At the new restaurant, customers will enter the converted 1936 bungalow on Roosevelt Street through a bubblegum-colored front door. In fact, all the doors will be pink, as well as the bathroom walls, chandeliers hanging above the patio, and the neon sign over the fireplace emblazoned with the slogan: "#eatmytaco!"
“Because who doesn’t love pink?” asks Brittany Lawber, co-founder of Dos Pink Tacos. She runs the restaurant with her wife Shayna Lawber.
The new menu will feature a fetching selection of plant-based tacos, nachos, burritos, and sides with punny names like the WAP Taco and Nacho In Your Mouth. Plus, they’re adding Avo Nugz with vegan ranch, loaded rice bowls, and a breakfast burrito layered with hash browns, vegan eggs, Impossible sausage, queso, and DPT Secret Sauce. Brunch mimosas and champagne will follow once the liquor license comes through.
“When we envisioned opening a restaurant, we wanted it to be everything that you couldn’t buy at the store,” Brittany says. “We truly make everything from scratch besides the Impossible meat.”
While the restaurant is new to the downtown Phoenix food scene, the bungalow isn't. Just off Seventh Street, it housed Mexican seafood joint Ay, Chebela for a couple of weeks before it abruptly closed in November. Before that, it housed wine bar Chez Gregory which closed roughly a year after opening.
So, is the space cursed? In many ways, it was destined to be Dos Pink Tacos all along. The landlord, who owns multiple restaurant locations in the area, approached Brittany and Shayna before they opened in Tempe. But they’d already signed the lease with CloudKitchens, the corporate owner of Tempe Food Court which was started by former Uber founder and CEO Travis Kalanick.
They bought into CloudKitchens’ promise of a cheap and easy way to grow their dream restaurant. Unfortunately, the dream didn't pan out. Between expensive monthly rent, percentages required for delivery apps, and extra fees, the Lawber's profits quickly dwindled.
Their financial advisor said they were better off leaving than staying and paying, so in December 2022, Brittany and Shayna bought a food truck as part of their exit strategy, still planning on finishing out their lease at Tempe Food Court. But when the Roosevelt landlord approached them once again, this time they didn’t pass it up.
“It’s been a lot of work getting the place ready, but I feel like this is where we’re supposed to be,” Brittany says.
The downtown Phoenix bungalow will soon transform into a vegan restaurant and hangout.
Allison Young
Pink will proliferate inside, and the already-charming patio will get a fun face-lift with potted cactuses, corn hole games, and eventually, a sunset mural with beach vibes.
“We want it to be a fun, safe place where you can stay, hang out, do your homework, and bring your dogs,” Brittany says. That includes Brittany and Shayna’s three fur babies London, Juicy, and Tiffy.
From day one, Brittany and Shayna knew they wanted to give customers not only amazing vegan food, but an experience as well, they say. The ghost kitchen concept delivered on the former, but missed the best part of Dos Pink Tacos, the chance for Brittany and Shayna to interact with customers. Once the counter-service spot opens – they’re aiming for February 7 – customers will get the full treatment.
“Life is a pivot. If one thing doesn’t work, you pivot to something that may work," Brittany says. “And Seventh Street is the vegan epicenter of Phoenix."
Dos Pink Tacos
719 East Roosevelt Street619-559-3695
dospinktacos.com
