SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Local Kitchens, the digital food hall that brings together a mix of award-winning local restaurant brands under one roof for takeout and delivery, has landed $25 million in Series A funding after a year of rapid growth, bringing the company’s total funding to $28M. The round was led by General Catalyst, with support from existing investors, Human Capital and Pear VC. New investors to the company include Fifth Wall and Penny Jar Capital, an early-stage venture firm anchored by Stephen Curry. The investment will accelerate Local Kitchens’ expansion plans into new markets throughout California and beyond.
Launched in the summer of 2020, Local Kitchens’ digital food hall concept quickly gained a following from customers who fell in love with the ability to mix-and-match restaurants in one order. In less than nine months, the company has built a network of units throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and partnered with award-winning local restaurant partners eager to increase their reach and connect to new customers.
Local Kitchens was founded by former DoorDash employees Jon Goldsmith, Andrew Munday, and Jordan Bramble.
“After an unprecedented 18 months, the restaurant industry is looking to expand business through a hybrid storefront + online model, while enabling a direct relationship with their customers via delivery platforms, pick-up or the restaurant location,” said Kyle Doherty, Managing Director at General Catalyst. “Local Kitchens has developed a unique model that works for local restaurant owners, and we’re excited to support Jon and the Local Kitchens’ team as they scale and accelerate the industry’s transformation.”
“Local Kitchens’ mission is to ensure that local restaurants–not just national brands–can thrive in the ‘new normal,'” said Jon Goldsmith, CEO and Co-founder of Local Kitchens. “In the six months since our seed round, we’ve helped more than a dozen local restaurants add millions in new sales and connect with customers in new markets. This funding will help us accelerate our impact and help our restaurant partners scale across the country.”
Each Local Kitchens store features 8-10 restaurants curated to reflect the diversity of the local community and cuisine, and is available through a storefront with a streamlined takeout experience in addition to delivery. All meals are cooked fresh to order with a unique licensing model, guaranteeing a consistent and high-quality experience for customers while enabling restaurant brands to expand in weeks with minimal capital investment. Customers can order takeout or delivery online through LocalKitchens.com, or in-store using ordering kiosks.
About Local Kitchens:
Local Kitchens is a digital food hall offering takeout and delivery from multiple restaurants, allowing customers to mix and match cuisines from different restaurants in a single order. Ideal for foodies, groups, and families, Local Kitchens brings the best local restaurants to the neighborhood under one roof. Local Kitchens currently operates in the San Francisco Bay Area (Cupertino, Lafayette, San Jose; Mountain View and Palo Alto coming soon) and is rapidly expanding throughout California and beyond.
Local Kitchens and its partners are committed to sustainable sourcing and hiring from local schools to support the communities where it operates. Each location uses recyclable and compostable materials for all of its food packaging in addition to employing a rigorous composting program.