LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Social Sloth Café, a downtown restaurant that’s made a name for itself by serving Turkish dishes, is making the move to Okemos.
The new Social Sloth Café will be located at Central Plaza Drive in Okemos, at the former site of Akagi Sushi.
The move comes as the owners, husband and wife team Burcay and Aybars Gunguler, require a larger kitchen to fulfill the demands for Social Sloth’s expanded menu. The couple hopes to have the new restaurant open to the public by the end of March.
Burcay Gunguler also cited the impact of the coronavirus pandemic to Lansing’s restaurant-going scene as a whole as a big reason the restaurant is moving from downtown.
“Downtown was good, there were lots of state workers — then COVID hit,” Burcay Gunguler said.
Social Sloth Café was able to bear the brunt of the pandemic thanks to a number of clever alternatives to raise revenue aside from in-person dining.
The Gungulers adapted to the unique circumstances with deliveries of specialized boxed meal packages, and even did Zoom cooking classes to teach customers how to prepare their favorite Social Sloth meals at home.
While Social Sloth Café only served baked goods when it was first opened, it has since expanded to serve up many dishes from a diverse Turkish cultural background, all of which are prepared fresh, daily.
“People like to explore and try new, good food. Turkish food has many varieties and we try to find a good balance. Everything we cook is unique and it’s all from scratch,” Burcay Gunguler said.
Burcay Gunguler said she and her husband and crew are very thankful for the support they’ve found from the Lansing community, and are confident that will extend to the Okemos and East Lansing area.
Asides from its delicious food, the restaurant’s unique branding, featuring a cartoon sloth mascot and a pastel teal colorway, and cozy interior décor helped the restaurant standout from the crowd.
“It has been a whole journey. There wasn’t any other Turkish places in town, Lansing has been a good home for us,” Burcay Gunguler said.
To keep up with what’s new at Social Sloth Café, including the menu, special events, classes and fundraisers, you can visit its Facebook page.
