Franchising

Curry Up Now ramps up Texas expansion

Provided

June 28, 2021

San Franciso-based Curry Up Now has signed a lease to open Austin's first location in Domain Northside, a mix-use retail space. Austin franchise partners Ankita Mehta, Kamlesh Modi, Ratnakar Mody and Aryan Vig are also preparing to open the first Dallas Curry Up Now location as well as three additional stores this year, according to a press release.

"(Domain Northside) is a premiere location, and the fact that we could easily convert a former restaurant space at half the cost of a brand new build, in half the amount of time, made it even more appealing," Mehta said in the release. "Curry Up Now's menu is unique, fun, sexy, naughty and affordable cuisine that you can't find anywhere else. It's a striking yet approachable concept that we know the Austin community will embrace. We are also looking at opening ghost kitchens in this market to help support brand growth."

The Texas franchise partners signed a deal in November 2020 to bring multiple Curry Up Now restaurants to the Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin areas. Their first location in The Grandscape, a large multi-use entertainment, dining and retail complex in The Colony, is expected to open in the coming months.

"I love the entire state of Texas for Curry Up Now, but I have a special affinity for Austin and have been eyeing this market for a while," Akash Kapoor, CEO and founder of Curry Up Now, said in the release. "In fact, it is one of our most requested cities to open in. We have found the perfect partners in the Mody, Modi and Mehta families to operate this market for us.

"I am also excited that this location will feature a smaller version of our bar, Mortar & Pestle. We've engineered a way to serve 16 signature cocktails in a fast casual space, without the need for mixologists or bar managers. Our cocktails are also the perfect complement for our food."

Curry Up Now was established in 2009 by husband-and-wife Akash and Rana Kapoor, and ably supported by co-founder and now SVP of Operations Amir Hosseini. The concept, which is known for its innovative spin on traditional Indian cuisine, operates 13 brick-and-mortar locations, three food trucks and several digital kitchen outposts nationwide, and has both corporate and franchised units in development across California, New Jersey, Colorado, Utah, Georgia, Texas and Indiana.