After two and half years on Fremont Street, the Vegas Test Kitchen has closed. Begun during the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant incubator allowed dozens of chefs to launch new restaurant concepts with the low overhead of a commissary kitchen and the public-facing setting of a dine-in space.
The change has left several of the Vegas Test Kitchen’s popular concepts without homes, but two of these concepts are joining forces under one roof in a new brick-and-mortar location. Down 2 Earth and Solamente Pizza, which serve vegan food and pizza, respectively, will launch a new restaurant together at 6599 Las Vegas Blvd S.
“We’ll be adding a few more things to the menu,” Down 2 Earth owner Chef Stephen Parker told What Now on Wednesday, regarding the vegan brand’s offerings in its new home. “But of course, the fan favorites are always the Truffle Mac & Cheese and the Southern Fried Oyster Mushrooms.”
In addition to Down 2 Earth’s plant-based offerings, guests will be able to enjoy pizza from Chef Ethan Spiezer of Solamente Pizza. Solamente’s naturally-leavened pizzas have been served in varieties like Margherita, Marinara, and Bianco, with add-ons like Pepperoni and Hot Honey.
Down 2 Earth and Solamente Pizza’s restaurant will feature quick service at two counters, with a kitchen on one side, and a pizza oven on the other. So if you were afraid to lose these two Vegas-born brands with closing of the Vegas Test Kitchen, fear not: they’ll be making a comeback soon.
