Up Close: Gusto for Hitchin's welcoming Italian Deli

Hitchin Nub News aims to support our community, promoting shops, businesses, charities, clubs and sports groups in and around our town and surrounding areas.

We regularly showcase some of these businesses, organisations and individuals doing excellent work in our community in a Nub News feature called 'Up Close'.

So, read on to learn more about a Hitchin gem, Gusto in the heart of our town centre. By Deven Thakeria

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Up Close: Gusto for Hitchin's welcoming Italian Deli

Nub News would like to reintroduce you to the somewhat estranged member of Hitchin's family known as the Churchgate Shopping Centre. Along this sleepy parade sits quite certainly Hitchin's only Italian Deli, Gusto.

This is no minimalistic boutique, more the enveloping hug of an Italian nonna who takes you by the hand into a kitchen where every nook and cranny evokes an appetite. 

A lilting "buongiorno" emerges from the kitchen carrying a tray of freshly fried arancini. 

Not quite the grandmother with the big smile and missing teeth that may be imagined, but instead a silver fox named Alessandro, or Alex if you must. 

He shares his attraction to Hitchin in-between ducking to the kitchen to bring out steaming focaccia and daily made lasagne.

"After working in London as a chef for The Savoy Hotel and running my own restaurant," Alessandro says, explaining: "I wanted to return to the comfort zone of the countryside, similar to where I grew up in Italy.

"After six months of researching places in Hertfordshire I settled on Hitchin because of its rich heritage.

"I want to share what I call real food, the real flavours of Italy".

Alessandro's commitment to such real flavours takes him to Italy every month, where his van is filled with all sorts of goodies including the panettone that has people lining up for at the deli as part of their Christmas hamper prepared by Gusto.

An elderly lady enters as if peeking into a cave. Her eyes roll from side to side and floor to ceiling. Alessandro allows time to digest before announcing, "let know if there is anything I can help you with".

Another customer strides in scrolling through their phone. "Can I get ingredients for a carbonara here?"

Rubbing his palms, Alessandro gets in full swing talking the customer through the recipe whilst slicing salty shavings of pecorino cheese for us all to sample. He then dices the fatty flavoursome guanciale (pig's cheek), another authentic ingredient for a carbonara. 

It seems that Alessandro is running a roaring trade here at Gusto's, though this may be a lucky flurry. He explains during a quieter moment of the inconsistent nature of business.

"Lucky I didn't have any staff in yesterday, I barely made enough to pay them!" he says.

"More needs to be done to support and promote small independent businesses.

"A growing number of people are moving here from London, but their needs aren't being matched in the town, so they opt to shop at big chains or online".

Despite his obvious passion he demonstrates a pragmatic approach, "I have two more years on the lease, if nothing improves by then, I may close up here and use my van as a mobile Deli to go to the customers rather than waiting for them here". 

Gusto exudes that effortless Italian flair where chic and cosy is created at once.

Come in for an espresso and an enlightening chat with Alessandro, come in for inspiration on your next charcuterie board, or grab a seat and enjoy the pasta of the day followed by a tub of artisanal gelato.

Oh, and keep an eye out for the unassuming bowl of rum baba's perched on the counter.

They are made by Alessandro's friend Matea back in Italy.

These mini muffin looking treats are soaked in a sweet boozy syrup and will lift your spirits to discover that heaven is a place on Churchgate. 

Gusto

Address: 15 Churchgate, Hitchin SG5 1DN 

Times: Everyday 10am – 4pm 

Instagram: gustoitaliantaste

Up Close: Gusto for Hitchin's welcoming Italian Deli

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