Fort Myers Pizzeria Wins National Dessert Title
Uncle Rico's Pizza secured the America's Best Dessert Pizza title with a unique Peruvian-inspired creation.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Desserts
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Enrico Aguila, owner of Fort Myers shop Uncle Rico's Pizza, won the America's Best Dessert Pizza title at the Pizza Expo in Columbus, Ohio. The winning entry features a picarones crust filled with lucama fruit mousse.
Why it matters
The recognition brings national attention to the Fort Myers culinary scene and highlights creative fusion techniques in traditional pizza making. The recipe draws inspiration from US Pizza Team captain Tore Trupiano and aims to reimagine Peruvian street food as a dessert.
The winning pizza utilizes Oreo cookie crumbs, chocolate syrup, and powdered sugar as toppings. Enrico Aguila also earned a 3rd place finish in the New Haven pizza category, while Antonio Aguila placed 5th in the Southeast division.
The players
Enrico Aguila
He is the founder and head chef of Uncle Rico's Pizza who established the restaurant in 2022.
Antonio Aguila
He is a chef associated with Uncle Rico's Pizza who competed in the Southeast division of the pizza expo.
Tore Trupiano
He is the captain of the US Pizza Team and served as the inspiration for the winning dessert pizza recipe.
The details
Chefs used piping bags to inject the lucama fruit mousse directly into the crust to achieve the dessert's signature texture. The shop plans to expand into an adjoining unit in November to accommodate growing demand.
Timeline
March 2022: Uncle Rico's Pizza opened in Fort Myers.
October 11, 2026: Enrico Aguila won the America's Best Dessert Pizza title.
October 25-27, 2026: The team is scheduled to compete in an Orlando pizza cup.
November 2026: Uncle Rico's Pizza shop expansion is expected.
Culture Shift
This win reflects a broader trend of chefs experimenting with global street food fusions to elevate traditional American pizza concepts. The industry is moving away from standard dessert options toward complex, chef-driven plates that challenge regional culinary boundaries.
Residents can expect potential changes to the menu as the shop prepares for its upcoming expansion in November. The award may also lead to increased wait times or higher demand for specialty items at the Fort Myers location.
The takeaway
This success illustrates how integrating global ingredients like Peruvian lucama can revitalize classic dessert formats. Readers can experiment with similar flavor profiles by using piping techniques to add fruit mousses into traditional pastry bases.
What happens next
Uncle Rico's team will compete in the Galbani Professionale Pizza Cup in Orlando from October 25-27, 2026.
Further reading
Discover more local culinary talent and trends in our Fort Myers Desserts section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The News-Press.
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