Pasta Flyer Gave Out Free Bowls of Mark Ladner Pasta Wednesday Night

In case anybody doubted the reality of long-delayed Mark Ladner fast food restaurant Pasta Flyer, the staff has in fact started making food and serving it — at least to some people.

On Wednesday night, the team at the restaurant, located at 510 Sixth Avenue between West 13th and West 14th streets in Greenwich Village, stood outside and offered people free pasta and sides. According to the restaurant, it was the first time the staff was serving food, and they were offering free meals to friends, family, and neighbors as a part of the training process.

Food ran out by 7 p.m., and the team has not yet responded to an inquiry about whether they will be doing any more surprise previews for the neighborhood. Update: A spokeswoman says that friends and family will happen on Thursday and Friday night, but free pasta for neighbors will not be in the cards.

The restaurant is expected to open to the public next week. It’s one of several more casual restaurants from fine dining chefs to emerge in recent years. Ladner worked as the executive chef at Del Posto, where he earned the restaurant four stars from the Times and a Michelin star.

But here, Ladner and his partner Nastassia Lopez aim to build a fast food restaurant that’s akin to a McDonald’s of pasta. Pasta Flyer offers $9.99 meal deals with spaghetti, a side, and a drink, and Ladner says he’s used his Del Posto relationships to offer nutrition-dense pasta. See the full menu here, and keep an eye on Pasta Flyer’s Instagram.