Interesting not so much for the restaurant but rather for the project itself, the renovation of the Pyramid. It also fits in with the explosion of interest and activity in Jackson Square.
Published on September 07, 2025 - Hoodline, Tony Ng
San Francisco's most recognizable building just completed the final piece of its comeback story—and it tastes like $90 veal chops. The Transamerica Pyramid's billion-dollar renovation reaches its crescendo this week with the opening of Ama, the third restaurant from a Miami chef whose success mirrors the building's own against-the-odds turnaround.
Chef Brad Kilgore, the 2016 Food & Wine Best New Chef behind Miami's now-shuttered Alter, opens Ama on September 24, completing his dining empire at the iconic pyramid. The Italian-Japanese restaurant and "secret" lounge joins Cafe Sebastian and MadLab, both already operating at 545 Sansome Street, as the final component of developer Michael Shvo's audacious plan to transform downtown's future.
Shvo's 2020 gamble now looks prescient rather than reckless. The building that many thought he overpaid for at $650 million during the pandemic's peak is now over 80% leased, according to CoStar. Rents have "doubled and tripled" since his purchase, with tenants paying $125 to $200+ per square foot compared to the city average of around $68.
The transformation includes major recent wins like global law firm Morgan Lewis signing a 123,000-square-foot lease—the building's largest deal since renovation. Downtown SF Partnership reports that leasing activity increased by 80% and vacancy rates dropped from 50% in Q2 2024 to 33.8% in Q1 2025, making it a standout performer while the broader Financial District struggles with 33.9% vacancy.
Ama Completes Michelin Chef's 3-Restaurant Transamerica Takeover as NY Developer's Billion-Dollar Be
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