Fatto A Mano in Hove gives away pizzas for free

Fatto A Mano was jam-packed all day and had a queue outside its restaurant in Church Street, Hove.

The restaurant, which has three restaurants in Brighton and Hove, said it wanted to reward customers for their loyalty since the pandemic.

It was giving out pizzas from 12 noon yesterday until it sold out at 7.30pm in the evening.

The restaurant had a queue outside all day (Image: The Argus)

Martin Lilley, manager of the Hove branch, said: “We’re just rewarding all our customers, we have done it at our other sites.

“We have carried on the tradition after Covid. We want people to enjoy a free pizza and want them to keep coming back here and enjoying our food.”

Speaking of the day for the staff, Martin said: “The day is challenging but it is so much fun. We have the whole team working and the excitement has been fantastic.

From left, Giada, Ida and Martin who is manager of the Hove branch (Image: The Argus)

“Building up to this day has been great. We all knew it had been looming and now it’s finally here, we’re smashing it.

“We will do this till the evening and then have a big celebration after.”

Fatto A Mano invited The Argus to try a free pizza on its special day.

Four chefs were working like a well-oiled machine, firing handmade pizzas into their rotating pizza oven.

The diavola pizza which has tomato, spicy salami, chilli, mozzarella, parmesan and basil (Image: The Argus)

While staff, some who were carrying up to four pizzas at a time, were busy serving drinks and welcoming customers.

Customers were inside and outside on what was a bright and sunny day in Hove – where you might be forgiven for thinking it was spring rather than February.

The restaurant offered customers a selection of four different pizzas - a classic margherita, diavola, which has spicy salami and chillis, the neapolitan favourite salsiccia e friarielli or their vegan margherita.

Busy at work (Image: The Argus)

Fatto a Mano started in Brighton in 2015.

Its other two restaurants are in London Road and Gloucester Road, which is in the North Laine.

Last year, it opened its first restaurant in London at King’s Cross.

Fatto A Mano means “made by hand” in Italian.