Last night we officially launched the 2023 Hove Food Trail event, in partnership with sponsor Moda Living, with a sneak peek of what the trail has to offer.
Guests were invited to dine at four locations on the trail, collecting their stamps along the route. The Hove Food Trail taster kicked off at Cin Cin, where owner David spoke proudly about seeing his trail idea come to life.
David Toscano, said: “The 2023 Hove Food Trail will showcase the best Hove has to offer as a dining destination. Since we opened Cin Cin on Western Road in 2018, the food and drink offering in Hove has got better and better so now is the perfect time to bring it all together.”
Guests were treated to a Limoncello spritz on arrival and one of our most sought after dishes ‘arancino’. For the trail we are serving a delicious lobster arancino with parsley & garlic emulsion and it was the perfect dish to kick-off the evening.
We then walked west to our neighbours at Fatto a Mano where guests were greeted with a Negroni Sbagliato (Sbagliato meaning “mistaken” and it was purportedly invented when Milanese bar owner Mirko Stocchetto somehow mistook a bottle of sparkling wine for gin while preparing a Negroni). This delightful mistake was perfectly paired with a pillowy Calzoncino Fritto filled with fennel sausage, Neapolitan broccoli, mozzarella, smoked provola and fresh chilli.
Heading further west the next stop was Wild Flour where guests were served their take on a ‘Beer & Kebab’. A rich and flavoursome BBQ mushroom brochette, grilled over coals, and served with chicken sauce ‘jus gras’, truffle garnish and house sourdough. Accompanied with a refreshing classic french aperitif Picon Biere.
Last, but not least, in this taster trail, of what’s to come next week, we wandered down New Church Road to our final stop at Fourth & Church, where guests were met with a Manzanilla and mint spritz. The trail dish prepared by Fourth & Church was a flavour explosion of roasted aubergine, labneh cheese, cultured blueberries, green Harissa and black sesame. The perfect end to a delicious evening.
Hove Food Trail is a celebration of the Hove food & drink scene, debuting in 2023, from 6-8 July, with long term plans to promote Hove as a food destination and to support local charities. This year the project will raise money for local charity Off The Fence, who help restore the lives and hopes of the homeless, women in difficulty and vulnerable school children in Brighton & Hove.
The Hove Food Trail will be an annual event to champion the vibrant and varied food & drink brands that make Hove an ever-growing dining destination.
Want to know how to take part?
Peter Kyle, MP for Hove and Portslade, said: “The Hove Food Trail brings together everything there is to love about Hove, our community and the people within it. The event will offer all the chance to experience the best restaurants Hove has to offer, all for a spectacular cause.”
We can’t wait for this event next week, taking place with 10 of Hove’s most exciting and vibrant places to eat. So if you haven’t yet picked up a ticket then head to the Hove Food Trail to find out more and grab one now.
We have just launched the inaugural Hove Food Trail. It is taking place from the 6th to 8th July and features 10 of Hove’s finest and most exciting places to eat and drink. This annual food festival is a celebration of the unique cuisine you have right on your doorstep.
Founded by David Toscano (Cin Cin) and Chris Henry (Brighton & Hove City councillor 2019-2023), Hove Food Trail will be an annual event to champion the vibrant and varied food & drink brands that make Hove an ever-growing dining destination.
The trail will take you on a weekend of exclusive dishes and mouth-watering drinks that are only available to Hove Food Trail ticketholders. Read on to find out more and grab yourself a ticket for what will be an unmissable weekend for food and drink lovers.
What’s it all about…
Hove has a wonderful food and drink scene, but wasn’t considered a foodie destination…until now. This annual celebration of our vibrant food and drink scene is rightfully putting Hove on the foodie map, all whilst supporting the local community and charities.
To take part all you need to do is buy a ticket with all proceeds going to our charity of choice – Off The Fence. And then book to dine in at each of the 10 restaurants to buy their exclusive dishes and drinks only available to Trail ticketholders.
Hove Food Trail: How To Buy Tickets
To join the Hove Food Trail all you need to do is:
1. Buy a ticket here via Eventbrite
2. Collect a map from one of the participating restaurants, and
3. Book your dining slots directly with each restaurant you wish to visit over the 3 days from 6-8 July.
What’s on the menu…
We are thrilled to share there are 10 glorious stops on the trail this year starting with Cin Cin, then proceeding west to Nostos, Wild Flor, Slam Tacos, Fatto a Mano, Fourth & Church, Fika, Carne, Ginger Pig and Rockwater. So get ready for a taste extravaganza on 6-8 July with exclusive dishes curated by Hove’s finest places to eat and drink.
Cin Cin will be serving lobster arancino with parsley and garlic emulsion and a Limoncello Spritz all for just £15 and only available to ticket holders. So what are you waiting for?
All exclusive dishes range from £10-£15. Will you try them all in one day or spread out your feasting over the 3 days? Check out the other dishes available on the trail…
And don’t forget to follow the Hove Food Trail to find out more about the first Hove Food Trail and to enter their giveways…
Who doesn’t love a croqueta, eh? or crocchette for Italians! Celebrating this beloved snack, our Head Chef James recently took part in the ‘Croqueta Challenge 2023′ hosted by restaurant Salt Yard Group, where some of London’s best restaurants went head to head to find the greatest croqueta in the capital.
This year’s challenge was a celebration of six years of unearthing the best croquetas. This year there were two individual heats, in which our Head Chef James sailed through with his famous rabbit crocchette with wild garlic emulsion, to reach the finals, where they crowned the winner on Tuesday 6th June.
Offering some of the most innovative and exciting chefs and restaurants across London an opportunity to show off their croquetas. James was up against some of London’s most talented chefs and restaurants. The restaurants participating in the Final were Salt Yard Borough, Salt Yard Fitzrovia, Nanny Bill’s, Cin Cin Fitzrovia, The Collab/ Paul Human & Signature Brew , Bar Douro, Bibo/ Mondrian Shoreditch.
All croquetas entered were judged by a panel of respected palates responsible for crowning this year’s winning croqueta. This years judges were Catherine Hanley, David Ellis and Hannah Evans from the industry and the public also put them to the test.
The hosts Salt Yard Borough took home the crown with their prawn croqueta with prawn aioli & Sicilian prawn tartare.
Although James and our famous rabbit crocchette didn’t win the title it went down a storm with customers and the judges. Well done James! And if you haven’t tried our rabbit crocchette yet keep your eyes peeled for when it appears next on our menu.
Festival season is upon us and our Chef Patron Jamie Halsall is doing the rounds and showcasing his skills. Feast on authentic Italian food whilst you listen to incredible live music acts, what more could you want?
Cin Cin and Chef Jamie are pleased to announced we’ll be at Pub in the Park at Preston Park, Brighton, from 14-16 July 2023. Hosted by legendary chef Tom Kerridge, who will be on site that weekend. We will be serving up a delicious menu and Jamie will be running a chef demonstration showcasing some irresistible dishes over at The Live & Cooking Zone at The Firepit on the Saturday afternoon. He will be cooking an Italian dish over hot coals – al fresco style, giving you the perfect inspiration for summer barbecues.
We will also be running a pop up restaurant stand alongside other Sussex brands including The Chilli Pickle & Pitch by Kenny Tutt, as well as Tom Kerridge’s Hand & Flowers plus The Kentish Hare and Brindisa Tapas. Check out our menus below and come and find us serving up a storm at this brilliant festival. This event is perfect for families, foodie lovers and anyone who enjoys live music and lazing in the summer sun.
So why not indulge in some summer fun and eat and dance your way around the biggest food and music festival tour in the UK. You can see the likes of the Sugababes, Soul II Sound System, Judge Jules, Norman Jay, The Brand New Heavies and The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club and so much more!
Tickets are on sale now. You can book tickets here: Pub In The Park Tickets and Dates 2023 (seetickets.com)
We can’t wait to see you there!
We’re excited to announce our series of feasts of Italy – La Festa – exploring the regions of the food capital of the world. Join us to navigate you through four courses of Italian cuisine like a local, starting with antipasto, onto primo, then secondo and always finishing with something sweet.
Our feasts of Italy will be packed with flavour, full of fresh ingredients and a celebration of everything the region has to offer.
Our first stop is Rome on Wednesday 24th May at 7pm. Our four courses for £48 will take you on a whistle-stop tour of the culinary delights the Eternal City has to offer. Read on for the full menu and to book your place.
Our antipasti course includes Suppli cacio e pepe – Rome’s ultimate fried street food, a rice-filled fritter not to be confused with the classic arancino. Followed by our primo pasta dish of Bigoli all’Amatriciana. As the name suggests, the origin is the city of Amatrice in the far northern reaches of Rome’s region of Lazio.
The secondi of Porchetta with herbed quinto-quarto stuffing is a nod to the ancient Roman ‘nose to tail’ approach of using every part of the pig.
And to finish we have a Crostata ricotta e visciole, a shortcrust pastry pie filled with layers of visciole (sour cherries) and sweetened ricotta. Originating from the Jewish quarter, to this day you can still enjoy it in Rome’s Jewish ghetto bakeries.
We look forward to welcoming those of you who can make our first in these series of La Festa dinners on Wednesday 24th May. Book using the links below. And if you can’t make this one we hope you can make one of our next up regional dinners – Palermo, Bologna, or Venice – in this regional trip around the food capital of the world.
*Please note on the dates of the regional dinners our current Chef’s Menu will be unavailable and instead our La Festa Regional Chef’s Menu will be available.
With the cost of living spiralling out of control, we’re doing all we can to continue to keep Cin Cin the accessible, neighbourhood restaurant we always wanted it to be. A special place that you can enjoy at least every month, or even every week. We want to continue to deliver on that promise, even during these toughest of times.
Prices are going up and up, month on month. Latest figures show food price inflation at 16.2%, the worst it has been for 45 years. We’re all feeling the strain. And we can see that PWC recently reported that almost 50% of diners have either stopped or reduced the amount they eat out.
At Cin Cin, we feel that pressure too. Let’s start with the rising costs of all the ingredients that go into our dishes and the increases we have seen this last year, to name but a few:
And the utilities to keep our lights on, the kitchen running and coffee machines grinding, we have been quoted a rise of almost 400% from spring next year. If that’s the reality, it will literally be very hard to keep the lights on.
Cin Cin has always been proud to be a Living Wage employer, but with increased inflation, this means an increase in our wage bill (up over 10% in April and the same again is forecast for this April).
So, whilst we do have to review our menu prices month to month to keep up with the steep rise in costs, we’re doing whatever we can to absorb as much of this as possible so we can continue to deliver on our promise. Back in September, we brought back £10 Tuesdays at both our restaurants. That’s £10 for a handmade pasta dish and a glass of wine or beer, served by our wonderful team, all for just £10. We have a great value lunch offer at both restaurants this Xmas – 2 courses for £22 or 3 courses for £30. Perfect for a catch up with friends or a casual business lunch. Also available at both our restaurants. And coming into the festive season, we are offering a free glass of L’Occhiolino sparkling Lambrusco on arrival when you dine with us between 3pm and 5:30pm.
So, whilst we are all feeling the pressure, we still want as many customers as possible to enjoy a meal at Cin Cin. So pop by when you can, we’d love to see you.
David, Jamie & Team Cin Cin x
“Fitzrovia’s got a banging new spot for a bite of Italian food in the sun. Cin Cin opened last year and it boasts an outdoor terrace where you can dine out on seasonal small plates and fresh handmade pasta dishes, aperitifs and wines from across the boot of Italy. With an ever-changing menu to suit the season, expect Jersey Rock oysters with Giacomo sauce, Pappardelle verdi and clams, Arancino of beef shin & peperonata, seabass with gnocchi and Portland crab & Trombetta courgettes, all washed down with unique twists on classic cocktails. Bon appetit! cincin.co.uk”
GQ | Ten coolest things to do in London this week
In collaboration with TFL London we have the below offer available at Cin Cin Fitzrovia throughout August!
Special offer: a glass of Prosecco and one limoncello per person who orders a minimum of two dishes from the menu. This offer is available throughout August 2022, quote ‘TfL Summer Campaign’ when booking.
“In need of a Mediterranean getaway? Head to Cin Cin’s brand new Italian terrace for a delightful aperitif under the summer sun. It might not be a cosy bar on a cobbled street in Sardinia… but it’s pretty close.
Alongside a new summer makeover, Cin Cin have a special al fresco menu that boasts the likes of Arancino of white crab with brown crab aioli, and crispy calabrese chicken wings. Wash down with an Aperol Spritz or three. Yum.”
Fantastic things to do in London in August | Londonxlondon
After hosting our first brunch at Cin Cin Fitzrovia this weekend, in collaboration with L’Occhiolino Sparkling Red, from Laithwaites, we are super excited that we have been featured in so many great London guides!
“Sparkling red wine may raise a few eyebrows as it’s first uttered – but pair a few chilled glasses of it with the brunch of dreams and you’ll be won round before you can say Saluti. The latest Italian tipple on the block, L’Occhiolino, has joined forces with Cin Cin Fitzrovia for an extra special weekend of feasting. Think freshly baked focaccia, house-cured sea trout with olive oil crushed potatoes and courgette flower fritti stuffed with truffled ricotta; just save room for a hearty slice of the orange polenta cake littered with roast apricots and Amaretto crema.”
Conde Nast Traveller | Things to do in London
“You can hardly ever find it, it’s gorgeous and it is basically the taste of summer and we don’t care what anyone says, even that Olly on Saturday Kitchen who does the wines.
It is chilled and sparkling Italian red wine – yes! Red! – and it hits not only the spot, but many spots, especially when sloshed out to accompany some top-level Italian nosh.
That’s what will be happening at Cin Cin, the cutest Italian restaurant in Fitzrovia, who are partnering up with L’Occhiolino – only available from Laithwaites, the wine people – for a limited edition brunch affair. Food-wise, expect cured sea trout, courgette flower fritti, Bacon alla Giacomo but make sure you leave plenty of room for that delicious L’Occhiolino.”
“Meaning ‘the wink’ in Italian, L’Occhiolino is the kind of wine that’s served from under the counter, that off-menu gem. It’s made from some of the oldest grape varieties in Italy that are relatively unknown outside the country. Unusually combining a deep ruby red colour and light froth of bubbles, this sparkler is lighter than typical Italian sparkling wine and the perfect choice for brunches and summer dining. Typically enjoyed by the trend-setters of Bologna, this authentic and delicious sparkling red has now arrived in the UK.
Originally founded in Hove, Cin Cin Fitzrovia launched in 2021. A small and intimate neighbourhood Italian restaurant, with 20 seats inside and 20 plus outside on a south facing corner with lots of afternoon sun, it’s perfect for al fresco dining this summer.
Menus include the a la carte or chef’s tasting menu, that can be enjoyed with an accompanying flight of wine.”