San Francisco Flower Delivery

Rossi & Rovetti Flowers

The Oldest Continually Operating Florist in San Francisco

Historic San Francisco Florist, Est. 1871

San Francisco Flower Delivery has been a cornerstone of the San Francisco floristry scene since 1871!

Since 1871, our local family-owned business has been a cornerstone of the city's floristry scene. Our journey began with a friendly rivalry with Podesta Baldocchi Flowers, founded on January 30, 1871. Early on, our families intertwined through marriages, uniting two venerable San Francisco florist families. Rossi & Rovetti Flower Delivery, established on May 3, 1900, symbolizes exceptional floral artistry and customer service, deeply woven into the city's fabric. Our family-owned florist captures the profound ability of flowers to evoke emotion, celebrate pivotal moments, and enrich daily life.

Our story traces back to Pelicano Rossi Flowers, founded by Alfonso Pelicano, an Italian immigrant who began his floral journey selling bouquets directly on San Francisco's docks in May 1900. Almost two decades later, after his service in World War I, he partnered with his longtime friend and fellow Italian immigrant, Angelo Rossi, who later became a San Francisco Mayor. Their venture thrived, benefiting from their shared work ethic, vision, and influential friendship with Mayor James Rolph. Angelo Rossi's mayoral tenure, succeeding Rolph, was marked by significant contributions to the city's landscape, including the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Love and business intertwined when Giuseppe Podesta married Giovanna Rossi in 1902, and subsequent marriages further united our families. Despite this familial amalgamation, Podesta Baldocchi Flowers and Rossi & Rovetti Flower Delivery operated as independent stores for over a century. The transition to the name Rossi & Rovetti was put into motion in September 1958 under Vincent Rovetti's leadership, heralding a new era of growth and innovation. Mr. Rovetti, the longtime store manager and lead florist of Podesta Baldocchi, brought innovative designs to both stores, unifying two storied legacies and continuing our tradition of excellence.

Our story is intertwined with cinematic history, notably our connection to our family friend Alfred Hitchcock, for whom we were the personal florist. This relationship solidified our reputation within the film industry, with our flowers featured in Hitchcock's masterpiece, Vertigo, among others, cementing our place in pop culture.

In 1999, we briefly sold both stores to the startup Gerald Stevens Flowers, aiming to consolidate independent florists nationwide. However, we quickly repurchased them to preserve the originality of floristry. The widespread use of the internet prompted changes in our business. In 2009, we merged all of our operations under one brand, focusing on floral excellence rather than chasing urban retail rent prices. Our dedication ensures that every dollar spent by our customers enhances the quality and value of our floral arrangements, unmatched among San Francisco florists. The decision at the time was also spurred by our commitment to floral excellence over the financial strains of urban retail rent prices.

This move also followed our family ethos to continue to focus on acquiring the finest, freshest and best blooms and to continue investing in our award winning floral designers, rather than contending with the staggering rents of $33,800+ per month for just 326 square feet in the Financial District and $26,700 for our South of Market store. Such financial decisions underscored our dedication to ensuring that every dollar spent by our customers directly enhances the quality and value of our floral arrangements - which is unmatched anywhere among the other top florists in San Francisco.

Today, acclaimed by Condé Nast Traveler as San Francisco's premier florist, Rossi & Rovetti Flowers stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality, creativity, and service. We offer a broad selection of arrangements for various occasions, each crafted with the freshest blooms to convey heartfelt narratives.

Our family is natively rooted in San Francisco since the 1870s, and we extend our service across the Bay Area and beyond, ensuring no distance is too great for sharing the joy of flowers. Our promise of prompt, dependable service guarantees that every significant moment is commemorated with the perfect floral expression.

Flower shortages during and after the pandemic revealed a need among our cherished clients who had relocated. Some of our long-term customers moved to Austin, Texas for career opportunities during that time, and they found themselves missing the premium quality and freshness of flowers they had come to expect from us. In response, we made the decision to extend our family's passion for floral artistry to Austin to serve them (some of our customers have been with us over 75 years!).

Austin Flower Delivery is also a respected local florist operating for over 150 years, operated by our own family who carried our San Francisco values and expertise with them. While the majority of our family remain deeply rooted in and proud of our San Francisco and Bay Area homes, we're grateful for the opportunity to serve our loyal customers in their new locales. The branch of the family that includes Jason & Stephanie has moved there full time to make sure everything is smooth end-to-end and that our flowers and customer experience are second-to-none in the Silicon Hills.

Continuing to evolve, San Francisco Flower Delivery by Rossi & Rovetti Flowers remains true to the foundational values of our founders: a profound love for flowers, dedication to craftsmanship, and a commitment to bridging human connections one bloom at a time. Engaging with Rossi & Rovetti, whether through a virtual visit to our shop, exploring our extensive online gallery, or receiving one of our Italian-style arrangements, immerses you in a tradition that celebrates the enduring beauty and emotive power of flowers.

Rossi & Rovetti Flowers Video