Best Fish and Chips

Piccadilly

1348 Polk (at Pine), 771-6477

There are tons of fish-and-chip places in London exactly like the Piccadilly: tiny bare-bones establishments with the interior design of a fast-food joint and the Empire's most positive contribution to global cuisine on the menu. The similarity to the real thing doesn't end at the aesthetic, though. Cod specially flown in from Ireland is fried twice (the second time immediately before serving) to ensure a perfectly crunchy exterior, then paired with thick-cut fried potatoes soft and limp enough to absorb a bracing dollop of malt vinegar. (They're even wrapped in newspaper for that authentic look.) You can opt for a less orthodox experience by mixing and matching with fried chicken, clams, oysters, prawns, scallops, and onion rings, and a tasty homemade coleslaw is available for roughage. The Piccadilly departs from tradition in at least one other regard: It's open past 11 on Friday and Saturday night.