The Texan Who Invented Deep Dish Pizza

San Antonio, Texas -- Regardless of whatever style of pizza you fancy the most, one undeniable type of pizza is the deep dish style of pie.  For decades, the style has gained fame and love from just about every corner of the world.  But did you know that it was invented by a Texan?

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Texas-born athlete, businessman, and restaurateur Ike Swell moved to the Chicago area sometime in the early 1940s.  It was claimed that he longed for good Mexican food and wanted to open a Mexican restaurant in Chicago.  Unfortunately, none of his colleagues thought that was a good idea, so they pivoted into opening a pizza restaurant instead.  This restaurant was called Pizzeria Uno, which was located at the corner of Ohio Street and Wabash Avenue in Chicago.  This location is still open today and a culinary staple for any foodie visiting the Chicago area.

Other Pizza Variants

The original recipe was essentially updated over the years, but the premise of the deep dish pizza was always the same.  In the 1970s, another style of pizza was created and has been said to have taken inspiration from the deep dish style.  And what new style of pizza was this?  Stuffed crust pizza!

Ike Swell's Death

For roughly 40 years, Mr. Swell became a very successful restaurateur and businessman.  He has been credited for opening multiple restaurants and brands across the country during the course of his career.    On August 20, 1990, Mr. Swell lost his battle with leukemia and passed away at the age of 87 years old.