Pope Leo XIV: America’s First Pope Inspires a New Culinary Revival

Excitement is sweeping across the culinary world as people express their admiration for the newly appointed Pope in deliciously creative ways. Following the historic announcement this past Thursday, when the conclave of cardinals elected Robert Francis Prevost as the new pope, restaurants across the country have wasted no time turning their menus into tributes. Born and raised in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV — as he is now known — has become the first North American to ascend to the papacy, and his hometown pride is echoing from the Vatican to American kitchens.

In a divine gesture of hometown homage, Chicago’s beloved eatery, Portillo’s, has unveiled a special, limited-time offering that blends faith and flavor: The Leo. According to a news release issued on May 9, The Leo is “sure to spark some culinary devotion,” and is described with reverent flair:

“In the name of the gravy, the bun, and the hot giard, we introduce The Leo: a divinely seasoned Italian beef, baptized in rich gravy and finished with the holy trinity of peppers — sweet, hot, or a heavenly combo.”

Meanwhile, across the country in Los Angeles, another Chicago-style institution is joining the celebration. Gino’s East of Chicago in Sherman Oaks is serving up a pizza that’s worthy of papal praise: The Pope-roni. Created in honor of Pope Leo XIV, this pizza features a trinity of pepperoni — traditional, spicy, and “cup and char” — accompanied by Chicago sausage for a truly divine bite.

Available as either a Deep Dish or a Tavern Style thin crust, The Pope-roni is made with Gino’s signature golden crust, house-made sauce, and fresh mozzarella cheese.

“Chicagoans are proud of our very own South Side Pope, and we’re celebrating with a pizza that’s easy to pontificate about,” says Gino’s East–LA co-owner Tod Himmel. “It’s a holy trinity of pepperoni, with the divine sausage we all love.”

Located at 12924 Riverside Drive in Sherman Oaks, Gino’s East has become a West Coast landmark in its own right, having been voted “Best Pizza in the Southland” by Los Angeles Times readers two years running.

As restaurants continue to roll out faith-infused favorites, the question remains: Is this just a delicious trend, or the beginning of a broader cultural reverence for North America’s first pope? One thing’s for certain — Chicago pride has never tasted this good.