What's Up With The Spinning Pope Head At Buca Di Beppo?

If you've ever been to Buca di Beppo, you know it's a pretty eclectic place. Just take the entranceway, for example: While you wait for the host to see you, you'll be greeted with everything from '50s enema posters to Renaissance-style portraits of saints.

While there are plenty of curiosities to be found at Buca di Beppo, perhaps the most iconic is the spinning pope's head. You know the one — it's a bust of a pope with his hands in the prayer position and sits in the middle of a large glass display box. Since most popes throughout history hailed from Italy, this homage has a rightful place among the restaurant's widely varied attractions.

The spinning pope's head is part of one of Buca di Beppo's many themed rooms and is actually attached to the largest table in the restaurant, situated on a lazy susan in the center. In fact, the entire room is christened the Pope Room for the Pope Table that sits inside it. So, how do you get a seat at the papal table, and what should you know before dining?

When it comes to which clergyman is immortalized by the spinning pope's head, you might be surprised to hear that it depends. You see, Buca di Beppo likes to stay current, which is why they replace the head with a new one whenever a pope passes away, as they did with Pope John Paul II when he died in 2005. The current spinning head at Buca di Beppo restaurants is the bust of Pope Francis I.

If you're more of a fan of popes gone by, however, don't worry: The Pope Room actually features memorabilia from other pontiffs as well. On the walls, you'll find historical photos and portraits of popes throughout history, as well as other pope figurines of various sizes and types scattered around the room. It's just the spinning pope's head in the middle of the table — the main attraction — that the restaurant likes to keep up to date.

And as for the past pope busts? Well, after the passing of Pope John Paul II, when all the busts were allegedly removed and updated out of respect, some rumors say that the John Paul II statues were supposed to be donated to Catholic schools. A Facebook user, meanwhile, ran into one at a yard sale. However, other diners have reported finding previous popes' likenesses closer to home, scattered around the restaurants — even welcoming diners at the hostess station in some locations, according to The Times of Northwest Indiana.

If you're interested in eating with Pope Francis I (or at least with his bust) on your next night out, the good news is that all Buca di Beppo locations feature The Pope Room. While other themed rooms are only available at specific locations, this is one unique feature you can enjoy from coast to coast!

To make a reservation to eat with the spinning pope's head, all you'll have to do is head to Buca di Beppo's reservations page. When you fill out the reservation form, be sure to state that you want to be seated in the Pope Room in the special instructions box. Alternatively, you can call your local Buca di Beppo and make the reservation over the phone by requesting the Pope Room to make sure it's available for your chosen date. Just remember — the room's singular table seats 12 to 18 people, so if you've got a bigger party, you'll have to settle for multiple tables in a less pontifical section of the restaurant.