Delicious

Earlier this year, VertsKebap opened in Preston Hollow Village with a bang.

“It was insane,” says Emily Bell, who works at the popular restaurant. “We offered one free entrée to each of our guests. From open to close, no joke, there was a line wrapped around the building. We just didn’t stop. It was nuts.”

Many of those initial visitors liked what they tasted and have kept coming back as paying customers. The location in our neighborhood is one of VertsKebap’s most profitable.

Michael Heyne and Dominik Stein are the brains behind the operation. Both men are originally from Germany but became friends as fellow foreign exchange students at SMU. In Texas they missed the spicy Turkish street food that’s a staple in Europe, so they decided to open a restaurant in Austin, where they moved after graduation.

“We get tons of people who were born [in Germany] or stationed there in the military,” Bell says. “They’re excited to finally get that taste they so crave.”

Dishes are highly customizable. Guests choose from four protein options – chicken, beef, lamb or falafel – and specify whether they want a salad, wrap or kebap. Kebaps, not to be confused with kebabs, are similar to sandwiches. Sauces are made in house and vegetables come from local farms. You can wash it all down with a Texas craft beer or nitrogen-infused iced coffee. And here’s the best part: most entrees are around 550 calories. It’s no wonder the restaurant attracts such a wide crowd.

Vertskebap

7949 Walnut Hill Lane vertskebap.com

469.726.2855

AMBIANCE: FAST CASUAL

PRICE RANGE: $4.65-$7.65 FOR FOOD

HOURS: 11 A.M. – 10 P.M. MON.-SUN.

DID YOU KNOW?

VERTSKEBAP OFFERS HALFPRICED BEER EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT. STARTING AT 5 P.M. YOU CAN SNAG A PINT FOR $2.25 OR A CAN FOR $1.75.

“We don’t even have an average customer,” Bell says. “We see every person from every walk of life. It’s amazing the amount of diversity.”

—Elizabeth Barbee