La Piazza, an Italian espresso and pizza bar, is set to open in the kiosk formerly occupied by Miller & Lux Provisions in Union Square, above.
Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle
From the time their parents opened Colibri, a Mexican restaurant two blocks from Union Square in 2004, Santiago Rallo and his two siblings grew up spending time in the neighborhood. But after the restaurant went dark temporarily during the pandemic in 2020, and falling foot traffic and safety concerns in downtown followed, the Rallos decided to relocate Colibri to the Presidio two years later.
Next year, the family will return to the neighborhood with La Piazza, an Italian espresso and pizza bar set to open in April in a city-owned kiosk near Powell Street on the western side of Union Square. The same space was in the spotlight in early 2025 when celebrity chef Tyler Florence abandoned his lease there early after receiving nearly half a million dollars in city funds to open it.
The Rallos’ decision to come back to Union Square was based in part on improvements they have seen downtown, especially in the past year, said Rallo, 25, who leads strategic initiatives for the restaurant group owned by his parents, Eduardo and Sylvia. The city has invested heavily in revitalizing Union Square, once the city’s premier shopping district, with foot traffic on the rise and food businesses and major retailers filling empty storefronts.
Article continues below this ad
“Frankly over the past year you can truly feel the difference. It feels much more safe,” Rallo said. “Being part of something so iconic like Union Square was a no-brainer.”
The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department announced the selection of La Piazza for a nine-year lease of the space on Oct. 9, pending a vote from the Recreation and Parks Commission next week. The kiosk is currently occupied by a pop-up from hit Pacific Heights bakery B. Patisserie, which will continue until February.
“Our administration is working every day to accelerate San Francisco’s downtown recovery and bring energy back to Union Square,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a press release announcing La Piazza’s opening. Lurie said that improvements to safety, including increased police presence, and cleanliness on city streets during his administration have made it easier for businesses to open and for public spaces to “come alive.” “It’s great to see new businesses like La Piazza investing in Union Square, and we can’t wait for them to start welcoming families, residents and visitors.”
A billboard in support of Mayor Daniel Lurie is seen from Union Square in San Francisco in July 2026. A new food business in opening in a city-owned kiosk in the neighborhood.
Jessica Christian/S.F. Chronicle
At La Piazza, expect house-made pastries, sourdough pizza and sandwiches on focaccia and piadina, along with espresso drinks made with beans from Equator Coffee. Later in the day, there will be Aperol spritzes, beer and wine. The menu will be similar to that of Il Parco, the Rallos’ café and pizzeria in the Presidio. But it could vary slightly depending on the clientele at Union Square, which Rallo expects will mostly be guests from surrounding hotels and other visitors, compared to the mix of tourists and office workers who don’t have as many dining options in the Presidio, Rallo said. It’s also a much smaller space: a 900-square-foot kiosk with a 600-square-foot outdoor seating area.
Article continues below this ad
The Rallos also operate five restaurants and bars at San Jose shopping center Santana Row and plan to open Il Porto, a quick-service restaurant with the same concept as Il Parco and La Piazza, on San Francisco’s Pier 31 early next year. With more foot traffic in that area in the evening, Il Porto will stay open later than the other two cafés. “We’re really trying to push for a night scene at Il Porto,” Rallo said.
The recent history of the Union Square kiosk reflects the neighborhood’s post-pandemic challenges and evolution. Florence’s Miller & Lux Provisions bakery and café opened to much fanfare in November 2023. The city provided several months of free rent and a $440,000 grant as part of its post-COVID revitalization efforts for downtown. But the business lost almost $300,000 in its first year and Florence exited his three-year lease early, complaining of low sales and safety and security issues in the area. San Francisco Recreation and Parks quickly brought in B. Patisserie on a short-term basis and then took bids for a long-term tenant in April. La Piazza will not receive city funding, according to a Recreation and Parks spokeswoman.
In another city-owned kiosk on the eastern side of Union Square, local chain Super Duper Burgers is set to open this fall.
Rallo, for his part, is looking forward to his family’s Union Square homecoming. “It’s been sad to see, post-COVID, how Union Square got affected,” he said. But now, “my parents especially are excited to be part of the whole revitalization process that’s going on.”
Article continues below this ad
Editor’s note: This story was updated with the correct spelling of the Rallo family name.