Downtown San Francisco’s Recovery Buoyed by More Small Business Leases, Office Signings and Upcoming Openings in the Yerba Buena Neighborhood
Downtown San Francisco’s Recovery Buoyed by More Small Business Leases, Office Signings and Upcoming Openings in the Yerba Buena Neighborhood
San Francisco, Calif., August 13, 2025 — A new round of restaurant and cafe leases, notable office leases and small business openings in San Francisco’s Yerba Buena neighborhood highlight downtown’s resurgence, according to community benefit district Yerba Buena Partnership. Yerba Buena is a critical economic engine and attraction for the city with premiere arts, cultural and entertainment venues, and Moscone Center.
“We’re trending in a positive direction. When restaurants, cafes and neighborhood serving businesses invest in Yerba Buena, it shows they are confident that there is a foundation here for them to succeed,” said Scott Rowitz, Executive Director of the Yerba Buena Partnership. “The combination of residents, office workers and conventioneers, along with arts and entertainment attractions, is consistently bringing more customers here to support small businesses.”
"Yerba Buena’s mix of businesses, events and attractions is helping to redefine the downtown experience, which is exciting to see and essential to the city’s long-term economic success,” said Anne Taupier, Executive Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. “The diversity of businesses in the neighborhood is a model for sustained growth.”
Rowitz said that five new leases are signed in Yerba Buena and several openings are occurring in August. New leases include Nagomi Cafe at 74 New Montgomery St., a still-to-be-named Turkish cafe at Mission and 4th streets, Street Taco at 125 New Montgomery St., and X’CORE Studio, a high intensity pilates venue, at 28 Second St. At the 5th and Mission Garage, long-time tenant Mel’s Drive-in signed a 10-year lease extension.
This month, openings include Oink & Oscar at Yerba Buena Lane, Jane on Third at SFMOMA and East Brother Beer Co. at METREON. The openings follow recent announcements of new office tenants moving to Yerba Buena, including AI companies ZIP at 680 Folsom St. and Harvey AI at 201 Third St. Data analytics company Amplitude is also at 201 Third St. Workplace productivity tool creator Notion moved to 685 Market St.
“Our matcha lattes, hojicha lattes, and other products are crafted with Japanese mastery,” said Nagomi Cafe Founder Mei Machii, a native of Mount Fuji’s foothills in Shizuoka. “I’m excited to bring sacred tea and other Japanese traditions to Yerba Buena.” Takahashi said Nagomi Cafe is the exclusive San Francisco partner of award-winning ceremonial-grade matcha by Oyazu Seicha headquartered in Shizuoka. The lattes will be paired with Straus Family Creamery’s barista reserve milk from Petaluma California.
Several new businesses in Yerba Buena debuted this year. Lines are common outside of SHOJI, a bar and restaurant by the Michelin-starred restaurant team from The Shota on New Montgomery St. and at Hey Tea at METREON and Junbi, a cafe specializing in matcha, coffee and Japanese fare on Market St. Hungry Table, an events space, opened in July at the SFMTA garage on Third St. Sextant Coffee Roasters, an independent cafe and roastery founded by Kinani Ahmed, opened in March at Third St. near Howard St. Golden Eye Social, San Francisco’s first and only digital, interactive darts bar and elevated gastropub, opened in May and is doing a robust business at Third and Folsom streets.
Rowitz said that foot traffic is increasing with the influx of office workers, events like the Downtown First Thursdays street festival, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and A Grateful Gathering at the new Yerba Buena Lane Entertainment Zone, and more resources to ensure it is clean, safe and welcoming. “There’s something for everyone to do and experience here. And more new business openings on the way,” said Rowitz.
These new businesses add to a growing collection of popular restaurants, bars and clubs like Papa Noodle at 117 New Montgomery that opened in December, the Dawn Club jazz venue, Lark Bar, Palace Hotel Garden Court, Grove Bar, Feng Cha Tea House, Red Door Cafe @ Minna Gallery, Dabao Singapore, Kombu sushi, and many others.
The Yerba Buena neighborhood, emanating from Yerba Buena Gardens, includes SFMOMA, YBCA, Moscone Center and other iconic attractions, and boasts the highest concentration of museums, galleries and public art in the city. Yerba Buena is also located within the larger Filipino Cultural Heritage District.
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About Yerba Buena Partnership
Yerba Buena Partnership is a community-based nonprofit organization working to improve the quality of life in the downtown San Francisco Yerba Buena neighborhood. The Partnership manages and maintains several blocks around Yerba Buena Gardens, encompassing roughly Second to Fifth and Market to Perry streets. The district boasts iconic destinations such as SFMOMA, YBCA, MoAD, Children’s Creativity Museum and Moscone Center, along with premier hotels, Academy of Art University, City College, and dining, shopping and entertainment venues. Yerba Buena is also located within the larger Filipino Cultural Heritage District. The Partnership began implementing programs in 2009 involving its Clean & Safe Team, neighborhood marketing, public art projects and many other neighborhood improvement efforts. Learn more at www.YerbaBuena.org.