You’d be hard-pressed to locate Troni’s Pizza if you didn’t already know where to look, but this small Italian food and pizza spot near the busy Wilmington-Dorothy Lane intersection in Dayton’s Kettering suburb has attracted a loyal following, especially for its pizza. A small family-run business, Troni’s has an eclectic interior decoration and a pretty friendly staff that turns food orders around quickly. The food is simple, but there’s beauty in simplicity, and I’d give great credit to say that they do the simple recipes very well.
Troni’s has a great menu of a custom set of house-made items. Several options are seafood-based pastas, others of course are the take-out pizzas. I gave a try to the ever-favorite classic, the spaghetti. It’s a simple and pleasant take on the dish, the tomato sauce is fruity and sweet, it’s got a heavy burst of tomatoes with a very forward taste, and accompanying them are a few simpler flavors, some garlic and oregano and a few other things, but the sauce is allowed to stand on its own. The pasta is al dente, though it’s not made in house, and I wish it was.
The house also makes such appetizers as the cheesy bread which is loaded heavy with cheeses and perfect for pasta. I’ll tell you though, I’m told the spot has no fettuccine alfredo, and no dish like it, because none of that has sold well. I love that dish and I wish it was a part of the menu. Then of course, there are the ‘garlic rolls,’ which are giant pretzels with garlic and olive oil basted on them. Delicious.
The service is exceptional. Troni’s is a small, family establishment, which is exceptionally clean, and the food comes out quickly. The people are friendly, and they’re welcoming to new groups that congregate here, which was really nice. It’s an all-local experience, with the clientele being primarily from the nearby Kettering neighborhoods.
Recommendations
- A lot of people know the spot for its pizza, but it’s actually also a full-service Italian restaurant with good food. Definitely worth stopping in.
- There are a lot of seafood options on the higher end of the spectrum, but I’d also suggest the simple pasta dishes.
- The spot is hard to spot from the street. It’s in a strip mall to the south of the road, immediately west of the Wilmington-Stroop intersection.
Another Food Critic 