Amid Scandal, Campus Cafe Turns Over Kitchen to Local Favorite Food Truck

Campus hangout Spider House has closed its kitchen for good, as reported by Chronicle. Instead, vegan food truck Arlo’s has taken over the cafe’s food operations through two trucks on site at 2908 Fruth Street.

These kitchen changes come in the wake of accusations of alleged sexual assault last year against Spider House co-owner John Dorgan, and Dorgan’s recent libel and slander lawsuit against business partner Conrad Bejarano and former employee and accuser Jeremy Rogers.

Spider House general manager Jay Cesak said the cafe is looking to shake up its model to keep pace with newer institutions (Spider House has been in Austin for 26 years), as he told Chronicle. The cafe is getting rid of table service and adding an additional outside bar to help “employees be more profitable and create less confusion for the patrons.”

Arlo’s is known for vegan burgers, particularly the Bac’n Cheeze Burger, made with a soy- and gluten-free patty, seitan bac’n, and melted cheeze. This is the fourth Arlo’s truck in Austin (in addition to the one at Cheer Up Charlie’s and The Grackle, as well as one already at Spider House). Also at Spider House are vegan taco truck Cool Beans and vegan milkshake truck Milky Way Shakes, both of which will continue to operate at Fruth Street.

• Spider House Kitchen Is Closed [Chronicle]
• Spider House Cafe Co-Owner Files Lawsuit Over Alleged Sexual Assault Accusation [EATX]
• Disagreement Ensues Over Alleged Sexual Assault by Spider House Owner [EATX]
• All Coverage of Spider House [EATX]