hey there. we're
We're a family from Syracuse, New York that's been slinging fresh pasta & homemade sauces in our restaurant, Pasta's, since 1982. Sauce is kind of our thing, and our owner, Karyn, has spent the past 40+ years creating, enjoying and sharing our Original Spicy Hot Tomato Sauce & Dipping Oil far and wide with daughters Ryland and Rachel. This signature sauce (lovingly refered to as "Hot Tom") was the inspiration for our new brand to share our products even further, and we hope you enjoy Hot Tom as much as we do!
here's the whole hot story...
karyn's first trip to europe
in 1989 was a self-guided tour of Italy. She and her husband stayed at the Castellare Vineyard guesthouse in the heart of the Chianti region, taking long day trips from their home base in Castellini around the rolling hills of Tuscany.
One day, while searching for a recommended trattoria, they decided to pull off the road and grab a late afternoon snack. She was five months pregnant with their first child at the time, so pausing for untimely food breaks was standard behavior.
they pulled their car over
to a non-descript, anonymous-looking roadside café where a simple pasta dish looked like a possibility. They glanced at the menu, unable to understand any of it, and simply pointed and said with smiles, “baby hungry!” Within a few short minutes, two plates of hot penne pasta lightly tossed in what appeared to be the cafe’s house tomato sauce were placed on their table with the typical Tuscan-style crusty bread and olive oil.
Karyn’s very first bite was the birth of their favorite food experience in Italy—a sweet yet spicy tomato and olive oil sauce that clung to the pasta. Thank you baby Ryland!
they pulled their car over
to a non-descript, anonymous-looking roadside café where a simple pasta dish looked like a possibility. They glanced at the menu, unable to understand any of it, and simply pointed and said with smiles, “baby hungry!” Within a few short minutes, two plates of hot penne pasta lightly tossed in what appeared to be the cafe’s house tomato sauce were placed on their table with the typical Tuscan-style crusty bread and olive oil.
Karyn’s very first bite was the birth of their favorite food experience in Italy—a sweet yet spicy tomato and olive oil sauce that clung to the pasta. Thank you baby Ryland!
when they returned home
to their restaurant, Pastabilities of Armory Square in Syracuse, NY, they immediately described their new favorite sauce to everyone.
Together with their kitchen team, they tried a few variations until one matched their experience. They originally named it “Spicy Hot Tomato Oil,” soon to be nicknamed “Hot Tom."
it was a house classic
right from the start. Today, The Original Spicy Hot Tomato Sauce & Dipping Oil has become not only Pasta’s top-selling menu item, but a favorite take-home sauce within the Central New York region (and beyond)!
And 40+ years later, Karyn still owns and operates Pasta’s with her two daughters, Ryland & Rachel. We hope you enjoy Hot Tom as much as we do!
it was a house classic
right from the start. Today, The Original Spicy Hot Tomato Sauce & Dipping Oil has become not only Pasta’s top-selling menu item, but a favorite take-home sauce within the Central New York region (and beyond)!
And 40+ years later, Karyn still owns and operates Pasta’s with her two daughters, Ryland & Rachel. We hope you enjoy Hot Tom as much as we do!
We may look like a new brand...
but we've been making sauce + pasta for decades
Is our beloved family-owned restaurant in Syracuse, NY and we've been serving our Hot Tom products there hundreds of times daily since 1982.
