Casa Fofò in Hackney

After years of wanting to go, I finally made it to Casa Fofo, despite living just a couple of blocks away. Casa Fofo offers a simple yet meticulously crafted tasting menu, guiding diners through a culinary journey from the sea to the richest flavours the country has to offer. There's no need for stiff service or pretentious settings here, Casa Fofo immerses you in a welcoming atmosphere where you feel like an extension of the open kitchen. With a maximum capacity of around 16 people, the focus is on delivering beautifully presented dishes that only get better as the tasting progresses. It's been a while since I've encountered such a thoughtfully curated menu, gradually building to a crescendo and culminating in two exceptional desserts - both perfectly balanced and refreshing. A big thank you to the team at Casa Fofo for a memorable dining experience!

Con molto rammarico mi trovo costretto a lasciare una recensione negativa a questo ristorante. Abbiamo cenato a Casa Fofo nella cellar room, la sala era in tema con il format del ristorante, piccola e abbastanza intima. Fin dall'inizio abbiamo notato svariati errori sul servizio che un ristorante una stella Michelin non dovrebbe assolutamente fare, (per esempio ci è arrivato prima il cibo del vino, la carta dei vini era su dei fogli svolazzanti e ci siamo dovuti alzare per chiedere una forchetta). Le prime tre portate scorrono abbastanza piacevolmente, abbiamo particolarmente apprezzo il cabbage con tofu fermentato. La quarta e quinta portata hanno purtroppo rovinato il nostro percorso, ci è stato servito un brodo a base di Lamb da bere e subito dopo una pasta condita con zenzero, green curry e coriandolo. La combinazione delle due portate e dei singoli ingredienti presenti nei piatti non ci è assolutamente piaciuta, il brodo era davvero forte e difficile da bere da solo e la pasta era ai nostri palati completamente disconnessa, non siamo davvero riusciti a finirla. La cena si conclude con un pre-dessert e un dessert con personalità, con sapori spinti ma forse non troppo convinti. Avevo alte aspettative da questo ristorante, penso e spero di essere capitato semplicemente in una sera no ed è per questo che in futuro darò una seconda occasione a Casa Fofo e non mi sento di sconsigliare questa cucina. Da segnalare il personale molto gentile e simpatico.

The dining experience offered pleasant flavours, though the portion size may benefit from a bit more substance given the price point. I found myself opting for a £1.29 cheeseburger after the tasting menu to address lingering hunger. While the staff were proficient, a touch more enthusiasm from both the waiters and sommelier would enhance the overall atmosphere, especially considering the higher cost.

A small intimate space, Casa Fofo offer a degust menu in the evening of 8 courses. Well spaced tables were fully occupied on a Saturday night - best to book well ahead. The courses were all of a high standard, and we were not surprised that Casa Fofo has a Michelin star rating for the past 3 years. A vegan in our party was well catered for. There is some generosity in the serves, with an additional amuse bouche and a "pre-dessert". We had a bottle of a French syrah - it was excellent, light yet powerful, with a long finish. An open kitchen, tiny and packed with chefs, adds to the authenticity and atmosphere.

Location molto particolare per uno stellato ma stella meritata. Da fuori non entusiasma più dì tanto ma merita provarlo perché l’esperienza finale è sicuramente più che positiva! Cibo ricercato e ben presentato ma cosa più importante sono i gusti ben distinti e il bel lavoro del cameriere che ci ha seguiti. Prezzo giusto, location interessante e wine pairing spettacolare. Ci ritorneremo.

One of the best dining experiences in London. Totally unpretencius but the food was fantastic and the wine pairing fitted the food perfectly.

The tasting menu was very nice, a bit heavy on octopus however. The wine list was tasty albeit very small. The is a Hackney neighborhood establishment and the service was great with a warm atmosphere!

The first time i see a michelin star restaurant with dirty floor, dirty toilet (and the door doesn't close properly, people can see you from the corridor), dirty cutlery, burnt bread (see picture), loud service, micro tiny portions. I didn't know lamb fat could be considered a garnish either... food and wine pairing dont even know what to say. Immagine if you been served a Strawberry and Anchovy ice cream. exactly, no connection, no match at all, right? thats quite close to the "experience" we had. Anyway, can't give feedback about the coffee because i wasn't even offered one. the bill came before.

So nice to eat fabulous food in informal surroundings. The service was simply superb, personal and attentive. Ridiculously cheap for the quality of food and wine.

Love this little place. Great service and if you sit in the dining room you can watch the chefs in action. The food is top class!

My wife, daughter and I really enjoyed the food here. We have a number of dietary restrictions and they were able to fully accommodate us - each of our dishes were tasty. Price of the set menu is also very reasonable for London, particularly given they received a Michelin star this year. Only thing that would have made the experience better was if we were seated on the main floor with a view of the kitchen (instead we were seated downstairs in the ‘wine cellar’ which was actually just a musty basement). Service was very friendly and we also liked how one of the chefs came to the table to explain each course we were given. Definitely worth trying.

I have been here a couple of times and have found the food delicious and the staff lovely. Each time I’ve had a different set of extremely annoying dietary restrictions/allergies and each time the staff have really taken the time to ensure that these are catered for - making individualised courses just for me! Highly recommended.

This little gem really is a well kept secret. Tucked away in Hackney you wouldn't expect to find this type of restaurant. What they have achieved is an unimposing culinary experience with very modest surroundings. The food takes centre stage and can not be faulted at all. Was a little unimpressed by the wine pairings and didn't feel that they complimented the flavours. This visit was great overall and would strongly recommend a visit. I will certainly go back again.

I've been here twice now, and each time the dishes were completely different - but still amazing. Service is impeccable, with each course a description is given of what is being served. And with each wine (if you get pairing) is also given the same dedication. And I was surprised with some wines that would never personally order. All I can say is if you've been contemplating paying Casa Fofo a visit, do it. I have raved about this place to all my mates. Everyone should experience it.

We were so looking forward to having lunch at Casa Fofo as we often treat ourselves to special meals all over the world. Sadly the day didn’t start well to be told they had no ice and the only rose they had by the glass (£9.50 for 125ml) was not to our liking. The wine list is very limited and overpriced. They actually could have popped next door to the minimart to buy a bag of ice. We were seated in the garden area where I had the disturbing view of the toilet, with the door left open most of the time and to my horror a view of the kitchen window where I witnessed one of the chefs tasting something four times in a row with the same spoon! The Tupperware boxes continued to pile up in the window as the meal progressed, which was a bit of a bonus as I couldn’t see anymore breaches of hygiene. On to the food …. It was beige and very bland with a lot of hurried explanations from the servers. I asked for a menu to be told that they didn’t have one but would text me a note of what we had had, which to be fair, they did but with very little product/ingredient detail. Every course had a similar looking beige creamy sauce, the best being a half shallot dish which at least also had some texture. The other dishes were a slimy pollock with beige sauce, a small potato with beige sauce and a pork dish, which although the sauce was a darker beige and actually was pleasant was let down by 50% of the pork being unrendered fat which was unpleasant. These dishes were followed by a yogurt ice dessert and then the most bizarre serving of frozen beef garum in a nori wafer with a smaller layer of frozen rhubarb cream. I genuinely thought I was eating a cowpat and couldn’t wait to pay the bill and get out of there. As a constructive criticism we felt the plastic roof over garden area could do with a clean but it was a treat to be able to sit outside on a sunny Saturday lunchtime. The sourdough bread was delicious.

I have been here twice and the laid back atmosphere coupled with great but not overbearing service, fabulous food and wine is a winner. All this at very reasonable prices. The sourdough alone is worth the visit. Book well in advance.

Già visitato due volte, di cui l'ultima un paio di settimane fa. c'è poco da dire, se non che dietro ai fornelli è palese che ci sia tanta, tanta creatività. Non vedo l'ora di tornarci domenica prossima!

Our first visit - we did not realise that it has a Michelin star which might account for the price rising from £40 when we fist looked to £55. This is a fixed 5 course menu; option are nil. We are pescatarians and they catered for that but with our main course being (delicious) Jerusalem artichokes rather than the large pork loin offered. The 5 courses are all original with a Japanese theme and must change frequently. There is no menu to look at so you are reliant on the server to announce each course. That might be fine if it was super quiet and the server spoke clearly and reasonably slowly. Sadly that does not apply and none of our table could follow what was said! We asked for a menu to look at but all they could offer was to email - which has yet to arrive. We had -as far as we could tell(!) Mussels and celery ; Roast Onion Japanese sauce; Sourdough noodles; the artichokes for main; yogurt with carrot mousse, lovage granita; Yuzu ice cream, crumble. Portions are decent and overall you feel satisfied but not stuffed. The five courses are supplemented by a little starter, home made sourdough bread and caramelised butter; pre-desert and home made chocolates - for once not dependant on ordering coffee. Service is enthusiastic. The front room is rather dull but on our lunch all the diners were in the rear area which is a sort of conservatory ; very light. Interesting choices of music at low level all the time. Would we go again ? Maybe but at £70 a head plus drinks not a casual choice. Wine by the glass is reasonably priced and even the wine flight is fair.

This was one of the most serious places to eat. Every dish was studied and unique. The chefs took a lot of care to balance excitement and eatability. The whole thing was amazing. The wine selection is great and unique. Especially if you like natural and skin contact cuvees. These boys ain’t playing. Come here and get rocked.