Seth Curry donated 50 Cane Rosso pizzas to health care workers at Parkland Hospital. (Photo from Facebook.)

On Valentine’s Day in 2011, Cane Rosso started serving its Neapolitan-style pizzas for the first time in Deep Ellum, and the restaurant is still standing 15 years later. 

“That’s 15 years of real wood-fired pizza, 15 years of house-made dough, 15 years of making our own fresh mozzarella cheese and 15 years of no shortcuts,” reads a post on Cane Rosso’s Facebook page. “Of course, we do this because we want the pizza that we serve you each and every day to be the very best it can be, and we thank you for supporting us for the past 15 years. We look forward to more.”

Cane Rosso was considered an innovative concept at the time and an example of the unique offerings that could be found in Deep Ellum. Now, there’s nine Cane Rossos in North Texas, including near the 3G and in Lake Highlands. 

Cane Rosso owner Jay Jerrier’s life changed in 1995 when he got a taste of the pizza being served up in Sorrento, Italy during his honeymoon, according to Cane Rosso’s website.

“The whole time, all I could think of was, ‘Holy (expletive), this sauce tastes like tomatoes,’ and, ‘Holy (expletive), this cheese tastes like milk,’” Jerrier says in a video on Cane Rosso’s website. “It was the freshest food I had ever tasted, nevermind just the best pizza. To this day, I can remember how bright the tomato sauce was and how impossibly creamy that mozzarella was.” 

This experience catapulted the former corporate sales executive into constructing a wood-burning oven in his backyard and seeking formal training with the True Neapolitan Pizza Association (aka, Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana). Two years before Cane Rosso opened its brick-and-mortar in Deep Ellum, Jerrier was building up buzz with a mobile catering oven and pop-up events. 

Since Cane Rosso opened, the pizzeria has earned a slew of honors, including being featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. 

But staying in Deep Ellum hasn’t been easy, considering the ongoing construction on Commerce Street. In December, Cane Rosso doubled down by announcing the renewal of the lease at its flagship store. 

Now, it’s time to celebrate. Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum will be offering $1 Margherita pizzas, $5 Honey Bastards, $1 Miller Lite drafts and $5 sangrias on Monday, Feb. 16.