Found in the heart of Hackney, Casa Fofò is an intimate restaurant from ex-Pidgin head chef Adolfo de Cecco. Serving an ever-changing daily tasting menu which takes influence from a wide variety of different cuisines across the world, the restaurant manages to keep prices very reasonable given the quality of cooking on show. Casa Fofò may now have a Michelin star to its name, but at heart it's still a cosy and unpretentious neighbourhood eatery.
Everything about the restaurant's look encapsulates East London's trendy dining scene. There's space for a couple of tables outside when the weather is good enough, while inside has space for just 16 covers. Casa Fofo's decor is rather minimalist with stripped back walls, lots of exposed brickwork and small wooden tables. The walls play host to shelves rammed full of cookbooks and wine bottles, with a few plants providing some added colour to the place, and the open kitchen sits at the far end. In fact it's a relatively relaxed vibe all round, meaning there's no need for hushed voices and perfect table manners.
Casa Fofo's tasting menu often fuses flavours together which you perhaps wouldn't expect to be combined. Dishes might include trombetta courgette with wild garlic and kumquat, baked aged pollock served with salted turnip and a pil pil sauce seasoned with a kanzuri, and cavatelli with chicken offal, anchovies and black bean. Meanwhile unusual desserts range from a peanut parfait with yeast caramel and beef garum lees mousse, to a deep-fried pine pollen pie served alongside kvass lees ice cream.
In terms of the drinks offering, there's the option to go for a wine pairing or you can choose yourself from Casa Fofò's very reasonably priced wine list which is predominantly focused around low-intervention bottles. For those who aren't wanting wine, there are plenty of other drink options available for both drinkers and non-drinkers.