Lima café draws Pope Leo XIV's portrait in coffee foam ahead of Latin America trip

A café in Lima, Peru, has started decorating its coffee drinks with portraits of Pope Leo XIV as the country prepares for his upcoming visit. Espresso, latte and cappuccino cups are now being topped with the pontiff's face drawn directly into the foam.

Barista Ariana Mallma is behind the designs, using chocolate to sketch the pope's likeness onto the surface of each drink before presenting the finished cups to customers.

According to café owner Carlos Risco, the team went through several trial sketches before landing on a version clear and recognizable enough to serve. Mallma describes the work as similar to painting on canvas, noting that the process demands patience, since any careless movement risks smudging the foam and ruining the image.

Upcoming papal visit

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to travel through South America from 6 to 17 November, visiting Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. His itinerary includes stops in Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa. The latte-art tribute in Lima is one early sign of local anticipation ahead of the trip.