After less than a year of business, vegan restaurant Sin Muerte closed its doors on August 25 in Downtown at 817 N. First Street.
The trendy restaurant opened in November 2022 in the Roosevelt Row district. Instrumental Hospitality brought the Spanish mission-style building to life for about nine months before deciding last month to close the restaurant and work on a new, yet-to-be-revealed concept in the space, according to an announcement from the restaurant’s Instagram. While the concept didn’t click with the neighborhood, it was a hotspot for vegetarians and vegans.
“When we created this concept, our team was passionate about delivering an experience that wasn’t just plant-based, but that stood on its own as a different approach to the food scene here in Phoenix,” the owners said on Instagram. “At the end of the day, though, it just didn’t work. The good news is that we are in development on a new concept for this historic, funky space that’ll be totally different. Who knows, perhaps Sin will pop back up somewhere in due time as well.”
This comes after the company’s culinary director, Michael Babcock, stepped away in July. The co-founder helped IH open the Asian-inspired Belly Kitchen and Bar and luxe cocktail lounge Quartz in 2019. Babcock says on his Instagram that the decision is fueled by wanting a “lifestyle that allows me the room to be a better husband and father.” Despite the loss, Instrumental Hospitality hopes to bounce back from Sin Muerte with a new concept in the coming months.
“Con la muerte viene la nueva vida,” the post said. “With death comes new life. To all of y’all who have supported us here at Sin Muerte, we appreciate the love from the bottom of our hearts.”
