Pinky Cole’s Bar Vegan In Atlanta To Close

This concludes the restaurant's four-year tenure in Atlanta’s Midtown district.

May 2, 2025 - 17:00

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Pinky Cole’s Bar Vegan In Atlanta To Close

Bar Vegan, the plant-based restaurant and cocktail bar founded by Pinky Cole, is will close its Atlanta location on May 5 after four years.

The closing is part of a broader restructuring effort within Cole’s business ventures, which includes the shuttering of Slutty Vegan branches in Duluth and on the campuses of Spelman College and Georgia Tech.

In an Instagram announcement, Bar Vegan stated, “This chapter may be closing, but the story doesn’t end there. Stay tuned; there’s more coming to Atlanta this summer. Rumor has it, we may just be a part of it.”

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Bar Vegan opened February 2021, taking over the space formerly occupied by The Mercury on the second floor of Ponce City Market in Atlanta’s Midtown district. The establishment quickly gained attention for its theatrical cocktails served in unconventional vessels like Ferris wheels and fire extinguishers. The restaurant also offered vegan meals such as Philly Cheesesteaks and eggrolls.

Despite its popularity, Bar Vegan faced challenges, including a 2022 lawsuit filed by a former employee alleging improper tip pooling and wage violations.

Cole also faced significant challenges in 2025 that led to the temporary loss of ownership of her business in February, due to financial difficulties, including a $10 million corporate overhead. She handed over control of the company as part of the restructuring process.

Cole reclaimed her company in March. She purchased it back under a new business entity, “Ain’t Nobody Coming To See You, Otis LLC,” a line from The Temptations biopic. Cole has plans to launch the “Slutty Vegan 2.0”

Bar Vegan has expanded to Lawrenceville, Georgia, where a location opened in July 2024.