DORO Marketplace — Restaurant in West Hartford

I would like to start this off by saying the food is very good, and so is the coffee, and the workers are very pleasant and accommodating (when not overwhelmed).

But there is a glaring issue that not only plagues the West Hartford branch of Dora Marketplace but all branches of Doro Marketplace.

That is the system that they use for things like order pick-up online and, in general, is severely lacking. For instance, it seems like the staff is working with minimal counter space, so the workers have to put completed orders with ones that are still being fulfilled.

Additionally, they have a cubby that’s meant for order pick-up. But it appears when the store gets too busy. They just completely stop using it, assumedly because the sheer number of people causing the elbow-to-elbow congestion would make it hard to get to the cubby across the room.

So the problem process as a consumer that occurs is:

1. I order food.
2. I get a notification that my food will be out in a moment.
3. I go to the front counter, and I see my food in a bag along with my drink. 4): I grab my food. I went to my car, and the items were missing.

This is because there doesn’t seem to be a very good way for people to differentiate which orders have been fully fulfilled versus being fulfilled in the current system, unless, of course, somebody yells out the person’s name when it’s done, which only is applicable if you are there when they yell out the name ( sorry online buyers )

Because it’s so busy to the point where even getting to the front counter is a hassle, I just opt to just take the loss if I don’t get my food item.

Also, given how many people are there, it makes me uncomfortable. I go to shops like this for a quaint, not deafeningly loud experience. This is an issue that chains like Panera and Starbucks have been able to address with a far larger demographic.

The marketing of this restaurant is painted as a relaxed bistro/coffee shop. Still, the space/congestion issue makes it seem they are prioritizing profits over the experience of the shop, trying to fit big ideas into a small frame, causing capacity constraints, which will ultimately disincentivize people who are first-time shoppers from being retained since they can easily go anywhere else without the fuss and chaos.

Personally, I struggled to believe that people tentatively trying to get work done on their laptops can pay attention given how chaotic it is.

Given their current circumstances, I feel like the only way to rectify something like this is just to adopt a new system.

Firstly, the Online Pickup should be in the least congested part of the store farthest from the counter; this divides traffic, allowing for less congestion up front, which then makes it a more comfortable environment, feeling more open

Revamp the cubby system with lights and locks to represent orders that are in progress and ones that have been finished. Designed with doors that unlock via a code you get from ordering on the app or a code printed on your receipt. Accompanied by a monitor or something for completed orders that consumers easily reference would alleviate this as well.

This mitigates people taking other people’s food; this also ensures that people can actually tell when their order is not entirely fulfilled yet. This reduces the mental load on the workers and customers, who don’t want to wait longer than they have to, and gives the bistro a modernized feel without sacrificing the charm by putting in a drive-through in an already cramped venue or something.

Additionally, it would smooth the process of having so many people aimlessly waiting in front of the store for their food because if they know which cubby their food is going into with its current status, they just look at the light or the monitor and grab it when it's done. Which ultimately increases efficiency and reduces staff workload, customer anxiety, and unintended costs.

This is just some food for thought from someone who does extensive corporate enterprise system integrations for technology (albeit nothing to do with...

I’ve been to Doro Marketplace several times since it opened. I’ve purchased prepared foods from the refrigerated section: rotisserie chicken, hummus, tabouli, to name a few. I have also purchased lunches and dinners from their menu: that’s my jam toast, ricotta toast, grandma’s secret stew, Doro bowl. And danish/pastry: Bavarian cream croissant, cheese danish, Ferraro cake. I wanted to try several different items over an extended period in order to write an informed review. Some of the items were tasty: the toasts, the stew, the cheese croissant and pistachio cake. The three times I purchased the rotisserie chicken either from the refrigerator or as part of a meal, I was not impressed. In one instance, after having purchased rotisserie chicken salad from the refrigerator section, I opened the container and a horrible smell overwhelmed me. I looked on the container for the expiration date but there was none. I threw out the container. I tried a bowl with rotisserie chicken and the chicken was soggy and flavorless. On two different occasions, a family member and I each ordered the roast beef sandwich, and each time we were sick afterwards. At different times and different days of the week, Doro is either extremely busy or pleasantly active. The times where it is busy, the front staff is frazzled and confused, several of whom do not know what to do. On two occasions, I gave my order to the a staff person and each time—two different staff members—walked away in the middle of the order because one forgot something on a previous order and the other overheard another conversation and left to join that conversation. Another time, I was waiting for a latte and the person making the latte left. A woman came over and started making the beverages for other customers. I had to ask about my beverage and wait for her to begin again; at least she finished it and I did receive it. Recently, as I waited for my order, I observed a family who had finished their meal, get up, dump their trash and walk out. None of the staff were assigned to watch the tables and sanitize once patron’s vacated. Instead, two patrons sat down at the table for their meal. Again, during this time, management should assign staff to clean/sanitize tables. Will I go back? Yes, for take out of toasts and maybe stew and an occasional pastry. But my visits...

Being an hour from West Hartford, I found Doro Marketplace on “Coffee In Connecticut’s” Instagram page.

A friend and I were driving up to pick up a bike rack and decided to make the stop. Immediately seeing the sheer volume of people in the parking lot was enough confirmation that Doro is the “place to be.”

The inside of Doro Marketplace is very eclectic. Great lighting, loads of seating, and a beautiful display of mouthwatering pastries and sweet treats.

The great thing about Doro Marketplace is that they’re not “just a bakery.” They have sandwiches, toasts, bowls, and a great selection of coffee, all of which is signature to them.

I ordered a Pistachio Croissant and a Coconut Caramel Latte, while my friend decided to go with the Tuna Melt.

Before getting into taste, I just want to mention that for whatever reason when our order was called, my friend got a chicken sandwich by accident. And while all of the staff were incredibly nice, it took SEVERAL minutes to get the order resolved. Neither of us minded per say, as it was a hot plate, but even with how busy the restaurant was, I think everything could have been resolved in a more timely manner.

Anyhow, my croissant had a beautiful richness to it, but both the croissant and the pistachio crème were a tad sweet. It was missing the salty element that I was looking for.

My latte was delicious and didn’t taste “artificial,” like most coconut flavors do. I would just suggest having a private milk station to adjust the drink to your liking, as again it was just a touch too sweet.

My friend enjoyed his Tuna Melt and I bought myself a slice of Black Forest Cake to take home. I LOVED the richness of the chocolate, but wished the cake was more texturally dense, as opposed to “crumbly.”

If you’re looking for a wonderful breakfast or lunch or just looking to come to study or work, be prepared for the noise level. While tolerable, I found the cafe overstimulating, however there is outdoor seating if you need it.

While the pastries were delectable, I would love to stop in again and try some of their other menu items. Clearly, they have something going here with the ambiance and...