Zest launches restaurant discovery app with $1.8M in funding

Zest, a restaurant discovery app founded in November 2024, has launched to the public with $1.8 million in pre-seed funding. The investment round drew backing from Alexis Ohanian at 776 (a venture capital firm) and Steve Jang at Kindred Ventures (a venture capital firm). The startup uses verified transaction data and artificial intelligence to deliver personalized dining recommendations, aiming to bypass the social posturing common in restaurant discovery.

According to co-founder Mario Gomez-Hall, the platform’s reliance on actual spending data shifts the focus away from curated online personas. “Our approach with Zest, by doing it via verified dining spend, we actually think that we surface more places that are actually interesting. Instead of it being about social posturing and sharing that you went to this Michelin star restaurant or that,” Gomez-Hall said.

To generate these recommendations, Zest integrates with Plaid, a financial services provider, to securely import credit card transaction data. This integration allows the app to access credit card transactions, importing only those in the food and drink categories to build a personal dining map while ignoring other transactions. Since its public launch, the platform has attracted over 100,000 visits. To enhance its automated suggestions, Zest also pulls in over 80 million reviews from various online sources, including the Michelin dining guide and user reviews on Reddit.

This transaction-based approach highlights everyday habits rather than occasional high-end outings. Gomez-Hall, who co-founded the company alongside technical co-founder Alex Moller, noted that the system prioritizes frequency and repeat visits, focusing on dependable local spots and neighborhood favorites.

Currently, the app’s footprint is shaped by its founders’ backgrounds. Gomez-Hall is based in the San Francisco Bay area, having previously graduated from Tufts University in Boston. He previously served as head of Design at the social calendaring app Saturn, which was acquired by Snap, and founded Cymbal, a music-focused startup. While the app is currently focused on dining, Zest plans to expand its curation services beyond restaurants to other city hot spots. Gomez-Hall explained that the name Zest was chosen as a nod to food that also leaves room for broader exploration, with the long-term potential to integrate shopping.

Why it matters

Zest differentiates itself from previous social dining apps by using verified transaction data via Plaid to provide personalized recommendations based on actual user behavior rather than social posturing.