Columbia offers many options for pizza lovers, but not many prioritize emulating an authentic Italian pizzeria experience, and even fewer are run out of a truck. La Dolce Vita Pizza aims to stand out.
In 2023, fourth-year hospitality management student Ben Petty and his friend, Auburn University graduate Parker Barton, decided to start the business, which opened this past January.
They started out with a few tents, but quickly upgraded to a truck equipped with two pizza ovens that sets up shop at various bars and events throughout Columbia, such as WECO Bottle and Biergarten and the Soda City Market.
The truck offers 18 different kinds of pizza, as well as desserts like cannoli and ice cream, various beverages and breakfast options. The pizzeria source most of its ingredients from local providers such as Andrews Apiary, where it gets tomatoes to make its sauce.
They import their cheese straight from Italy. La Dolce Vita is proud of their dough, which is meant to emulate the style of a Naples, Italy pizzeria.
Petty has worked in the food and beverage industry for over six years. He quit his job at a deli shortly before starting La Dolce Vita.
“I just started making pizzas at the house, and we were making them for friends and family. We started doing a whole bunch of them, then just touring around more and more,” Petty said. “That’s where the inspiration came from to go in for it and get the truck.”
Petty takes pride in his Italian heritage and his history of working at Italian restaurants, which he credited as another source of inspiration, mentorship and confidence when making the leap to open the truck.
Recent USC criminal justice graduate Savannah Waldrop, who works as a cashier for La Dolce Vita, emphasized the close-knit nature of the team and how the workers have watched the business grow together.
“We’ve all known each other, and we’re like family,” Waldrop said. “I’ve been here since then. I was the first employee and I helped with everything.”
Third-year business student David Andrews, who works as another cook on the truck, quickly became interested in joining the venture after meeting Petty and hearing about his interest in starting a pizza business.
“I expressed interest and told him, you know, if you get your cards in order, let me know when you hit the ground running,” Andrews said. “That week or month that he got his cards in place, I was trying to help him as soon as possible.”
Andrews, who had never cooked pizza prior to working on the truck, highlighted the fulfillment he found in working and building something alongside not just coworkers, but close friends, valuing the progress and perseverance it took to get there as the business worked to gain various certifications and make connections with local venues.
“Just seeing stuff come to fruition, buying in early, and never really second guessing what was going on. Just being happy to do new stuff,” Andrews said. “I don’t really care to do much else right now other than stuff that makes me happy, and making money and being with my homies makes me happy.”
Petty appreciates all the milestones, whether it’s getting a business license, building out their truck or hitting 600 Instagram followers. The project hasn’t been without challenges, but he said they only fuel the team to improve.
“In the restaurant industry, every single day is a new thing, and I’d say it’s one thing that drives a lot of people out of it," Petty said. “Every day, a new challenge, a new obstacle you’ve got to climb over, and you’ve just got to be super resilient and keep going after and keep driving for what your goals are.”
Petty said juggling being a full-time student with managing the business presented its own set of challenges. However, he said it's nothing he can't handle.
“I’ve probably worked 100 hours for the last six months every week and taken five courses, so it’s definitely been a challenge,” he said. “I’m in the food and bev hospitality program, and I love that. I love a lot of the instructors, and I think it’s definitely helped me get where I am and be able to start my own thing and get out there. But I definitely have my priorities straight, I want to finish school and then continue this.”
Customer Madelyn Smith gave a positive review of the pizza, appreciating the cooking style La Dolce Vita prides itself on and how the staff balances being students and running the truck.
“I’m more impressed that they’re able to juggle business ownership and management and being a student,” Smith said. “[The pizza was] really good, I can tell the crust is homemade.”
While remaining focused on the present, Petty, Andrews and Waldrop all said they were anticipating the future of the growing business, specifically plans of a potential physical location down the line.
“I’m excited to see if he wants to get a brick and mortar, everyone’s always asking about it,” Waldrop said. “I’ve already heard someone say that this is the best pizza in town that they’ve been looking for for years. He popped up this year and they tried it, getting regulars to say that, I think that’s an accomplishment right there.”
More information on La Dolce Vita Pizza, their menu and upcoming locations can be found on their website and Instagram.