Restaurateurs rolling out more fast-casual concepts

As the city's population continues to swell, so does the number of local dining options flooding the Northwest Austin area.

"I'm seeing a lot of move toward Austin concepts and away from national chains, and I think that's really, really neat," said Brendan Puthoff, co-owner of sports bar Third Base. "When you travel to conferences and you speak to big, national chains, they're scared to death of coming to Austin because they know what it means to come into a town that really has such a love affair with its local concepts."

Third Base is just one of many local restaurants opening new locations in Northwest Austin. It will open its fourth location in early May at US 183 and Anderson Mill Road. Taco Shack will be adding its ninth location at RM 620 and Lake Creek Parkway.

In January, P. Terry's Burger Stand announced its plans to build two locations in Northwest Austin, one near St. David's North Austin Medical Center and the other on Research Boulevard near the Catfish Parlour.

"North is where we always wanted to be. There's wonderful potential," owner Patrick Terry said.

Vibrant growth

Overall, Austin's restaurant industry appears to be trending upward. Gerald Stone, co-owner of El Mercado and past president of the Austin chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association, said he has noticed the restaurant industry has been busier every year since 2009.

"Whatever the economic factors, Austin doesn't seem to have been affected as much," he said. "It's a great city to have a restaurant in."

Clara Oliver, a restaurant management recruiter from Patrice & Associates' Austin office, said she hears from many smaller restaurant chains and Texas-based restaurants wanting to expand into Northwest Austin.

"It's the population, with the rail line and toll roads and without all the crazy congestion we have going on down here [in South Austin]," Oliver said.

Taco Shack owner Orlando Arriaga said the recovering economy and tremendous growth in Northwest Austin led to the decision to open a location on RM 620.

"This area understands the importance of Austin local flavor," he said. "... There's so much new growth up here."

Prime location

When Mark Sewell and Jason Surdy, owners of Dripping Springs–based Hill Country Ranch Pizzeria, were looking for a location for their second restaurant, they wanted to be in a more mature market. They opened at Parmer Lane and MoPac in November.

"We were very fortunate here because the population is vast—100,000 people in a 3-mile radius is huge—and it's the same for lunch and dinner," he said. "It really makes for a prime pool of customers. You can have a lot restaurants in the area and still draw in a good number of people."

In Northwest Austin, Puthoff said the area's demographics of younger couples and singles living in apartments and single-family homes coupled with a strong business presence lead to a thriving restaurant industry.

"That's why Northwest Austin is so great for us because we find that balance of being able to be around [the business] industry, apartments and homes," he said. "... You don't find that in a lot of areas besides Northwest Austin."

Outgrowing space

Most of Northwest Austin's major corridors along Research Boulevard, MoPac and Parmer Lane are already built out, leaving little room to build new restaurants. Terry said he looked for three years to find the right locations in Northwest Austin. He is already planning stores No. 9 and No. 10.

"It takes over a year when you find the location until you open. We really have to stay out in front," Terry said.

Construction began in January for the P. Terry's off MoPac, and it is slated to open in June. Terry said the eighth location on Research Boulevard will just have a drive-thru and is scheduled to begin construction this summer and open in the fall.

Puthoff said that when restaurants close, those spots are snapped up quickly by other restaurant owners. He said most restaurateurs will likely consider locations near the area's main corridors instead of deep into a neighborhood.

"When you find something, you really gotta jump on it pretty fast. We've been trying to get this spot for over a year and a half," he said.

Introducing new concepts

Puthoff has also partnered with a college friend, Kaleb Smith, to open a fast-casual restaurant called Mighty Bird. The duo is planning two locations, one in the former Alvin's Sandwich Shop at 12200 Research Blvd., and the other by Cover 3 on Anderson Lane.

"This Northwest Austin area could support a lot more fast-casual [restaurants] as well because there's so much [business] industry and commuter traffic," he said.

Greg Bodle, a co-owner at The Park at The Domain, and his business partners are on track to open in early May a cocktail lounge called Somersault next door to The Park at The Domain. Bodle said they had planned to stay north for the new business and liked the mix of national chains and locally owned restaurants at The Domain.

"North Austin provides alternatives closer to home," Bodle said. "Until a couple of years ago, there wasn't a lot of options up north."

In addition to their restaurants, Bodle said the partners are working on a quick-service concept that will offer healthy entrees. Two locations are slated to open this summer in Central Austin.

He said people who already own restaurants tend to take the leap into new concepts more quickly.

"The biggest fear people have is taking the leap from their regular job and owning their own business. If you've done that in the past, it's easier," Bodle said.