The Tri-Cities soon will be welcoming two new Mediterranean restaurants known for their chicken kabobs, gyro sandwiches and shawarma plates.

The Kabob House will open in Richland’s Vintner Square at 2762 Duportail St. at the end of November and in Pasco’s Sandifur Crossing at 5802 Road 68 in early spring.

The Richland restaurant will be the fourth location for the regional chain which first opened in Yakima in 2009, and then expanded to Ellensburg and Spokane.

“Since we started, this was our goal,” said owner Ahmed Baqer.

Formerly a banker, Baqer decided, “If I worked for myself, it would be better.”

Kabob House’s menu features appetizers, salads, sandwiches or wraps, and entrees that include Greek rice and salad, ranging from $9.99 to $14.99.

Baqer opened the original Yakima restaurant in a 600-square-foot space before quickly outgrowing the site and relocating to Rainier Square on West Nob Hill Boulevard.

Baqer is working with Hogback Development to open the Richland restaurant, as well as one in Pasco at Road 68 and Sandifur Parkway.

Baqer said the Pasco restaurant will debut in early spring, after adding a second Yakima restaurant in between. This will make six locations for Kabob House, with the Tri-Cities and Yakima locations under a partnership with Hogback.

Baqer recently moved to the Tri-Cities and set up a corporate office in Richland after signing a 10-year lease and investing about $150,000 into the Queensgate space. He expects to hire up to 25 employees at the Richland site.

Kabob House will fill the east side of the building that currently holds Panera Bread and will eventually be home to the second location of Bright Now! Dental, which is expected to open in early 2019, around the same time as Bath & Body Works, under construction across the street in the busy Vintner Square development. The first Tri-Cities Bright Now! location opened in Kennewick in late October.

Kabob House offers catering services and online ordering at mykabobhouse.net.

Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.