It’s been 10 days since Pope Leo XIV’s election, and Chicago continues to celebrate. The latest foray comes from a Hyde Park restaurant located about a mile from the Catholic Theological Union. That’s where the would-be pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost, earned his master of divinity degree in 1982. Nella Pizza e Pasta, 1125 E. 55th Street, is offering the Piccante Pizza, a Neapolitan pie. Beyond being classic Chicago toppings — sausage, pepperoni, and giardiniera — there’s no evidence of a direct link to the city’s homegrown pontiff. The restaurant, according to a news release, will donate a portion of pizza sales to youth programs at St. Thomas the Apostle. For the record, the pope grew up in suburban Dolton but was born in Bronzeville. He’s also a White Sox fan, having attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, leading to a sweep of the Houston Astros and the South Siders’ first championship in 88 years. No word if he tried the ballpark elotes.

Several local chefs will attend a fundraiser scheduled for Monday, June 2, at the Chicago Athletic Association, benefiting Common Threads, a not-for-profit organization that aims to improve community health by increasing access to healthy food. Chef ambassadors Bill Kim (Urban Belly) and Tony Priolo (Piccolo Sogno) will be part of Beyond The Plate’s festivities. Grammy-nominated DJ White Shadow will perform, and they’ll honor notables including Tres Bailey, Michelle Bernstein, and Govind Armstrong. A news release states that these events are more critical than ever due to budget cuts proposed by House Republicans in the Farm Bill. Common Threads depends on SNAP-Ed funds, which are impacted by the proposal. Participants include D’Andre Carter (Soul & Smoke), Sarah Grueneberg (Monteverde), Gene Kato (Momotaro), Lee Wolen (Boka), Art Smith (Reunion), Thai Dang (Hai Sous), and Joe Flamm (Rosemary & il Carciofo). Get tickets online.

In pizza news, Publican Quality Bread last week launched its Thursday pizza night in West Town. Every Thursday through the end of summer (there’s no official end date), PQB will serve Roman-style and Neapolitan pies. The latter will be baked in ovens stationed on the sidewalk. It’s a way to promote the restaurant’s patio seating. Pizzas are available for pre-order.

A Lincoln Park corner bar that’s been closed since 2021 should soon reopen under new ownership. Augie’s, which opened in 1994 at 1721 W. Wrightwood Avenue, Block Club Chicago has the story behind the bar’s reopening, which includes being kid-friendly and having volleyball courts.