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Super Duper opens Union Square kiosk as San Francisco tests food vendors for downtown revival

Super Duper opens Union Square kiosk as San Francisco tests food vendors for downtown revival

Built World San Francisco, CA local

The 300-square-foot kiosk is the latest step in a push to bring foot traffic back to the plaza.

2 days ago: Super Duper opens in Union Square Plaza kiosk

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

On Tuesday, Super Duper Burgers opened a 300-square-foot kiosk on the east side of Union Square Plaza. It is the local chain's 22nd location and its smallest. The opening fills a space that had been vacant since a planned Tyler Florence restaurant fell through in 2025.

The kiosk is part of a larger effort to use food vendors to bring foot traffic back to downtown San Francisco. The city selected Super Duper in January 2026 over six other applicants, offering a five-year lease with two five-year extensions. Across the plaza, b. Patisserie has operated a kiosk since March 2025, and a planned Italian espresso bar called La Piazza is set to open in 2027.

Why it matters

The kiosk's success or failure will test whether small, local food vendors can help revive downtown San Francisco's public spaces.

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Key Indicators

300 sq ft
Size of Super Duper kiosk
The smallest Super Duper location to date.
22
Super Duper locations
The Union Square kiosk is the chain's 22nd location.
7
Competing proposals
The city received seven proposals for the kiosk before selecting Super Duper.

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People Involved

Daniel Lurie
Daniel Lurie
Mayor of San Francisco
In office
ES
Edmondo Sarti
Co-owner of Super Duper Burgers
Co-owner
 Sarah Madland
Sarah Madland
Interim General Manager, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department
Interim General Manager
 Marissa Rodriguez
Marissa Rodriguez
CEO, Union Square Alliance
CEO
 Danny Sauter
Danny Sauter
San Francisco Supervisor, District 3
Supervisor

Organizations Involved

Super Duper Burgers
Super Duper Burgers
Restaurant chain
Operates 22 locations, including new Union Square kiosk

San Francisco-based fast-casual burger chain known for organic ingredients.
San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
City department
Manages Union Square Plaza and the kiosk lease

City department responsible for parks, playgrounds, and public plazas in San Francisco.
Union Square Alliance
Union Square Alliance
Business improvement district
Promotes and manages Union Square

Organization that manages and promotes Union Square as a destination.
PA
b. Patisserie
Bakery
Operates kiosk on west side of Union Square since March 2025

Award-winning San Francisco bakery known for croissants and kouign-amann.
La Piazza
La Piazza
Restaurant
Planned to open in March 2027

New venture from the family behind Colibri, planned for the west kiosk.

Timeline

2025 March 2027

5 events Latest: 2 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. La Piazza planned to open in west kiosk

    Upcoming Planned opening

    The Italian espresso and pizza bar is set to replace b. Patisserie.

  2. Super Duper opens in Union Square Plaza kiosk

    Latest Opening

    Super Duper opens its 22nd location, its smallest, in the east kiosk.

  3. City selects Super Duper for east kiosk

    Selection

    The Recreation and Park Department chooses Super Duper over six other applicants.

  4. b. Patisserie opens kiosk on west side of Union Square

    Opening

    The bakery becomes the first food kiosk in the plaza's two-kiosk experiment.

  5. Tyler Florence's Miller & Lux Provisions plan falls through

    Setback

    The east kiosk remains vacant after the planned restaurant is scrapped.

Scenarios

1

La Piazza opens on schedule in March 2027

Likely Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: SFist reported the planned opening.

The family behind Colibri plans to open an Italian espresso and pizza bar in the west kiosk after b. Patisserie departs. If it opens on time, Union Square will have two active food kiosks, reinforcing the city's strategy.

2

Super Duper closes Union Square kiosk within a year

Unlikely Resolves by Nov 10, 2027

Discussed by: No public predictions, but restaurant closures are common.

The kiosk's small size and limited menu could make it unsustainable. A closure would be a setback for the city's revitalization effort and leave the east kiosk vacant again.

3

City expands food kiosk program to other public plazas

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: No public discussion yet, but the model could be replicated.

If the Union Square kiosks succeed, the Recreation and Park Department could issue requests for proposals for food vendors in other parks and plazas. This would mark a broader shift in how the city activates public spaces.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2003

Ferry Building Marketplace, San Francisco (2003)

The historic Ferry Building on the Embarcadero was renovated and reopened as a marketplace featuring local food vendors. It became a major destination for both locals and tourists.

Then

The marketplace drew thousands of visitors and helped spark redevelopment along the Embarcadero.

Now

It became a model for using food halls to revitalize public buildings and waterfronts.

Why this matters now

Like the Ferry Building, the Union Square kiosks aim to use local food vendors to draw foot traffic to a public space.

1980s-1990s

Bryant Park revitalization, New York City (1990s)

Bryant Park was once a neglected space. A restoration effort in the 1980s and 1990s added a restaurant, kiosks, and programming, transforming it into a vibrant public destination.

Then

The park saw a dramatic increase in visitors and became a model for urban park management.

Now

It demonstrated that food and events could turn around a struggling public space.

Why this matters now

Union Square's kiosk experiment follows a similar playbook: use food and programming to attract people to a central plaza.

Sources

(2)
SFist San Francisco Recreation and Park Department