Cacio brings a build-your-own pasta format to Carlsbad's Windmill Food Hall, where diners select noodle type, sauce, vegetables, and protein at the counter since its 2021 opening. The name translates to "cheese" in Italian, and the kitchen backs that identity with a Carbonara and Shrimp Portofino that anchor a rotation of classic preparations — an Italian depth paralleled by Cicciotti's Trattoria Italiana & Seafood on the Carlsbad coastline. Beyond the customizable pastas, a fixed menu adds spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccine Alfredo, and a grilled steak entree that broadens the build-your-own concept into full plated service. The 14-vendor Windmill complex sits just off Interstate 5 on Palomar Airport Road near the Carlsbad Flower Fields, drawing a mix of tourists and locals who also frequent the Village's seafood scene at Bluewater Grill. Each pasta plate fires with noodles cooked to order and finished in-pan with the chosen sauce — a single-skillet technique that emulsifies the cooking liquid into the coating for consistent texture across every build.