Lotus and Lime brings Thai, Vietnamese flavors to Bay Area hubs
Inside the San Mateo Food Mall, you won’t find tables or people eating. Hungry customers — or more often, delivery drivers — walk up to a digital kiosk, scan a code, and a locker pops open, revealing each order readied for pickup.
The restaurant co-op, as it’s described, combines the cooking capacity of 15 kitchens, each of which can accommodate multiple restaurant concepts. One such kitchen is home to Lotus and Lime, a fast-casual concept that launched locally recently, serving up bowls featuring flavors from Thailand and Vietnam like ginger, lime, tamarind and fresh herbs. Bowls have purple rice and leafy greens as a base, then customizable proteins and sauces.
The kitchen also has three other concepts: Ben’s Fast Food, Umami Express and Palmita.
Lotus and Lime debuted about two months ago, according to manager Miguel Lopez. He says the Wagyu beef bowl is his favorite menu item.
Lead shift runner Neo Morente said that the food hall offers chefs the chance to try out a restaurant concept at a more affordable rate than leasing a full restaurant location. “We have a lot of kitchens opening and giving it a shot,” he says.
The menu is also available for delivery or pickup at other ghost kitchens around the Bay Area, including Sunny’s Food Hub in Sunnyvale, 949 Ruff Food in San Jose, East Bay Eats in Hayward, as well as locations in San Francisco and Emeryville, and other cities around the U.S.
Details: Open 9 a.m.-11:30 p.m. weekdays and 10:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. weekends at 66 21st Ave., San Mateo; lotusandlime.com.