Students enrolled in Austin culinary arts programs may already be familiar with Verts Kebap. The restaurant chain, which has gained a name for itself in the southern state by selling high quality German cuisine in a fast but casual atmosphere, has developed a following that refers to it by a shortened version of its name: Verts. According to the Austin Business Journal, things have been so good for the chain as of late that they’ve recently expanded into other Texan cities, opening three locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The expansion has come at a time of considerable success for the establishment, and is rumored to be a part of a larger plan for building out more franchises across the state.
Verts Kebap
The restaurant specializes in a German delicacy known as a döner kebap. A mixture of rotisserie meats and vegetables, the kebap can be served on either toasted bread (which can be pressed like a panini), in a wrap or in a salad form. From there, the dish is filled out with either vegetables, falafel, beef and lamb or chicken and is topped with a variety of options including red cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, jalapenos and other produce. This simple recipe, along with a variety of sauces and cheeses, has launched the Austin-based restaurant to the forefront of the local culinary scene. Quick and easy to eat while still maintaining a nutritious and healthy profile, the food has appealed to broad audiences across a wide array of demographics.
Expansion
The three recent openings in Dallas will surely not be the last expansion we see from Verts Kebap. In addition to their existing Austin locations, the Austin Business Journal has reported that the chain plans to have opened a total of twenty locations by the end of 2014. Further, they intend to continue onward with their expansion throughout other major markets in Texas once the Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants have been successfully launched. Houston and San Antonio are believed to be the next two cities on deck, with the potential to open more restaurants in Dallas after that. In speaking with the Austin Business Journal, Verts co-founder Dominik Stein indicated that the focus on Dallas is, at least in part, to gauge their potential success in other diverse geographies.
“If we can be successful in Dallas, we can grow our concept in other parts of the United States,” said Stein.
History
The restaurant was founded by two men who met when they were undergraduate classmates at the University of Texas at Austin. Both of the individuals, Stein and Michael Heyne, shared a passion for German food. According to the restaurant’s website, this was where the business idea for Verts was born. In little more than 3 years, the two Germans have gone on to sell over a million kebaps, leaving customers full and satisfied across Austin and the Lone Star State as a whole.
