Ask Italian, Prezzo, Zizzi.

If you had asked me in 2016 where is good to eat Italian food, those would have been my answers. 8-years later I have fully come to my senses. But how did it get to this?

In 2016, I moved to Cardiff so I could study full time. A flat mate and now close friend - thank you Eamon - introduced me to a restaurant called Cafe Citta, on Church Street in the city centre.

It’s a tiny, independent, family run Italian. To this day, they are still my favourite restaurant anywhere, and despite multiple chains opening on that very street, they are still standing strong - an experience of dining there is head and shoulders above anything you’ll get at Fat Hippo, Franco Manca, or The Botanist all located within 50 yards.

Citta are a symbol. A beacon of hope that indies are capable of taking on the chains. Citta opened my eyes to what cooking and dining out can truly be.

This little restaurant inspired me to launch a food blog, Burnt Basque, that I have been running since the spring of 2021. I have developed a rather large passion for cooking, dining out, and championing independent businesses. This passion has aided with my sobriety - having a restaurant booked gives me something to look forward to and focus on.

So many of the best moments in our lives are centred around food: anniversaries, graduations, birthdays, weddings, holidays. I hold the opinion that if it’s affordable, we shouldn’t waste these moments in soulless and shallow chain restaurants.

In February 2024 I snuck into Lee Hammond’s pub - The Towpath Inn, Gilwern - to try some of his Detroit style pizza. I was really impressed by the operation, but was even more taken aback by how our views on hospitality aligned. A return trip for some New York style pizza followed shortly after, and a meeting over a full English breakfast in Cardiff market allowed us to develop the idea of this newsletter.

I wanted to send this email to introduce myself and to thank you for signing up. I’m looking forward to bringing you a weekly lowdown of what’s going on in our area, shining a light on indies and the people behind them, and having a laugh at our own expense.

Welcome to The Shire!

Jake x