Chicago giardiniera – Mayor Brandon Johnson is set to present Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican with a jar of house-made giardiniera from J.P. Graziano in Chicago’s West Loop, part of the iconic condiment’s long history and nearing the store’s 89th anniversary.
When Mayor Brandon Johnson steps into the Vatican on Thursday to meet Pope Leo XIV, he will do more than deliver a ceremonial greeting. He will bring a jar of giardiniera.
The gift will come from J.P. Graziano. a storied West Loop grocer. where fourth-generation owner Jim Graziano said he and his team are “very honored and wildly excited.” Johnson’s office sent a representative to the store last week to pick up one jar of house-made Partanna Extra Virgin Hot Giardiniera. the company’s “top shelf” variety.
The jar costs $19.49, Graziano said. “The pope deserves nothing but the best,” he added.
For Graziano. the request carried a kind of validation that didn’t show up at the register—at least not yet. He said he hasn’t seen an impact on sales. but he is grateful that the mayor’s office viewed J.P. Graziano’s giardiniera as a Chicago icon. “That’s more valuable than any amount of sales I can get,” he said.
The condiment itself is built for exactly this kind of symbolism. Made of pickled vegetables. giardiniera is known for pairing with iconic Chicago foods like Italian beef sandwiches and Chicago-style hot dogs. Graziano described it as inseparable from the city’s food identity—something diners reach for until it feels like the dish won’t be complete without it.
“They wanted a representation of real Chicago food. Giardiniera is definitely something that could represent that,” Graziano said.
He said the jar will include a note from him and his sister, DeAna Valenti, the general manager of J.P. Graziano. Graziano described the message as: “Your Holiness, I hope you enjoy a taste of real Chicago.”
The hot giardiniera being sent is made with Serrano pepper, celery, red bell pepper, cauliflower, carrot, olive, Partanna extra virgin olive oil, distilled vinegar, salt and spices. J.P. Graziano also sells hot and mild giardiniera.
Graziano framed the gesture as a matter of taste and tradition, not branding. “Giardiniera is part of Chicago culture. It’s the Chicago condiment,” he said. “There’s not a sandwich or slice of pizza that tastes right unless it’s topped with giardiniera.”
The gift is also arriving ahead of a milestone for the business. J.P. Graziano is set to mark its 89th anniversary. with the company opening on June 7. 1937 at its original and current location at 901 W. Randolph St. Graziano said the wholesaler imported products from Italy and Sicily and also distributed domestic products.
In 2007, the store added a sub shop inside the location, and its sandwiches became “wildly popular.” Graziano said sandwiches are now the company’s best-selling item, followed “hands down” by giardiniera.
The company’s website touts Chicago’s signature condiment as “a fantastic gift,” and in this case, the buyer is the mayor—aiming the message straight at the Vatican.
The small jar, the ingredients, the handwritten note—none of it is meant to be complicated. It’s meant to travel as a piece of home, from a West Loop storefront to Pope Leo XIV’s hands, just in time to prove that Chicago’s flavor can travel as far as it needs to.
Chicago news Mayor Brandon Johnson Pope Leo XIV Vatican giardiniera J.P. Graziano West Loop Partanna Extra Virgin Hot Giardiniera Italian beef Chicago-style hot dogs