Memphis’ appetite for plant-based burgers came in loud and clear on Sunday, when hundreds of diners packed the sidewalk outside Smackers Restaurant & Eatery on Highland Street for a one-night Slutty Vegan takeover. The Atlanta brand’s founder, Pinky Cole, worked the counter while her crew cranked out stacked vegan burgers for a nonstop crowd. For many in Midtown, the pop-up felt less like a quirky novelty and more like a live-fire market test.
As reported by the Daily Memphian, photographer Ellen Chamberlain snapped Cole posing with fans, and the outlet noted that hundreds of customers queued up for the Slutty Vegan menu inside the Smackers space. Local restaurateurs told the paper they were energized by the turnout and openly hopeful that the buzzy brand might one day plant permanent roots in Memphis.
Smackers, the local sandwich and burger spot that handed over its Highland storefront for the night, lists that address on its website as part of its growing footprint. According to Smackers, the Highland restaurant is one of several locations it operates around the Memphis area.
A Test Run For The Market
According to Slutty Vegan, the company is based in Atlanta and already runs locations in multiple cities, a setup that helps explain why a one-night kitchen takeover is a handy way to feel out a new town. Dropping a proven menu into an existing Memphis kitchen let Slutty Vegan gauge both demand and logistics without taking on a long-term lease or full build-out.
Local Reaction
Local restaurateurs told the Daily Memphian they saw the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd as a clear sign that Memphis is hungry for more plant-based options. Community happenings such as Memphis Vegan Fest also suggest steady interest, with organizers promoting the festival on the Downtown Memphis event calendar.
For now, Slutty Vegan’s online locations list still skips Memphis entirely, and the Highland Street takeover looks like a test run rather than a formal expansion announcement. Fans and industry watchers will be eyeing the brand’s next moves, waiting to see whether Sunday night’s crowd was enough to bring Slutty Vegan back for good.
