Neel Vaidya (38), Owner
Troy’s Italian Kitchen — Arlington, Virginia
Instagram handle: @troysitaliankitchen
Neel Vaidya, owner of Troy’s Italian Kitchen in Arlington, Virginia has been named a Rising Star of the Pizza Industry 2023 by Pizza Today. Read a quick Q&A with Neel.
How are you able to navigate the niche Vegan market?
As vegetarians ourselves, we aim to please all walks of life. We have successfully tapped into our local vegan community and created a reliable and tasty source of delicious vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free foods that are not readily available to many communities in the US. Dietary restrictions, whether for health or ethical reasons, shouldn’t be a reason someone can’t enjoy a restaurant meal.
What is your process when experimenting with adding creative flavors to pizza?
We think of all the different foods we’ve enjoyed, and what flavors really made that dish pop. We then take those flavors and experiment at home until we find a winning combination.
What is your community outreach strategy?
We’re very fortunate to have a community that helps us with outreach. Many of the events we cater, and our customers who visit our brick and mortar are by word of mouth. We also take the time to visit our local Facebook groups to let customers know what we provide. We also love to participate in local events and hold fundraisers for our schools.
