st week, the papal conclave (the real one, not the Ralph Fiennes one) shocked the world by choosing not only an American as the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church, but also a Chicago boy: yes, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the new pope, swiftly adopted the papal name of Pope Leo XIV. Folks around Chicagoland were unsurprisingly psyched that one of their own was chosen for such a high seat — including beloved Chicago-based chain Portillo’s, which has refashioned a sandwich in honor of the newly appointed pontiff.
To mark the historic first, Portillo’s—an Illinois-born fast-casual chain that’s been serving its takes on signature Chicago foods like hot dogs, Italian beef and Maxwell Street Polish sausages since the business’ humble beginnings as a hot-dog cart in Villa Park back in the early 1960s—is paying tribute to the world’s first American pope with a new menu item, fittingly named “The Leo.”
“In the name of the gravy, the bun, and hot giard, we introduce The Leo: a divinely seasoned Italian beef, baptized in gravy and finished with the holy trinity of peppers — sweet, hot, or a combo,” Portillo’s said in a news release. The dipped beef sandwich will cost $8.29 a pope, er, pop.
And if you’re having a bit of sandwich déjà vu, yes, The Leo is basically just the brand’s classic Italian, but with some extra-holy marketing. “It’s our original sacred sandwich, bold, unapologetically flavorful, and made in honor of a moment that’s historic for Portillo’s hometown,” the release continue.
The Leo will be available throughout the month of May, which just so happens to be Italian Beef Month. (Extra cause for meaty celebration!) Portillo’s also declares that the “heavenly creation” will channel “the passion, flavor, and pride that Chicagoans are known for — right down to the last juicy bite.”
So, what do you think: is Leo XIV a sweet-pepper kind of guy, or is he a spicy pope?
