A vegan burger chain that drew a huge crowd for an April pop-up in Gahanna is giving pretty strong hints that it’s ready to return to Columbus permanently.
Slutty Vegan, the plant-based restaurants founded in 2018 by Aisha “Pinky” Cole, most recently part of the cast for “Real Housewives of Atlanta” season 17, announced on social media July 3 that it has signed agreements for two new locations.
It listed Columbus, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Nashville and Charlotte as the possibilities without naming its two new cities. But here’s the clue that makes Columbus a good bet: One of the cities, the post hinted, “is known for its LEGENDARY peanut butter and chocolate treats.”
Sounds like Columbus – and our buckeyes – to us.
It’s obvious Cole and her company were impressed by the turnout for their April 13 pop-up at Barrel & Boar on Mill Street in Gahanna. Slutty Vegan’s Instagram account posted 19 times from the event, calling the turnout “legendary” and concluding, “It’s safe to say we need a Slutty Vegan in Columbus, Ohio.”
The chain has four restaurants right now: in Atlanta and suburban Jonesboro, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; and Brooklyn, New York.
Slutty Vegan’s menu includes plant-based burgers, brisket sandwiches and cheesesteaks with names like “One Night Stand” and “Fussy Hussy.” The restaurants also serve fries, loaded fries, sweet potato pie and banana pudding for dessert.
Its other expansion target, according to its Instagram post, is a city “famous for its ICONIC hot dogs.” Could that be Cleveland, home of the Polish Boy, a hot dog slathered in barbecue sauce and topped with fries and slaw?
A representative from Pinky Cole Enterprises hasn’t responded yet to a request from The Dispatch for more information.
Follow Dispatch dining reporter Bob Vitale on Instagram at @dispatchdining. You can reach him directly at rvitale@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Slutty Vegan gives strong clues that it plans to expand to Columbus
Reporting by Bob Vitale, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Bob Vitale, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
