At the beginning of the pandemic, restaurants scrambled to find new ways to offer their food to go. Stellina Pizzeria owner Antonio Matarazzo wanted to do something beyond the typical takeout. Why not a pasta vending machine? “In Italy, but Europe generally, vending machines are already much more popular than here,” he says. “You can go buy wine 24/7.”

Matarazzo found a company in California to build a custom unit. It was supposed to arrive in July, but arrived only two weeks ago. Now, it’s finally up and running in front of Stellina’s Shirlington restaurant and market, which is aiming to open over Valentine’s Day weekend.