Burt Katz, Owner Of Iconic Chicago-Style Pizzeria Burt's Place, Has Died [Update]

Here's some sad news over this weekend. Burt Katz, the proprietor of popular Chicago-style deep-dish pizza restaurant, Burt's Place, died on Saturday, according to the Tribune. Katz, who owned the Morton Grove pizzeria which closed in July, was 78.

Katz, whose long-white-haired beard made him stand out in Chicago's food scene, suffered through health issues which led to the closure of the restaurant. There were some rumblings that even though he was stepping away from the restaurant, that they could reopen with a new owner, but those plans have yet to materialize. Besides Burt's Place, which opened in 1989, Katz also founded Pequod's Pizzeria, which he eventually sold.

Condolences to the family and his friends.

UPDATE: Here's details on the funeral. It will start at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday at Weinstein & Piser Funeral Home, 111 Skokie Blvd, Wilmette. Instead of flowers, donations to the American Cancer Society are preferred.