Columbus is getting a new burger spot, and this one comes with a little more personality than your average patty-and-bun operation.
Slutty Vegan, the Atlanta-based plant-based burger brand known for bold flavors, big energy, and a very memorable name, is officially coming to Columbus. The brand has signed franchise agreements to open locations in both Columbus and Cleveland, marking its first move into Ohio.
The Ohio expansion will be led by Soul Republic Hospitality Group, a local hospitality group founded by Akin Affrica. The group will bring the Slutty Vegan experience to both markets, with locations expected to open in fall 2026.
Affrica is already familiar with the brand.
He first visited Slutty Vegan’s Atlanta location in 2019 and said the combination of the food, customer experience, and business model immediately caught his attention.
Now, after growing Soul Republic into a hospitality group with seven brands and a dozen locations, he’s bringing that experience back to Ohio with a new addition.
“Ohio embodies the bold, hardworking and ready for something different energy that Slutty Vegan was built on,” said Slutty Vegan founder and CEO Pinky Cole Hayes. “Making our state debut in Columbus and Cleveland was a no-brainer.”
Founded in Atlanta in 2018, Slutty Vegan started as a food truck before becoming a nationally recognized brand with a reputation for turning plant-based food into something loud, fun, and decidedly not boring.
The menu is known for over-the-top vegan burgers, creative toppings, and the brand’s signature Slut Sauce.
The company has built a following by making vegan comfort food feel more like a party than a lecture about vegetables.
The expansion also comes during a big year for founder Pinky Cole Hayes, who joined the cast of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” for its 17th season, introducing the brand to an even wider audience.
Details about the Columbus location, including the exact address and opening date, will be announced as construction moves forward.
