Hello friends, it's Matt. As many of you know, I closed escrow on Roma’s the day before San Francisco ordered the closure of all restaurants due to Covid-19.  Because I had never been open I had no payroll history which disqualified me for a PPP loan.  With no revenue history, I did not qualify for any SBA assistance. In July the City extended the ban on dine-in restaurants and I had a real decision to make. Do I close before I even open or do I follow my dream? Well, if you know me, you know the answer. I pivoted and followed in my dad’s footsteps to make Roma’s an “essential” gourmet Italian grocery with a full menu for take-out and delivery. We opened the doors too much fanfare on August 1.  

Now, just as business was starting to pick up, San Francisco has once again ordered an end to all indoor dining, indefinitely. This is a tremendous blow.  Since we still do not qualify for government assistance, I am forced to do something that is very difficult for me to do: ask for help.

So here I am, relying on my supporters, friends, and family to help save Roma’s. The money raised will be used to pay the rent, the electric bill (unpaid for months) and other utilities, monthly grocery and restaurant bills, and go toward our payroll for my amazing Chef Daniel and my irreplaceable General Manager Erik. (Full disclosure: as the owner I have not yet taken a salary and I have no plans to do so in the near future.)

I know that Roma’s is destined to become a true destination dining experience. If you’ve had the chance to taste our food you know it’s world-class Italian perfection. If you haven’t you can read the reviews - 5 stars on Yelp and Google!  But the truth is, Roma's is more than a restaurant - Roma’s is a movement. As LGBTQ owned and operated businesses close left and right in San Francisco, Roma’s is an inspiration, focusing on community service to those in need. During the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic, our namesake Sister Roma and I have delivered free meals (donated by sponsors like you) to Maitri AIDS Hospice, Firefighters at Station #3, the UCSF OBGYN program, and other organizations deserving of a "thank you" in the form of a hot meal. And we're just getting started, I have so much more planned, and I know we can do it, together.

Please consider joining the Roma’s movement! The need for assistance is immediate. Your donation of $5, $10, $100... anything will help. I know money is tight for a lot of us right now, so my team and I will be eternally grateful for any and all assistance you might be able to give. Grazie!