![]() But the two original locations in Chicago still churn out deep-dish pizzas for throngs of fans in much the same way as those first pioneers 65 years ago. The company now operates more than 140 stores in far-flung locales such as the United Arab Emirates, Honduras and South Korea. Over the years, many changes have taken place: The company’s name changed to Uno Chicago Grill in 2005, and its headquarters moved to Boston. As its popularity swelled, owner Ike Sewell opened a second location (Pizzeria Due) one block from the original in 1955 and attracted even more customers.įlash-forward to 1978, when Aaron Spencer (later to become Uno Chicago Grill chairman) convinced Sewell to expand into other markets the first location outside Chicago opened in Boston in 1979, and the first franchise unit opened in Washington in 1980. in Chicago’s River North district, was the first to offer the deep-dish style of pizza that has been so closely associated with the Windy City. The source of this often-imitated (and, some would say, never duplicated) style? Pizzeria Uno, which opened its doors in 1943 on 29 E. When people think of Chicago, they often think of deep-dish pizza: layers of toppings piled high and baked into a bucket of crust that customers need a knife and fork to dig into. Tomorrow: we dig in to stuffed pizza and explain, that despite general ideas, it is in fact different from deep dish.This Chicago institution permanently altered our culinary history with the invention of deep-dish pizza. Today, there are three additional Pizano’s and, while it’s the youngest and smallest of the deep dish companies profiled in this article, there’s a strong case to be made that it’s the best. Lou’s half-brother, Rudy Jr., got into the pizza game in 1991 when he opened the first Pizano’s downtown. ![]() Today, Lou’s sons Marc and Rick run the ever-expanding empire that now has 34 outposts. Lou, a product of his first marriage, founded his eponymous pizzeria in Lincolnwood in 1971. Rudy Malnati’s role in creating deep dish pizza may remain a mystery, but his legacy unquestionably lives on thanks to two of his sons following in his pizza footsteps. While they billed themselves as a couple of cab drivers who decided to try their hand in the pizza business, the fact is they were successful entrepreneurs who owned four taxi companies and were successful enough that they could afford property just off Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. That said, Levine and Bartoli did take creative license with part of their story. But they did know how to hire the right people, specifically former Uno’s cook and possible inventor of deep dish pizza, Alice May Redmond, as well as her sister, Ruth Hadley. Unlike the founders of Uno’s, Sam Levine and Fred Bartoli never tried to convince people that they knew the first thing about making pizza. Gino’s East was not the first deep dish pizzeria to open after Uno’s, but of the big names in the deep dish world today, it’s the second oldest. Not only did both work at Uno’s but each of them unquestionably knew how to make deep dish pizza. So if not them, then who? Well, there are two better possibilities: Adolpho "Rudy" Malnati, Sr. ![]() In fact, there’s no record of anyone ever claiming to have seen either one of them even making a pizza. The problem with this story is that there is zero evidence to support the notion that two guys with no known cooking acumen came up with the recipe for deep dish pizza. With that idea gone, the two settled on pizza but Sewell pushed for something much more substantial than the Neapolitan version and the two came up with deep dish pizza. Riccardo, a native of Italy, was willing to go along with the plan until he actually tried Mexican food for the first time. ![]() According to corporate lore (which has changed a bit over the years), Sewell’s original plan was to open a Mexican restaurant. Well, actually, probably not.īefore the two went into the pizza business together, Sewell worked for Fleischmann's Distilling Corporation and Riccardo owned Riccardo's Restaurant and Gallery, a popular hot spot at 437 N. Obviously, these men were not particularly creative when it came to naming restaurants, but they were much more impressive when it came to creating food. Previously known as The Pizzeria and Pizzeria Riccardo, Uno’s got its name when Sewell and Riccardo opened Pizzeria Due a block away in 1955. Up first: The Beginning.ĭeep dish pizza first appeared in a commercial setting when Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo (born Richard Novaretti) opened the restaurant now known as Pizzeria Uno in 1943. Eater tapped resident pie expert Dan Zemans, who eats his way throughout Chicagoland reviewing pizzas for Slice, to break down the history of deep dish in a series of posts. Chicago is infamous for many things and deep dish pizza is toward the top of the list. ![]()
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