By Gaby Soutar

Copyright scotsman

There’s always hype around new openings in the Capital. However, we want to show a bit of appreciation for some of the original independents, who have been reliably drawing in happy customers for decades. They include the Nicolson Street institution that is City Restaurant, which is celebrating its 30th birthday this September. It remains a popular pit-stop in the area, thanks to a comfort food menu that includes chip shop favourites and Italian-influenced dishes, like the excellently named The Scotsman haggis pizza, lasagne or cannelloni. That’s alongside options including salt and pepper squid, tempura king prawns, milkshakes made with S Luca ice-cream, burgers, or a knickerbocker glory sundae. No small plates here. It’s also an excellent people-watching spot, if you’re lucky enough to bag one of the upstairs tables by the window. We asked the team to tell us more about the beloved business. Who is behind the City Restaurant? It’s a family-run restaurant, with Giuseppe and Margherita who founded it in 1995. The eatery was expanded to two floors in 2010 and underwent two refurbishments since then. It is now run by their son Marco and his wife Joanna. It is truly a family business – we’re all here, several days a week and work as a team to manage the restaurant. We’re supported by dedicated staff, including long standing members, both front-of-house and in the kitchen. How does it feel to be hitting your 30th birthday? It feels surreal. The years passed remarkably quickly. Is there anything you wish you’d known when you started the place up? We wish we’d known how hard it was going to be, as well as how rewarding. What are your most memorable moments from the last three decades? One particularly memorable event was when a couple, who had a first date at our restaurant, returned years later to become engaged while dining with us. Any favourite customers? The customers who choose to celebrate special occasions with us, as well as those who remained loyal over the years. Some of them even make an effort to visit or say hello after moving out of town. Any celebrity guests? As we’re so close to the Festival Theatre, that means that over the years we’ve had the pleasure of serving many celebrities, such as Sarah Millican, Dara Ó Briain, and more recently Brian Cox. In recent years, we have also welcomed cast members of the beloved Christmas pantomime. During the Edinburgh Festival Fringe the restaurant welcomes a number of performers who come and visit us over the month of August. We feel like a Festival hub at this time of year. Who are your longest serving staff members? Caroline has worked with us since day one, and she continues to be a valued part of our team. What’s it like being located so near so many Edinburgh attractions, like the National Museum of Scotland, Surgeons’ Hall Museum and the theatre? We love being in this part of Edinburgh – the buzz of the pre and post theatre moments, the tourists, the students! It feels like the heart of Edinburgh, with a mixture of regulars who have been dining with us for decades, as well as tourists, families, and students popping in for a quick bite. Being next to the theatre is incredibly fun, and we always know what shows are on and at what times. What’s your secret to the perfect fish and chips? That would be telling. It remains a closely guarded secret. Do people come in just for a sundae? Absolutely, many families come in specifically for dessert during their visit to the city. Sometimes, we love having families come in as just a pit-stop. We’re a family-friendly restaurant and we know that lots of people won’t always be ordering a full three course meal, but they’re always welcome. Have you ever tried to deviate from the original menu, and how did that go down among customers? We’d never be able to remove our chippie classics. We feel that these are tried and tested recipes, and our locals trust us to cook up their favourites and keep our quality high. We’ve experimented here and there by adding and removing some dishes, such as the gammon steak, as it had a bit of a break from the menu,, but we nearly stirred up a revolution. We now know which dishes can’t be touched, including our chippie list of course, and which we can innovate with and play around with as well. We think it works as a balance. Tell us about the fish mural on the side of the building, and did anybody mind when you changed the paint job from its signature bright red? Changing the restaurant’s exteriors from its iconic red was a significant decision, especially since many customers recognised us as ‘the red restaurant’. We were also worried that we wouldn’t be as visible from the North Bridges. However, we have gained an amazing mural by spraypaint artist @rogueoner that has become a focal point, attracting numerous photographs. The fish mural is also a nod to our signature fish and chips. What do you hope for the next 30 years? Will the next generation take it over? We have greatly enjoyed building and sustaining this family business, and hope it’ll pass this on to our daughters. We often wonder what path they’ll take, and whether they choose to pursue a future in hospitality or not. City Restaurant, 35 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh (0131 667 2819, www.cityrestaurant.co.uk)