Restaurant round-up: Vegan cupcakes and Casablanca come to Midtown

Memphis has a booming dining scene (that stretches way beyond barbecue!), and restaurateurs Cassi Conyers and Aimer Shtaya are ready to bring unique fare to the city.

Conyers operates Pink Diva Cupcakery, a sweet-tooth refuge for vegans and those with milk, egg, walnut, and peanut allergies.

“I want people to get away from the stereotype of what vegan food is. The ingredients aren’t as funny as you think they are. They’re just normal ingredients, minus the animals,” she said.

Since early February, she has been baking and selling her cupcakes from Watkins St. in a space she shares with Midtown Crossing Grill.

The Crosstown location makes sense to Conyers, especially with the anticipated effects of Crosstown Concourse’s opening date in 2017. “The crosstown building is going to bring in new residents and new palates and a desire for something unheard of.”

Some of her cupcake creations include the pink chocolate Diva Delight and Bluff City Blueberry. She also sells “happy hour” cupcakes by special order. Conyers’s favorite is the peach schnapps and peach-flavored vodka infused Peach Bellini cupcake.

Conyers said that her first love is vegan cooking, so keep an eye out for more menu additions.

Local Middle Eastern and Moroccan food favorite Casablanca is opening a Midtown location on Madison Ave. Shtaya hopes to open in late April or early May.

Unlike Shtaya’s other restaurant on Poplar Ave., the Midtown location will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and also deliver to the area.  

“I love Midtown, and I liked being there before,” Shtaya said referencing his presence on Young Ave. in 2009. The Madison Ave. location is further west being a couple blocks from Fuel Café.

As always, freshly baked pita on the menu.