Rollati Ristorante, an Italian-American restaurant across from San Jose City Hall, closed abruptly due to declining revenues less than two years after opening. Vine Hospitality reported a 30% drop in customer foot traffic from the previous year. CEO Alistair Levine said multiple pivots to dining room layout and menus over nine months failed to find a sustainable formula. The ownership plans to concentrate on other restaurants, including three in Santana Row, which draws significantly more visitors and rebounded after the pandemic. Rollati served City Hall workers and officials. Councilmember Anthony Tordillos said the closure does not prove downtown upscale dining is unviable, pointed to other thriving restaurants, and emphasized housing development to boost downtown population amid stalled foot traffic and vacant offices.
"It became obvious with our partners that the level of business was not sustainable," Levine told San José Spotlight. "We tried multiple pivots over the last nine months in terms of dining room layout, menus, etc. and just didn't find a formula that connected with guests."
"Santana Row receives significantly more foot traffic and that was a huge part of the challenge with Rollati," Levine said.
"Every business is unique so I don't think we can take this unfortunate closure and apply it to the entire downtown," Tordillos told San José Spotlight.
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