A person taking a slice of a deep-dish pizza with a spatula
FOOD NEWS
The Chicago Restaurant That Popularized The Iconic Deep-Dish Pizza
BY Matthew Spina
Pizza dates back hundreds if not thousands of years and has developed numerous styles over time. One of the most prominent varieties is deep-dish pizza.
It was first created and popularized in the kitchens of Pizzeria Uno in 1943. The original Chicago location at 29 East Ohio Street still stands today.
Almost every source agrees that deep dish was born at that location. Founded by Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, the eatery used to be known as The Pizzeria and Pizzeria Riccardo.
It wasn't named Uno until a second location named Pizzeria Due opened in 1955. Uno names Sewell as the developer of the style.
However, others credit Riccardo, as there is evidence that Sewell didn't join until 1944. Complicating things further, neither Sewell nor Riccardo were chefs.
They were businessmen, and some rivals claim the actual minds behind deep dish were early cooks hired by the team.