A Florida-based restaurateur is bringing his fresh pasta and pizza concept to downtown Royal Oak this fall.  Pastaio — pronounced past-EYE-oh — will open soon where HopCat beer bar was on Fifth between South Washington and South Center streets. Founder Pasquale Lamarra has a Pastio location in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and is excited to bring this concept to Metro Detroit. 

"I really fell in love with Detroit and the Metro Detroit area and I felt there was a need for what it is we do, which is handmade pasta and pizza. We make it in front of your face," he said. "We have this saying like Tupac: don't believe what you hear, real eyes, realize, real lies. So that's why we make it up front. There's no faking it at that point."