San Francisco's Valencia Street has lost yet another culinary spot, with casual Italian pizzeria Yellow Moto set to serve its final slice of pizza on December 7. According to the Yellow Moto Pizzeria Instagram post, despite their valiant efforts, Yellow Moto is succumbing to "significant headwinds of the last few years." It will cease operations after a run of just shy of three years.
Once a bustling hub in the Mission District, Valencia Street has been hit by a wave of restaurant closures, now including this latest announcement. Yellow Moto's imminent shutdown echoes the departures of local favorites such as Pi Bar, West of Pecos, and Third Culture Bakery. Owner David White, who also played a part in starting Flour + Water Pizzeria and is a Valencia Corridor Merchants Association member, previously noted a 30% drop in business since the summer of 2022. In an interview reported last year by the San Francisco Chronicle, White discussed challenges, including parking issues, a controversial two-lane bikeway introduction, and a rise in local drug abuse and vandalism.
These combined factors have impinged on the day-to-day operations and compelled White to hire private security for Yellow Moto. In a late 2023 interview, his sentiment about the changing landscape of Valencia Street was bittersweet: "There is still a lot of good left on Valencia Street. It’s just getting harder to be hopeful," he told the San Francisco Chronicle.
