PastaNito’s Toni Calderone Is Redefining Fast Food—One Bowl of Pasta at a Time
Toni Calderone didn’t just open another restaurant—she’s rethinking what fast food can be. As the founder of PastaNito, Toni brings together her third-generation restaurateur roots and entrepreneurial grit to create a brand that blends speed, freshness, and quality in a completely new way.
Inspired by a fine dining concept she launched over a decade ago, Toni discovered a way to prepare fresh pasta in under five minutes, thanks to a combination of proprietary pasta production and high-quality local water. What started as a food truck and market stall grew into a full-scale distribution operation, a 13,000-square-foot pasta factory, and now a franchise model built for scalability and community impact.
During the pandemic, when many in the industry hit pause, Toni hit fast-forward. She tested multiple formats—from mall stands to drive-thrus—and used that time to refine her operations and blueprint the ideal franchise. With a focus on simple systems, turnkey support, and healthy fast-casual dining, PastaNito is positioned as a disruptive force in the quick-service restaurant space.
Toni now aims to grow her brand along the East Coast and beyond, offering franchise opportunities to community-driven entrepreneurs ready to bring a better dining option to their hometowns. Her advice? Have grit, find your passion, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Because at the end of the day, building something meaningful is a long game—and Toni Calderone is all in.
July 29, 2025
