Imagine a take-away, where you order from a 'cloud kitchen,' and collect your food from a locker using a QR code.

It sounds like the stuff of sci-fi but The Co-Kitchens in Dalston are very much a reality and combining tech solutions with convenience and great food.

The revolutionary 'food hall' is open seven days a week from 10am to midnight and operates from a kiosk on Kingsland Road. Up to eight restaurants -  or Food Heroes - offer made-to-order dishes which customers can either order in advance from the app, or from the kiosk's digital menus.

Ham & High: Food is ordered on an app or digital screen then cooked in the cloud kitchen and put into a locker for customers to collectFood is ordered on an app or digital screen then cooked in the cloud kitchen and put into a locker for customers to collect (Image: The Co-Kitchen)

Their meal is prepared in The Co-Kitchens and popped into the designated locker when ready. Hungry customers are then sent a QR code to open the locker and retrieve their order.

The Co-Kitchens founder, Shahzad Bhatti said the cloud kitchen concept also allows established restaurants a low-cost, low-risk chance to break into the East London market and expand their offering: “We’ve created an innovative new concept in East London on a busy, vibrant high street that not only allows us to have eight food concepts operating from our kitchen, but also features a front of house, which allows delivery drivers and customers to come in and efficiently pick up their order from our automated lockers," he said.

Ham & High: Customers and delivery drivers are sent a QR code which opens the lockerCustomers and delivery drivers are sent a QR code which opens the locker (Image: The Co-Kitchen)

“Whether it's a tasty office lunch, work from home fuel, or a quick meal on the way home, we're serving up delicious offerings from small food businesses for East Londoners to enjoy."

Food Heroes can choose from fixed time slots for a monthly 'membership' and the stations come fully equipped with professional tools to help kickstart their food business. The outlets currently occupying the Dalston kiosk include craft beer and burgers from Beer + Burger who are currently offering Festive special The Grinch Burger and a 25% discount on orders.Ham & High: Caray Mexican food is among the Food Heroes operating from the cloud kitchenCaray Mexican food is among the Food Heroes operating from the cloud kitchen (Image: The Co-Kitchen)

Also on offer is artisan mochi ice cream from Mochiya who are running a 50% discount on all products until December 20 using the code 5050 at checkout.

Caray serves Mexican food with a twist and Maroon Kitchen is an Afro-Caribbean fusion restaurant. Both outlets are offering 25% discount on orders.