Slutty Vegan is lining up a prime spot at Cross Street Market in Federal Hill, with plans to debut a new stall on Aug. 1, 2026. The celebrity-backed plant-based chain is slated to take roughly 1,800 square feet inside one of Baltimore’s busiest neighborhood markets, bringing an expanded menu that includes Reuben sandwiches, salads, gluten-free options and signature burgers like the Hollywood Hooker. Operators say they plan to pull in some staff from the brand’s Baltimore Peninsula location and will run the stall directly under the Slutty Vegan name instead of handing it off to a franchisee.
The move was first reported by The Baltimore Banner, which notes the vendor is expected to take a sizable corner of the renovated market and is aiming for an Aug. 1 opening. According to the outlet, Steve’s Lunch, a longtime Cross Street Market vendor, posted in June that its business was for sale, creating the opening Slutty Vegan will step into. Founder Pinky Cole described the market as “buzzing” and told the Banner that Slutty Vegan will operate the new stall itself rather than bringing in a franchise operator.
Bankruptcy and debt history
Cole and her businesses have been navigating a rocky financial stretch. She filed for Chapter 11 earlier this year, and court records show she disclosed millions of dollars in liabilities, with the chain carrying roughly $20 million in debt before a 2025 restructuring. Reporting from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution details those filings and describes the earlier assignment-for-creditors process that pared down the operation.
Lawsuit and judgment
Court records reviewed by The Baltimore Banner show that developer MCB Real Estate secured a default judgment of more than $145,000 against Slutty Vegan, Inc., an amount the developer says largely reflects unpaid rent on a 10-year Northwood Commons lease. That judgment creates an unusual legal backdrop for the Cross Street Market debut. Cole has told reporters she no longer owns Slutty Vegan, Inc., according to the Banner, and the tangle of cases and filings means creditors and landlords are likely to watch closely to see whether the company can meet new obligations as it expands in the Baltimore area.
What the move means for Cross Street Market
Cross Street Market, a city-owned public market in Federal Hill, has been renovated and relaunched as a multi-vendor food hall, and a Slutty Vegan stall of this size would rank among the larger vendor footprints in the building. The market lists its location and current tenants on its official site, and Maryland court records along with local reporting indicate that the city retains ownership while a private manager handles long-term operations. According to Cross Street Market, the hall remains a neighborhood hub, and the arrival of a national brand has the potential to shift weekday and evening foot traffic, for better or worse, for the smaller independent vendors sharing the space.
Next steps
The Cross Street Market stall is scheduled to open on Aug. 1, and Slutty Vegan says it will roll out the expanded menu there while keeping some staff continuity from the Baltimore Peninsula location. Market managers and the company are expected to share more details on buildout timing, hours and operations as the opening date approaches.
Legal implications
Legal experts note that a default judgment can give landlords a clear route to pursue past-due rent, although reorganizations and bankruptcy filings often complicate how and when that money is actually collected. In many cases, these disputes end in negotiated settlements rather than immediate seizures of assets. Coverage by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution outlines how those dynamics are playing out in Cole’s recent filings, which now form the backdrop for Slutty Vegan’s next chapter inside Cross Street Market.
