Drake's Fish & Chips

You know you're onto something good when there's a queue of locals outside a chippy on Low Petergate, just a stone's throw from the Minster. Drake's has that rare combination of being bang in the tourist heart of York yet somehow maintaining its soul – probably because they actually know how to fry fish properly. The cod here is meaty and flakes beautifully, wrapped in batter that stays crisp rather than going soggy the moment it hits the paper. Their chips are cut thick and fluffy, and they don't scrimp on portions either. Yes, you'll pay a bit more than your average chippy, but when you're sat on the ancient cobbles with properly executed fish and chips, watching tourists stumble about looking for somewhere half as good, you'll understand why the queue forms every lunchtime.