DoorDash opens a virtual food hall in San Jose

DoorDash is opening a virtual food hall in San Jose, about 4 miles from where it launched a similar popup in 2021.

The new, permanent DoorDash Kitchens will offer 10 local and regional restaurants for delivery and pickup as well as dine-in. Customers can order via the DoorDash app or in person using kiosks or QR codes.

The food hall is run by DoorDash employees. Restaurants will get a portion of the revenue it generates and do not pay rent or commissions. 

“We’re eager to continue partnering with restaurants to help them grow their business in an innovative way, while connecting customers with dining options they might not otherwise have been able to enjoy,” said Ashlee Tran, DoorDash’s head of new restaurant models, in a statement.

DoorDash Kitchens is located in The Plant Shopping Center in San Jose. | Photos courtesy of DoorDash

Restaurants in the San Jose kitchen are Aria Korean Street Food, Ivan’s Chicken Shokudo, Koi Palace, Little Spoon, Nekter Juice Bar, Plentiful, Sweet Street and The Melt. Academic Coffee is available in-store only, and desserts from Milk Bar are coming soon. Frozen Greek yogurt from San Francisco’s Souvla will also be offered in the next few weeks.

Customers won’t be able to order from multiple concepts with the DoorDash app, but they’ll be able to mix and match easily if they order in person.

The kitchen is run by DoorDash employees. 

It’s the fourth DoorDash Kitchens location, joining others in Hollywood, the Bay Area and Brooklyn. The company has tried different models with these stores, from delivery-only ghost kitchens run by the restaurants themselves to a DoorDash-operated “full-service” version like the one in San Jose.

The San Jose popup was similar to the new San Jose location, though it offered fewer restaurants and did not have a seating area.

The virtual food hall format evolved out of the delivery-only ghost kitchens that opened rapidly during the pandemic. With easily visible storefronts, dining rooms and multiple ways to order, they offer more of an omnichannel experience than their ghost kitchen predecessors.