[Korean Food] Papa Johns Gold Cheddar Pepper Pizza

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Hello, this is Paco. Today’s new Papa Johns menu item I’m introducing is Gold Cheddar Pepper. They kicked off 2026 with a pretty heavy-hitting item. Unlike the existing Six Cheese, this one is loaded with American cheddar cheese and finished with spicy red pepper to boost the overall flavor. On top of that, it’s a tomato-sauce-based pizza, which has been hard to come by lately, so I’m even more excited. They’re also running a promotion from January through March, so I went ahead and ordered it right away. Let’s take a look at what it’s like.

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Gold Cheddar Pepper Price & Key Features

Papa Johns is probably the pizza chain that gets generally good reviews while still being oddly polarizing, likely because its flavors lean very American to begin with. This new Papa Johns item is a true American-style menu that highlights the cheese itself rather than piling on toppings, so I’m personally really looking forward to it. This time, they’ve also introduced a Cheddar Cheese Roll crust, so you can enjoy a more complete pizza experience. First, let’s quickly check the price.

Papa Johns Gold Cheddar Pepper new menu review

The regular price is in the mid-30,000 won to low-40,000 won range, but with the launch discount, Large is 6,000 won off, Family is 8,000 won off, and Party is discounted by up to 10,000 won. Depending on the store, additional discounts like Toss Pay or card promos may apply, so it’s worth checking before you order. Do note, though, that this promotion doesn’t allow crust or standard topping changes, and the Cheddar Cheese Roll crust comes as the default.

Gold Cheddar Pepper: What’s Included

First off, I ordered a Large. The moment I opened the lid, the rich cheese aroma and Papa Johns’ signature savory pizza smell hit me hard. The golden cheese and the glossy sheen from the oil released by the cheese already had my mouth watering.

Pointing out the small amount of red pepper topping

Crispy texture Cheddar Cheese Roll crust

There are no other toppings at all, not even the usual meat or a slice of bacon. It’s truly just cheese and red pepper. The cheddar on top of the base mozzarella is about the only thing you could call a “topping,” really.

Papa Johns cheddar cheese review summary

If you look closely, you can also spot crushed red pepper here and there, and it seems like that heat will help cut through the richness of this cheese-forward pizza.

Review highlighting the cheddar cheese flavor

And this goes without saying, but one hallmark of Papa Johns in general is that it tends to be fairly oily. Since this one is built almost entirely around cheese, there’s a good amount of fat rendered from the cheese. The red pepper should help to some extent, but I can see some people wanting quite a bit of hot sauce.

It’s definitely a tomato-sauce-based pizza, but even without any extra toppings, the sauce underneath is barely visible (I left both the cheese and tomato sauce options at “regular”). That’s how generously the cheese is piled on. Even looking at the crust, you can see the yellow cheddar peeking out a bit. I’m not sure if this is going to be a good thing. Haha.

How Gold Cheddar Pepper Tastes

Now, let’s dig in. I already like the Six Cheese menu quite a bit, so I was excited about the base concept, and I was also quietly looking forward to the Cheddar Cheese Roll crust that Papa Johns is introducing for the first time.

With the first bite, the deep cheddar aroma comes through overwhelmingly. From the very first taste, the nutty richness of mozzarella and the funky, salty notes of cheddar blend together nicely. If you like cheese pizzas (especially ones like Six Cheese), this is a flavor you’ll probably enjoy.

Explanation of how the crust texture stands out

Another highlight is that the cheddar flavor gets even more intense as you keep eating. It sounds like it would be very heavy, but the red pepper surprisingly does a good job of cutting the richness, so one or two slices should be easy enough. It’s not overly spicy, either.

Also, instead of the cheese-cream-style base you see so often these days, it uses tomato sauce, which adds a nice savory depth. The Cheddar Cheese Roll in the crust also boosts the crispness, so the overall eating experience was quite satisfying even without extra toppings. It looks appetizing, too. Haha.

If you dip this crust in Papa Johns garlic dipping sauce, it’s honestly so satisfying you won’t need anything else on the side. Haha. It was a menu item that’s great from the first bite to the last. As a beer snack, it’s hard to beat.

What makes the Cheddar Cheese Roll crust special

That said, as you’d expect, that’s really true up to about two slices. From the third slice, it started to feel a bit heavy. Of course, that might be because I wasn’t eating it as a snack with drinks. It’s also a menu that’s fairly oily to begin with, and since there aren’t any toppings, the flavor can feel a bit one-note. If everyone in the family has different preferences, I can see this being pretty divisive.

Still, from the third slice onward, it was fine when I paired it with pickles and hot sauce. I like cheese pizza, and I was satisfied with how it focuses on the cheese itself, but I’m sure some people will find this setup a bit much. If you time it well during the discount period, the value is decent, and the Cheddar Cheese Roll is truly the key feature, so it’s a menu item worth trying when you get the chance.

Features of a cheese-centered pizza build

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바삭한 식감 체다치즈롤 크러스트: Copyright PAKOC https://pakoc.net

Gold Cheddar Pepper Price & Key Features

Gold Cheddar Pepper: What’s Included

How Gold Cheddar Pepper Tastes

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