SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Super Duper Burgers, a beloved San Francisco-born restaurant, has been selected to operate the café on the east side of Union Square, bringing fresh, approachable food and new vitality to one of the City’s most celebrated public spaces, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department announced today.

The Recreation and Park Commission is expected on Thursday to authorize a five-year lease, with two five-year extension options. The café is anticipated to open in early fall 2026, following City-led renovations.

Union Square’s public plaza includes two restaurant spaces. Super Duper will join b. Patisserie, the award-winning San Francisco bakery that opened a kiosk on the west side of the square in March 2025. Together, the two eateries add to a growing mix of food, events, and attractions aimed at bringing more people back to downtown San Francisco.

“Our administration is accelerating San Francisco’s downtown recovery and bringing energy back to Union Square,” said Mayor Lurie. “I’m thrilled to see Super Duper expanding to Union Square, adding another beloved homegrown business that will draw people downtown and create a welcoming place for families, residents, and visitors.” 

Supervisor Danny Sauter welcomed the eatery to District 3.

“It's fitting to have such a renowned San Francisco-founded restaurant open in such an iconic public park,” Sauter said. “This will bring years of new delicious memories to countless residents and visitors."

Born and bred in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood with the ethos of fast food burgers with slow food values, Super Duper is renowned as the pioneer of the better burger category with organic, non-GMO ingredients. Super Duper will serve its burgers, fries, salads, shakes and organic soft serve in its classic fast-casual, retro-inspired digs at its newest location. The Super Duper menu will feature all natural, vegetarian-fed steakhouse-quality beef from Brandt Beef, free-range chicken sandwiches, organic veggie burgers, French fries, and garlic fries with fresh garlic and six-month aged cheddar. Other menu items will include an all-day breakfast sandwich, house-made pickles, house-made brown sugar lemonade, and organic milkshakes and ice cream cones made in partnership with Straus Creamery.

"We're thrilled to open in Union Square, an iconic destination in the heart of the city where we can show both locals and visitors alike what makes the Bay Area great," said Edmondo Sarti, Co-Owner of Super Duper Burgers. "From a brand that was born right here in San Francisco, we believe in the future of this city and are committed to growing here and supporting our local community."

The café is located along Stockton Street and includes outdoor seating areas and below-ground food storage facilities. The City recently secured State of California Business and Economic Development grant funding to upgrade the café, adding on-site cooking capabilities and modernizing the space to support expanded food service.

“Union Square is one of San Francisco’s great gathering places, alive year-round with art, music, fun events, holiday traditions and flowers in bloom,” said Sarah Madland, Interim General Manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. “Super Duper adds to that mix, creating another reason for people to linger, connect, and enjoy the park. As a San Francisco original, it is a natural fit for Union Square.”

Super Duper’s selection follows significant public interest in the site. The Department hosted four well-attended pre-proposal site visits in summer 2025 and received seven competitive proposals from food and beverage operators.

As part of its lease, Super Duper will coordinate closely with Rec and Park, the Union Square Alliance, and Plaza programming partners to ensure café operations complement the wide range of events, performances, festivals, and seasonal attractions that take place in Union Square throughout the year.

“Super Duper is another incredible sign of Union Square’s positive comeback,” said Marissa Rodriguez, CEO of the Union Square Alliance. “One more fantastic reason to come back down to enjoy our iconic plaza, eat, drink and stay a while. We are excited for this opportunity, and the fresh energy and vitality Super Duper brings to the heart of Union Square.”

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