The Pepsi Dig In Restaurant Royalty Residency has returned for its third year to Libertine Social at Mandalay Bay and Public House at Luxor. This year’s residency features exclusive new dishes from six restaurants: Slutty Vegan, Q1227, Taco Mell, Sienna Wings, NYAM, and Vyoone’s.
Pinky Cole Hayes, founder of Slutty Vegan – a plant-based sensation in New York City, Atlanta, and Dallas – makes her Vegas debut in the Pepsi-sponsored MGM Resorts residency. The residency runs from Sept. 21 through Feb. 7, showcasing each dish for four weeks. First on the menu is the Fussy Hussy burger from Slutty Vegan, the Black-owned plant-based national chain founded by Pinky Cole Hayes.
“Las Vegas is a culinary destination where people go to taste the best of the best,” Hayes said. “It’s an honor to be joining Pepsi Dig In alongside an incredible line-up of talented restaurateurs, and be bringing Slutty Vegan’s iconic burger to Las Vegas for the first time exclusively to MGM Resorts.”
In other news, the LGBTQ+-owned and operated boutique hotel, the Bent Inn, has closed its doors after barely a year of operation downtown, along with its bar and gastropub. According to the latest Eater Vegas post, this marks the eighth gay bar to close since the summer of 2023. The Garden, another LGBTQ+ establishment in the Arts District, shuttered on Sept. 21 after four years of operation. Created by Vegas gay nightlife figure Eduardo Cordova, The Garden’s closure follows last year’s opening of Queen Bar Las Vegas.
The list of closures also includes Freezone, the Las Vegas Eagle, the Spotlight Lounge, Coop’s Cabaret, Jimmy’s at Madison’s, and Charlie’s Las Vegas, all of which have served their last cocktails.
Meanwhile, Lavo has reopened in The Venetian’s Palazzo Tower after closing on June 23 for a redesign and update to its coastal Italian menu by Ralph Scamardella, chief culinary officer for Tao Restaurant Group, which owns the restaurant.
Chef Michael Nguyen has launched Poke Market, an eatery in the UnCommons residential development in southwest Las Vegas. Until June 22, this space was home to the Sundry Food Hall. Poke Market, a Japanese eatery and store, now occupies 6815 Tom Rodriguez St., Suite 110, formerly the location of Cuban sandwich shop Mercadito.
Lastly, Burgundy French Bakery at 9440 W. Sahara Ave. was closed by the Southern Nevada Health District on Sept. 30, earning 10 demerits.
