Pasta Profile: Piada Italian Street Food
Fast-casual player Piada Italian Street Food has been enjoying growth and success of late, even in a challenging environment. A look under the hood with SVP of Culinary and Menu Innovation Matt Harding uncovers some of the secrets, and lays out a roadmap to success in giving guests what they’re looking for.
Piada Italian Street Food is a premium fast casual known for its chef-curated pasta bowls, hand-rolled piadas, chopped salads and sides. Its pasta program is impressive, serving more than half a million pounds every year in its 60 locations, offering fan favorite pasta builds that feature house made sauces, grilled proteins and fresh vegetables.
“Between 50 to 60 percent of our total sales are pasta,” says Matt Harding, SVP of Culinary and Menu Innovation. “It’s something that our guests come to our restaurants specifically for. They know that they can get a hot, fresh bowl of pasta made just for them in minutes.”
Top Sellers Connect with Consumer Needs
Piada's Pasta Carbonara, featuring Barilla Spaghetti, is the fast casual’s top seller. Here, it’s topped with crispy Hot Chicken, a newer protein option that’s proving very popular.

The newly released Consumer Need State for 2025 from Menu Matters offers some insight into why Piada is finding success – “Give Me Something New.” Authentic, indulgent offerings like carbonara are familiar, but get a bold new take with Hot Chicken. And customizable protein options like Crispy Calamari add a textural element and a taste of something outside the norm. Served on a foundation like pasta that brings broad appeal – a whopping 89% of consumers love pasta – it’s not hard to see how the many combinations add up to menu success.
The popular Pasta Marinara serves as a great foundation for Piada’s Crispy Calamari, a protein that stands out as signature and helps drive home the Italian sensibility.
