Nakazawa’s Hi Dozo, the delivery-first sushi concept from chef Daisuke Nakazawa, is heading to Midtown Manhattan right by Rockefeller Center, bringing high-end fish to a part of town better known for office coffee and quick salads. The company announced the New York expansion on March 10 and says the new spot will double as both a takeout counter and a small dine-in operation. The Midtown location is set up to function as a production hub, supplying delivery across the city while serving lunch and dinner on-site, with the rollout expected to take about eight months.
As reported by Eater New York, founder Alessandro Borgognone confirmed the plan, telling the outlet, "It's true: We are coming to New York," adding, "We don't fool around," to emphasize that Hi.Dozo will use the same product standards as Sushi Nakazawa. Eater notes that the brand first launched in Los Angeles in May 2024 out of ghost kitchens, has already signed a lease for a West Hollywood dine-in outpost, and is eyeing further expansions to Washington, D.C., Dallas and Houston. In contrast, the Midtown New York site is framed less as a destination counter and more as a production and pickup hub built to handle DoorDash-driven delivery volume.
What Hi.Dozo Will Serve
Hi.Dozo’s menu centers on neatly organized nigiri, sashimi and rolls packed in color-coded modular boxes that are meant to mimic an omakase counter experience at home. The format, laid out on DoorDash's blog, includes sets like The Dozo, The Chef’s Choice and The Deep Dive, plus a DIY hand-roll kit. The boxes arrive with the restaurant's signature nikiri soy blend, fresh wasabi and Tamanishiki rice. The whole system is designed for delivery-first prep, with quick pickup and a modest amount of in-store seating at the Midtown production hub using the same playbook as in Los Angeles.
Why DoorDash Is Pushing This Model
The Hi.Dozo rollout lines up with some bigger tech moves. DoorDash agreed to acquire restaurant software company SevenRooms for about $1.2 billion as part of a wider push to link delivery, reservations and guest data, according to Bloomberg. At the same time, the company has introduced a "Going Out" reservations-and-rewards feature that, as the Associated Press has described, ties together bookings, in-person perks and guest profiles. That kind of technical backbone gives DoorDash more room to host exclusive concepts and move a high volume of sushi boxes efficiently through a dense market like New York.
When To Expect It
Company spokespeople told reporters that the new Hi.Dozo location should open in about eight months, with the team targeting a fall launch. Eater New York reports set prices between $29 and $54 for boxed nigiri sets, along with a $29 DIY hand-roll kit.
Nakazawa trained under Jiro Ono, according to Wikipedia, and his namesake counter in the West Village holds a Michelin star, per the Michelin Guide. For New Yorkers who have spent years trying to snag one of those coveted seats, the production-hub setup promises a more accessible, if less theatrical, way into the chef’s food.
Details like the exact Midtown address and official opening date are still to come as the team finishes buildout. For now, Hi.Dozo's planned arrival highlights how platform-backed kitchens and chef-driven brands are continuing to reshape how New Yorkers get restaurant-quality sushi without ever sitting at a traditional counter.
