Tuk Tuk Pizzeria: The Pure-Veg Sourdough Pizza Truck Built by an Optometrist and an Engineer

Why Tuk Tuk Pizzeria is a truck, not a shop

The idea came in November 2023, when the founders decided to open their own pizza place. As they thought it through, a fixed shop started to feel limiting.

That choice shapes the whole business. Tuk Tuk is built to go where people gather, and Subani points to the concerts that fill Bengaluru's calendar in November and December. The goal is to bring the food to people, rather than always asking people to come to a stand.

It also explains why Tuk Tuk does not deliver. At the BTM Layout spot, customers walk up to the truck. Subani says the point is freshness: pizza that reaches the customer directly out of the oven.

Where the name comes from

In Thailand, auto-rickshaws are called tuk tuks. The founders' vehicle looks like one, so the name stuck. Every design element on the truck was done by the founders themselves.

An optometrist and a mechanical engineer

Building the truck took about one and a half years, and most of that was a problem of precision. As Subani puts it, the vehicle is very small and the oven is very big. Every measurement had to be right.

That is where co-founder Keertan Gopal, a mechanical engineer, came in. Keertan designed and built the setup and handles the mechanical and back-end work. Subani handles operations and the brand: choosing the colours, designing the truck's look, and making the logos. The two built the menu together, drawing on their combined connections.

What makes the pizza different: 48-hour sourdough

Subani's answer starts with the base. At many pizza places, Subani says, the bases are hard and one or two slices feel heavy.

Subani also points to the gluten structure visible when the dough is opened up, as a sign of the long fermentation.

Why the kitchen is pure veg

The second difference is the toppings. Tuk Tuk Pizzeria is purely vegetarian, and that comes from the founders' own experience. Both are vegetarian, and when eating out they often saw veg and non-veg food handled together.

Subani says many vegetarian diners, including those who follow a Jain diet, hesitate at places that serve both. At Tuk Tuk, the idea is that a vegetarian can walk up, pick anything on the menu, and eat it “with the satisfaction.”

The real challenges of running a food truck

A truck can go anywhere, but Subani is candid that it comes with tied hands. The biggest issue is parking. Some days the team arrives to find a resident's car in their usual spot. They have to find out whose car it is, call the owner, and wait before they can start.

Neighbours are the second issue. If people living nearby don't like the truck being there, they can make things difficult. The setting adds its own friction: the BTM Layout spot sits beside a lake where couples sit and people walk, and the founders and the lake-goers don't always see the space the same way.

What to order at Tuk Tuk Pizzeria

Subani's personal favourite is the Four Pillars, made with four types of cheese, with the option to add veggies or other toppings. The other two best sellers are Peri Peri Paneer and Earth's Basket.

Beyond pizza, Subani recommends:

• Garlic bread, made in-house
• Brownie, made at home by the founders. “Even the chocolate is made at home.”

The pizzas are customisable. Customers can choose which of the four cheeses go on top, order an 11-inch pizza half-and-half with two flavours, and add burrata to any pizza.

Visit Tuk Tuk Pizzeria

Tuk Tuk Pizzeria is at 3rd A Cross Road, 8, Tank Shore Rd, EWS Colony, BTM Layout 2nd Stage, Bengaluru 560076. Get directions on Google Maps or visit tuktukpizzeria.in. Because the truck is built to travel, watch their channels for event appearances.