The future is fast casual, at least for a specific segment of the restaurant world. This style of restaurant relies on a front counter with a structure of build-your-own entrees. It took off first at Chipotle, got healthier at Sweetgreen, and is now popping up in fresh concepts all over South Jersey including local options honeygrow and Oki Maki.

Now, James Marino, chef-owner of Bistro di Marino in Collingswood, is applying the fast casual format to his own specialty. “Nobody’s doing fast casual Italian,” he says. “There’s a million burger joints, salads, yogurt or pizza places, but the pasta you’re gonna get at a pizzeria isn’t good. They’re good at pizza, but not at pasta.”