I Tried Slutty Vegan’s Brooklyn Location for the First Time

Slutty Vegan’s newest location is primely located in Fort Greene, a Brooklyn neighborhood facing high levels of gentrification, according to The New York Times.

Slutty Vegan origins began when founder Pinky Cole began selling vegan burgers out of her two-bedroom Atlanta apartment in April 2018. In October of that same year, Cole opened her first brick-and-mortar location in Atlanta’s west end. 

According to the restaurant’s website, Cole aimed to bring vegan options to the Black community. Slutty Vegan also has Georgia locations in Athens, Jonesboro, and Duluth. Their first location outside of Georgia opened in Birmingham, Alabama in August

Slutty Vegan’s newest location in Brooklyn, which opened in the Fort Greene neighborhood on September 18, has furthered Cole’s mission of bringing vegan food to underserved communities. According to the Times, Fort Greene has faced increasing levels of gentrification that changed the inhabitants of the neighborhood, which was historically Black.

I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious comfort food and welcoming atmosphere.

I decided to bypass the lines from the grand opening and visited the fast food joint on the following Tuesday since the restaurant is closed Sundays and Mondays. 

When my roommate and I arrived, the line was short, but while we waited, it grew the length of the block. Though crowded, employees helped organize and energize patrons waiting in line. The greeters sang along to the music playing inside and sparked conversations with us.

Slutty Vegan’s hilariously creative branding made the ordering experience a joy. After placing your order, the cashier encouraged you to “stay slutty” on your way out the door.

When my roommate and I made it inside, I was shocked to see how small the space was. With no seating area, the interior only includes the kitchen and a merchandise wall. While ordering, Ariana Grande’s “7 rings” played and we sang along with employees in the kitchen. 

Half party vibes, half restaurant, Slutty Vegan had me hooked before I took the first bite. The wall was decorated with a play on rapper Biggie Small’s hit “Hypnotize,” which read “Slutty Slutty Slutty can’t you see,” paying homage to the Brooklyn native. 

After we got our meal, we had to find somewhere to enjoy our food. The two of us posted up on a bench down the street, and I was sad to leave the restaurant’s curated ambiance.

The two of us got our orders quickly and sadly had to leave the music and energetic employees behind. In a perfect world, the Brooklyn location would offer outdoor or indoor seating options so patrons could enjoy their vegan bites at the restaurant.

After unpacking the tightly wrapped burger, it smelled delicious and looked like a greasy diner burger.

Even though the burger wasn’t pretty, we couldn’t wait to take the first bite. The “One Night Stand” was a near-perfect replica of a great burger. The vegan bacon threw me off a bit, but the entire burger was reminiscent of the greasy comfort food I’m used to as a non-vegan. 

The “Slut Sauce,” Slutty Vegan’s take on a thousand island dressing, is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. It tied the entire burger together, and I can see myself buying it separately to put on burgers at home. 

After trying Slutty Vegan for the first time, I’ll be adding it to my rotation of fast food spots in the city.

As a huge fan of Shake Shack and In-N-Out, I have been on the lookout for new burger places to try in the city. Even though I’m not vegan, Slutty Vegan can easily compete with the best beef burgers, and I’ll definitely return to try their expanded menu items.