If you’re sick of the food on campus, are a picky eater but look for quality or you’re just too lazy to leave your Netflix and bed, then Doormét is the perfect option for you. Doormét takes food delivery to a whole new level. This place allows you to enjoy a high-quality meal without the hassle of leaving your dorm or house. Doormét really blew me away with its delectable food, and I guarantee that it will do the same to anyone else who tries it.
Doormét, located on 1155 S. Dale Mabry Highway, offers a wide variety of food options, from American to Italian fare.They flaunt their unique concept, which is gourmet food available in a variety of ways such as delivery, takeout or dine-in. The Koch brothers, Hans and Jake, are the owners, operators and proud Tampa natives. At their respective colleges (Hans went to Duke University and Jake went to Vanderbilt), neither of them were impressed with the student dining options, so they both became huge fans of takeout and delivery dinner services.
“After college, as young adults and still without the time to cook for ourselves, we determined that the combination of high quality food coupled with the convenience of delivery did not yet exist,” they both said. “In searching for this, we knew that we were not alone, and thus Doormét was born. Doormét is a combination of the words ‘gourmet’ and ‘door,’ as in ‘gourmet to your door.’”
However, it’s also a gourmet café that offers dine-in service. Doormét has been voted the “Best in the Biz” from the Tampa Bay Business Journal, along with awards for best gourmet pizza. Although the menu isn’t extensive, it has something for everyone. The menu offers gourmet soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas and hand-tossed pizzas. Besides the pastas being on the pricier side ($15), prices are pretty decent, with meals ranging from $7 to $11. They offer new specials every month as well. Doormét is also vegetarian and food allergy friendly, serving a wide selection of vegetarian items, such as their variety of vegetarian pizzas, and even gluten-free pizza crust. But for those without dietary restrictions, their most popular dishes include the signature Doormét burger, Chicken Giacomo and a non-traditional take on the Caprese salad.
Upon arriving at Doormét and taking a look at the café, I noticed the classiness of its exterior. The colors were very neutral, consisting of browns and blacks, giving it a suave look. Once I stepped inside, I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be casual yet pristine. The vibe was nothing like I would expect, due to Doormét being known mainly for its delivery. The place gives off a casual feel without looking cheap. It was pretty happening for a Wednesday night, which is certainly a good sign.
The staff was super friendly and helped me with choosing what to order. I decided with the 10-inch Quattro pizza for $10.95 and the premium wings for $7.95. The pizza had four different types of cheese on it (mozzarella, parmesan, goat cheese and gorgonzola) as well as spinach, tomatoes, pesto and balsamic drizzle. The crust was thin and perfectly crisp, and the four cheeses blended together made for a unique but delicious flavor (especially with the gorgonzola). The veggies tasted fresh and the hint of balsamic really tied the pizza together nicely. The premium wings were just as delightful. They’re slathered in Doormét’s house-made apricot sriracha sauce and come with a creamy gorgonzola dressing for dipping.
The wings have a subtle sweetness from the apricot and a mild spiciness from the sriracha which balances out really well. They were filled with a lot of meat, which is always a plus in my book. The gorgonzola dressing was a nice change from ranch and bleu cheese. It tasted similar to bleu cheese, but it wasn’t as pungent. Overall, the meal was definitely enjoyable and I would like to try Doormét’s delivery service one of these days. I recommend that you cancel your Domino’s order next time you get delivery and try Doormét, which will be celebrating its fifth anniversary in April.
“Typically when people think of delivery, it’s always one dimensional with respect to the style of cuisine,” said both of the Koch brothers in agreement. “But with us, the pizza people can have pizza, the salad people can have salad, the burger guy gets his burger and so on. With Doormét, everybody gets what they want, so everybody’s happy!”
Critic’s Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Madison Irwin can be reached at madison.irwin@spartans.ut.edu