For more than five decades, Papa Del’s Pizza has been a beloved restaurant for University students, alumni and Champaign-Urbana residents — a tradition that continues today. On Saturday, founder Bob Monti died at age 79. Loved by many, he leaves behind a legacy of hard work and community spirit.
Monti was a student at Illinois and a member of the Phi Sigma Epsilon fraternity in the late 1960s. He served as president of the fraternity for two years, and young members often called him “Pops.” This is what inspired the name of one of C-U’s most popular pizza restaurants.
Monti came from a family with a long history in the pizza business. His grandfather, Lodovico Monti, opened an Italian restaurant in Chicago in 1926. His father, Enrico Monti, later bought BiGimi Pizza in 1960.
In 1970, Monti decided to drop out of college and open a pizza place on Wright St. He was a fan of Illini Football and coincidentally, his restaurant opening on Oct. 24 fell on the same day as the homecoming game. He began his dream with a 64-seat restaurant and six employees. That was the start of an institution that fed hungry students and served the community for more than half a century.
Monti’s loved ones say hard work and passion helped grow the restaurant to what it is.
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“What a wonderful guy who really changed our community with his hard work and dedication to Papa Dels,” said Monti’s son-in-law Todd Salen in a Facebook post. “There has never been anyone quite like him in this community and there never will be anyone who works this hard … but for the first 30 years or so, you could always count on him being there first thing in the morning. Just a model on how to run a successful business.”
Located on 1201 S. Neil St., Papa Del’s remains a favorite destination for anyone looking for deep-dish pizza and more. Monti’s daughter, Andrea Seten, now manages the restaurant. It will continue to serve as a gathering place for the local community and honor Monti’s heritage for years to come.
