(La Porte, IN) - Authentic Chicago-style deep-dish pizza has come to La Porte as Pizzeria Uno, founded in Chicago in 1943, is opening a location today at the Pine Lake Resort Banquets Hotel at 444 Pine Lake Avenue.
The hotel, formerly a Holiday Inn, fell into disrepair in recent years, but a nearly completed renovation has breathed new life into the entire facility.
“As everybody knows, they have a great history and we wanted to bring that Chicago-style tradition into the wonderful town of La Porte,” said Vikey Patel, one of the owners of the pizzeria and hotel.
Patel said the name Chicago-style deep dish pizza originated from Pizzeria Uno, which has other locations in communities such as Porter.
“They’re the creator of it,” he said.
The atmosphere of the restaurant, with soft music playing in the background, is sort of upscale.
“Everything is made fresh. Fresh vegetables. Fresh dough every day. Our ingredients are taste to please. You’ll enjoy every bite. Definitely,” said Sue Magee, general manager of Pizzeria Uno.
Magee said the menu also contains a wide variety of dishes, like Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches, cheeseburgers, spaghetti and meatballs, and rattlesnake pasta, along with food for kids such as chicken tenders.
Mayor Tom Dermody said he’s pleased the condition of the facility has returned to its former glory days, positioned again to be more of a contributor to the local economy.
He said having a Pizzeria Uno inside the hotel is also like the icing on the cake.
“It’s going to be welcoming to families and then you got a brand name I think most people will recognize out of Chicago,” he said.
La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Bert Cook said the hotel will play a key role in capturing dollars from people elsewhere coming here to attend tournaments at the Dunes Volleyball Center near Clear Lake.
He went further, citing that there’s a need for more hotel rooms in La Porte and how, recently, many people going to Dunes Volleyball Center events have been directed to Blue Chip Casino Hotel and Spa in Michigan City and other lodging facilities for overnight stays due to a shortage locally.
The newly renovated hotel will be able to absorb some of that demand.
“We want those people to stay here. We want them to eat in our restaurants. Providing the space for them to do so as well as another dining establishment is a huge advantage for us. It keeps all of those dollars in the city of La Porte,” he said.
