Stallings welcomes a new hub for craft beer, local cuisine and community
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- VRTX in Stallings expands local reach with craft beer, cocktails and cuisine.
- Weekly tap changes and seasonal menus showcase regional brews and scratch fare.
- Both locations prioritize community, offering events and chef-driven experiences.
Beer and wine lovers rejoice: The VRTX Restaurant and Bar — a community-driven restaurant offering craft beer and local Carolina flavors — is now open in Stallings.
VRTX (pronounced “Vortex”) is owner Matt Widerman’s second beer-focused endeavor. His first, Vortex Bottle Shop, opened in 2018 in Harrisburg.
What’s in a name?
While The VRTX Restaurant and Bar and Vortex Bottle Shop may differ in name, the concepts are much the same.
“We have the same focus in both locations: craft food and seasonal menus,” Widerman told CharlotteFive. “We source as locally as we can.”
Both restaurants offer a diverse selection of craft Carolina-brewed beer, a worldly selection of wine and a hyper-local menu, where nearly every dish is made from scratch.
“I’ve got a great team,” Widerman said of his kitchen crew. “We all love food, we all love to experiment and we’re constantly developing recipes and putting out weekly specials to see how they’re received.”
Although both locations offer beer and wine (available to-go or to be enjoyed in-house), tasty, chef-driven bites and dog-friendly patios (perfect for Sunday brunch), there are some slight differences between the two spots.
“We have a bigger kitchen in Stallings (VRTX), so we have a larger selection of food,” Widerman explained. “And we have a liquor bar.”
At The VRTX Restaurant and Bar, you’ll find thirst-quenching craft cocktails made using spirits from Carolina-based distillers like Weldon Mills and Great Wagon Road Distilling, located in NoDa.
While Vortex Bottle Shop doesn’t currently offer cocktails, it’s on the horizon. Widerman is also looking to upgrade the kitchen.
“I’m in the process of expanding the kitchen in Harrisburg to match what Stallings offers,” Widerman said.
Hoppy beginnings
At his core, Widerman is a beer lover. For over 20 years he’s been a hobbyist brewer, making both craft beer and wine at home. But you won’t find any of his homemade brews at VRTX or Vortex Bottle Shop — he leaves the brewing up to the local professionals.
“The Carolinas have some really amazing breweries,” Widerman said. “You don’t need to go any further than those to get great beer.”
The concept for Vortex Bottle Shop was born from Widerman’s desire to share his passion for beer with the Harrisburg community.
“That was the original idea behind the Vortex Bottle Shop — this romantic notion of, I could sit somewhere and talk beer all day,” Widerman said.
Today, the taps at both locations are in constant rotation, offering the best of local brews with a variety of different styles — whether you’re into hoppy IPAs, tart sours or light-and-refreshing blonde ales.
”Our tap line changes everyday,” Widerman said. “When one beer kicks, we put something else on. Normally, it’s a similar style to make sure we have all the styles represented on our line.”
Food for thought
First came the beer. Naturally, the need for food followed. While Widerman does not have a formal culinary background, he has good taste and a lot of practice.
“I just love food,” Widerman said. “Growing up I always helped my parents cook … It’s a hobby that turned into something that I could do full-time.”
The kitchen started with simple offerings but soon evolved. Today, both locations offer artisanal takes on classics like the Vortex reuben sandwich, made with sourdough bread instead of the traditional rye. Instead of Thousand Island dressing, Widerman opts for a scratch-made roasted red pepper aioli.
The restaurants also offer seasonally inspired salads, Bavarian-style pretzels (best paired with a crisp pilsner) and other Carolina-classics like pimento cheese dip.
“We started off with a basic kitchen, kind of like a high-end deli,” Widerman explained. “Slowly it started to turn it into something a little more culinary-driven. Harrisburg was really hungry, and it worked out really well.”
A local, neighborhood feel
Both spots have weekly happenings, including live performances from local musicians and tap takeovers, an event in which a brewery representative will “take over” the bar with the brewery’s beer.
Recently Widerman launched the Vortex Supper Club, a chef-driven, four-course menu with an optional beer and wine pairing.
“Hopefully we can develop this into something that we do every month at both locations,” Widerman said.
Community (and beer) are at the heart of The VRTX Restaurant and Bar and Vortex Bottle Shop. The restaurants are neighborhood-focused — the kind of place where the bartender remembers your drink.
“People come in, we recognize who they are, what they drink and what they eat,” Widerman said.
Inside The VRTX Restaurant and Bar and Vortex Bottle Shop, you won’t find any TVs. Widerman prefers connection over screens.
“I like engagement a lot more than sports,” Widerman said.
The VRTX Restaurant & Bar
Location: 7800A Stevens Mills Rd., Stallings NC 28104
Cuisine: American
Instagram: @thevrtxstallings
Vortex Bottle Shop
Location: 4469 School House Commons, Harrisburg, NC 28075
Instagram: @vortexbottleshop
