Gino's East Turns 60: Six Decades of Chicago Deep Dish
Gino’s East is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Six decades after the first pies came out of the oven just off the Magnificent Mile in 1966, we are still baking Chicago deep dish the slow way, one pan at a time. And this Friday morning, October 23, you can catch Gino’s East on CBS News Chicago as we celebrate 60 years. Here is the story behind the birthday, and how to celebrate it with us. For photos, the timeline and every way to join in, visit our 60th anniversary page.
Catch Gino’s East on CBS News Chicago this Friday
We are proud to be on CBS News Chicago on Friday morning, October 23, to talk about turning 60. CBS News Chicago is the city’s CBS station, and you can watch on TV or stream it on the station’s website. Tune in with your coffee, then come see us for lunch.
If you miss it, don’t worry. Our 60th anniversary page is the place to look for more about the celebration, and the story below is the short version of why a pizzeria from 1966 is still worth a television segment.
How Gino’s East started in 1966
Gino’s East began with two taxi drivers. Sam Levine and Fred Bartoli spent their days driving up and down the Magnificent Mile, and they were sure a great pizza spot right off that busy stretch would be a sound investment. With their friend George Loverde, they opened Gino’s East in 1966.
The Magnificent Mile is the roughly one-mile stretch of Michigan Avenue between the Chicago River and Oak Street. The real estate developer Arthur Rubloff gave the district its nickname in 1947, so it was already Chicago’s showpiece street when our founders went looking for hungry customers. Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism bureau, still calls it “one of the most famous shopping areas in the world.”
Loverde was born in Sicily and Bartoli was a first-generation Italian American. But neither of them wrote the recipe that made Gino’s famous. For that, they hired someone special.
Alice Mae Redmond and the crust that built Gino’s East
Alice Mae Redmond was a phenomenally talented pizza cook who had already spent 17 years perfecting her own dough at a competing restaurant. Gino’s East hired her, and she spent the next 29 years in our kitchen making the pizzas that put Gino’s East on the map. Wikipedia’s history of Chicago-style pizza credits her with changing how the city’s deep dish dough was made, and notes her “secret dough conditioner.”
Her secret was patience. Alice Mae stretched the dough gently into the pan instead of slapping it around, and she coaxed the sauce into each pie instead of splattering it. Then there was the dough conditioner she created, which is still the ingredient that gives our crust its texture and taste. Sixty years later, we still don’t share that one.
Her nephew, Glenn Hudley, made sure her method was passed down when he ran the kitchen after her. You can read more about her in our post on Alice Mae Redmond, a slice of Gino’s history.
What hasn’t changed in 60 years
The best thing about a 60th birthday is how much we still do the same way. Every Chicago deep dish pizza at Gino’s East is built in the pan in the classic order: cheese first, then toppings, with chunky tomato sauce on top so the cheese can handle the longer bake. The dough is GMO-free and mixed from scratch every day.
We are a family company, and we like buying from families too. The tomatoes in our sauce come from family growers in California. Our cheese comes from Wisconsin and is made especially for pizza, and our sausage is made right here in Chicago.
And then there are the walls. Decades of signatures, doodles and declarations of love from guests cover our dining rooms. Signing the walls is a Gino’s East tradition, and you are welcome to add your own.
Six decades of Chicago deep dish, in a few milestones
- 1966: Taxi drivers Sam Levine and Fred Bartoli and their friend George Loverde open Gino’s East just off the Magnificent Mile.
- The Alice Mae years: Alice Mae Redmond spends 29 years in the Gino’s East kitchen and creates the crust we still make today.
- 2000: Gino’s East Wheaton opens in a former working firehouse near the Wheaton Metra station.
- 2011: The Comedy Bar opens on the third floor of Gino’s East Magnificent Mile.
- 2019: Gino’s East becomes the first major Chicago deep dish restaurant to offer vegan cheese.
- 2026: Gino’s East turns 60, and we celebrate on CBS News Chicago.
Today you can find us on the Magnificent Mile and in the South Loop, in Wheaton and in Los Angeles. You can also pick up our frozen deep dish at the grocery store or have it shipped nationwide. The full story of how we got here lives on our About page.
How to celebrate our 60th anniversary
There is no special menu for the birthday. We just want you to come in and have the pizza that got us here.
- Visit the flagship. Gino’s East Magnificent Mile is at 162 E Superior St, one block east of Michigan Avenue, close to where our founders dreamed up a deep dish pizzeria in 1966. It has three floors of graffiti-covered walls, The Comedy Bar and a rooftop terrace in season.
- Head to the South Loop. Gino’s East South Loop is at 521 S Dearborn St in historic Printers Row, a short walk from Grant Park, with an outdoor patio in warmer weather.
- Bring the whole crew. Planning a birthday of your own? Our private events team can host groups at both downtown restaurants.
- Stay in. Order online for pickup or delivery and celebrate on your couch.
Frequently asked questions
When did Gino’s East open?
Gino’s East opened in 1966, just off the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. That makes 2026 our 60th anniversary year.
Who founded Gino’s East?
Gino’s East was founded by two Chicago taxi drivers, Sam Levine and Fred Bartoli, with their friend George Loverde. The famous crust recipe came from Alice Mae Redmond, who spent 29 years in our kitchen.
When is Gino’s East on CBS News Chicago?
Gino’s East will be on CBS News Chicago on Friday morning, October 23, 2026, celebrating our 60th anniversary. Check the station’s program guide for the morning news schedule.
Is Gino’s East deep dish still made the same way?
Yes. Our deep dish is still made the same way it has been for decades: dough mixed from scratch every day, Alice Mae’s secret dough conditioner, and cheese, toppings and chunky tomato sauce layered in the pan.
Can you still write on the walls at Gino’s East?
Yes. Signing the walls is a Gino’s East tradition, and our dining rooms are covered in decades of guest graffiti. Come add yours.
Plan your 60th anniversary visit
Come celebrate with us at Gino’s East Magnificent Mile or Gino’s East South Loop. Both take reservations online from their location pages. For the full anniversary story, photos and more, see our 60th anniversary page. Here’s to the next 60 years.