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Robert Francis Prevost, now officially known as Pope Leo XIV, recently made history as the first American to ascend to the Throne of Saint Peter—and in celebration of his Chicago roots, a Windy City restaurant chain is honoring the new pope by naming a dish after him.
In an interview with 9News Australia, Joe Aurelio, president of the Chicago-style thin crust pizza restaurant Aurelio’s, says that Pope Leo is a fan of the chain. He stopped by the Homewood, Illinois, location when visiting his family in August 2024 and ordered a pepperoni pizza. After he was elected head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025, the local pizzeria changed the dish’s name to “pope-erroni” and even trademarked the new moniker. The item seems to have the same ingredients as the restaurant’s typical pepperoni pizza, so customers will be buying it for its holy name and ties to the Vatican.
Should he ever return to Aurelio’s when visiting his hometown, Pope Leo will get the royal treatment. The Homewood location is now home to an “official Pope’s Table” featuring a priest’s chair brought in from a local church.
Aurelio’s isn’t the only Illinois-based restaurant to honor Pope Leo XIV in such a way; TODAY shares that Portillo’s, a restaurant known for its hot dogs and meat sandwiches, beat the pizzeria to the punch. On May 9, 2025, the eatery renamed its Italian beef sandwich to “The Leo” for the remainder of the month of May in celebration of him. And there’s something in the downtown Evanston area for Pope Leo fans with a sweet tooth. People can stop by Bennison’s Bakery for sugar cookies topped with an edible photo of the religious leader. Online orders are available for those who can’t make it to buy the cookies in person.
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