City Restaurant Fish & Chips

You'll find this place halfway down Nicolson Street, just far enough from the Royal Mile chaos to avoid the tourist crowds but close enough to the university that it stays properly busy with locals who know good fish when they taste it. The chips are exactly what you want them to be – crispy outside, fluffy inside, with just the right amount of salt. The fish is fresh, the batter's got that satisfying crunch that doesn't leave you feeling like you've eaten a oil slick, and the portions are generous without being silly. It's the kind of place that does one thing really well rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, which is exactly what you want from a proper chippy.