It can't be more natural than that," Terje says. Later in the video, Culver demonstrates the process of breading the cod by hand, another process that he says helps Culver's fish to stand apart. "When you take and break that filet apart, you're going to get a flaky, beautiful fish," he says.

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We know that four new pub burger flavors and updated features to the app's Delicious Reward program are among the changes we can expect at Culver's in 2026. But when it comes to the cod — served beside fries and coleslaw in the classic dinner option or between two slices of a toasted, buttered hoagie bread in sandwich form — we hope Culver's doesn't stray too far from its trusted formula. To no one's surprise, reviewers across the web appear to agree with the sentiment that Culver's North Atlantic cod is top-tier.

Responding to the cod dinner appreciation post, one Redditor said, "I'd put the cod up against most regular fast food fish fry offerings." On Facebook, Cooking and Eating with Irish Rivers shared a photo of Culver's cod dinner in a takeout container with the text, "always crispy, always delicious." Commenters replied that they, too, love the taste and texture, with one person saying they'd seen a commercial featuring Culver's fish and had been looking for a location near them ever since. Lucky for this person, Culver's is growing at a healthy rate across the country (one of many Culver's fun facts we appreciate knowing). Over on Yelp, a user from Scottsdale, Arizona, said the deep-fried cod is "as good as it gets," and another user from East Honolulu, Hawaii, noted they prefer Culver's cod sandwiches to their burgers.