Fast-casual is dominating the dining landscape today. We see this style of restaurant becoming more popular each year—from 2022 to 2023, the fast-casual market more than doubled in value, according to a report released by Allied Market Research late last year. Whether it is because diners increasingly want faster, more casual service, or if it’s a leftover trait of pandemic dining that has become entrenched in daily life doesn’t really matter. What matters is this: fast-casual is here to stay.

In The Garden State, there are plenty of fast-casual restaurants to go around. However, one category that seems to be lacking is pasta—even in a state as pasta-obsessed as New Jersey is. However, in Montclair, there is a restaurant that perfectly balances the speed and accessibility of fast-casual with the quality and virtue of traditional dining.