“Piazza.” 

That was the word Elio D’Urzo, owner of Ristorante Sapore Italiano on Burlingame Avenue, had in mind when he crafted his restaurant’s special lunch buffet three weeks ago. From noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, customers can enjoy a variety of Italian dishes for only $9.99. The restaurant serves an average of around 250 people per day, according to D’Urzo. 

A piazza is a public square commonly found in Italian cities, serving as a lively hub where people gather to socialize and connect. Having lived in Italy for 27 years, D’Urzo felt that Burlingame lacked the strong sense of community so central to his homeland.

“I said, ‘Why don’t we create a piazza in Burlingame?’” D’Urzo said.

The idea came to him during the COVID-19 pandemic when D’Urzo was playing poker with a group of seniors while making them lunch.

“There were eight guys in the late 80s and then they said, ‘Oh, why don’t you do lunch?’ I said, ‘I do lunch for you guys,’ and I [didn’t] want to charge them, but they [insisted],” D’Urzo said. “[They said] ‘No, you need to charge us.’ I just charged them $10, $15, $20, whatever they want to pay. And we’ve been doing this for two, three years. Then something came out in my head, I said ‘Why don’t I reopen for lunch and do this for everybody?’” 

But above all, D’Urzo had a specific goal in mind: serving seniors with his lunch buffets. Beyond providing affordable meals, the buffet gives seniors an opportunity to connect and spend time withother locals.

“They [don’t have to] just eat—maybe you sit here, say hi to other people. They have a place, they don’t need to have any restrictions. You know, they can stay there, they can enjoy, nobody rushes them,” D’Urzo said.

Initially, the lunch buffet drew a comparatively modest crowd of 60 to70 people daily. But after D’Urzo advertised it on television, the restaurant quickly went “viral,” as he described it. Sapore’s lunch buffet has since transcended its local appeal in Burlingame; on Thursday, Aug. 22, a group of 30 people from San Francisco came to enjoy a meal and some company. 

Former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Lou Palatella is a regular at the buffet.

“[D’Urzo’s] a good guy, and there’s good food,” Palatella said.

Although the lunch buffet advertises as a “Summer Special,” D’Urzo said he plans not only to continue the buffet but also to adjust the hours to accommodate high school students’ schedules. 

“We can connect with young people, and we can expose you guys to good food,” D’Urzo said.