Vegan News

Celebrity Slutty Vegan burger joint in Dallas' Deep Ellum has closed

Slutty Vegan burgers

Slutty Vegan

A high-profile vegan burger joint in Dallas has closed: Slutty Vegan, the buzzy Atlanta-based concept founded by colorful enterpreneur Pinky Cole, has closed its location at 2707 Main St. in Deep Ellum.

The restaurant was not open during usual hours and it's currently marked "temporarily closed" online. The company is notoriously reclusive, and a representative did not respond to inquiries; but shortly after said inquiries were sent, the restaurant posted a reel that said:

"Our Dallas location is currently getting some work done on her!!!" and recommended that fans try other locations.

The Slutty Vegan in Birmingham, Alabama, also closed "temporarily," but the company stated they would be reopening and eventually did. No such plans have been laid for the Dallas location, and inquiries about a reopening went unanswered.

Slutty Vegan was founded by Cole, an outspoken champion of the vegan lifestyle, who started it as an Instagram business, before opening her first restaurant in Atlanta in 2018 with a menu of vegan burgers, sandwiches, and fries, in a vividly bright atmosphere with graffiti-style decor.

The combination and a celebrity magnet, drawing fans like Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Taraji P. Henson, Tyler Perry, and Queen Latifah.

The sandwiches had a sloppy, decadent appearance, with generous doses of their signature "Slutty sauce" — a rich spicy take on the usual secret sauce.

The Dallas location opened in May 2023, ironically right across from a BBQ place, with a menu of sassily-named favorites including the One Night Stand (a burger with vegan bacon, vegan cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato & Slut Sauce on a vegan Hawaiian bun); Fussy Hussy (a burger with pickles, vegan cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato & Slut Sauce); and Hollywood Hooker, a vegan chopped Philly with jalapeños, bell pepper, caramelized onions, vegan provolone, lettuce, tomato, ketchup & vegan mayo on a hoagie roll).

Their signature is the "Ménage à Trois" featuring a plant-based patty, vegan bacon, vegan shrimp, vegan cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and Slut Sauce. Other options included a chicken sandwich called the Chick’N Head; a plant-based bratwurse called the Big Dawg; and the "PLT" featuring plantains in a sweet jerk sauce.

While the Dallas restaurant's opening was met with the trademark long lines, the location's success was hampered by the fact that it had no dine-in seating, making it essentially a to-go spot — but in a neighborhood where easy drive-up access or parking was limited.

The chain has nine brick-and-mortar locations, including Atlanta, on-campus at Georgia Tech, Athens, and Brooklyn, and they're still opening locations and hosting pop-ups in cities like Nashville.

deep-ellum closings

Deep Ellum News

Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas

Mama Por Dios

A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas: Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St., taking over the former La Neta space, which shuttered in May.

According to a spokesperson, the restaurant will open in early to mid-January.

Mama Por Dios was founded in Southern California in 2020 by chef Misael Guerrero, who famously got his start selling Mexican sushi out of his garage.

Since those early days, he's gone on to form a restaurant empire called Emme Group, with concepts that include Los Amores de Julia, El Rincon de Los Dolidos, and Culichi Town, a lower-priced chain known for Sinaloa-style Mexican sushi & seafood, which has a local presence: It opened a location in Mesquite in 2022.

Mama Por Dios — which translates to "Mother of God" — describes itself as modern Mexican, offering a unique blend of steakhouse, sushi bar, and seafood. The menu includes favorites like tacos and enchiladas, alongside luxe dishes like lobster with spaghetti, lobster enchiladas, and a surf & turf featuring a lobster tail balanced atop a skirt steak. Prices range from $18 for birria tacos to $48 for a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

But they also have a showy side that includes flamboyant presentations such as the bacon-wrapped shrimp which come strung on clothespins; or the trompito al pastor, served on a personal spit, as well as servers who walk around with shots while dancing with patrons.

There's a Gold Burger for $65 featuring Prime beef on a brioche bun garnished with 24k gold leaf, and a similarly gilded tomahawk steak for $400 that brings to mind the good old days of Salt Bae. Decor is swanky with low lighting, and there'll be a serious brunch offering on weekends.

Cocktails such as the Al Agua Pato — served in a mini bathtub with a rubber ducky — are made for Instagram. They offer margarita and mezcalita flights with flavors such as mango, tamarindo, and strawberry, and intriguing sips like Carajillo, a Spanish cocktail with Licor 43, espresso, and 43 different fruit, citrus, aromatic, and herbal ingredients.

There’s also a $20 per-person minimum spend, and the menu comes with a warning that everything is cooked to order — meaning some dishes may take 30 to 40 minutes. For many diners, waiting will surely be part of the experience.

deep-ellum tex-mex openings