A wiener loaded with mustard, onion and chili, it looks just like a coney dog. But there are zero animal parts.

Same goes for the Big Mock burger — an homage to the McDonald's Big Mac — stacked with patties, a cheese substitute, pickles, lettuce and a special sauce.

Pete LaCombe, 47, plans to open Chili Mustard Onions, a 100% vegan, Coney Island-style restaurant, by about September at 3411 Brush Street in Detroit.

He ate the real thing most of his life. But 4½ years ago, after seeing a documentary about suffering animals, he and his family decided to stop consuming critters.

"When you see where it comes from, it's crazy," he said of meat.

Since the Facebook page went up, LaCombe said he's already hearing from angry carnivores.

"People say, 'What the (expletive)'s wrong with you hipsters? Leave the Coney Island alone,'" LaCombe said. "That kind of hate keeps me going. It really does. Because I'm striking a chord with everybody — not just the vegans, but everybody."

Coney Island diners, where meat-based chili dogs are among meat-laden menu items, are a beloved part of Detroit life. But LaCombe claims his recipes are good enough to please people used to meat.

"They want something they love, but that they're not going to get heartburn from," he said. "I want to show people you can eat your favorite food — but veganized."

So what's in a vegan coney dog? Organic spice and soy crumble, "to give it a little texture," are among the chili ingredients. The wieners are skinless, vegan, gluten-free Smart Dogs (which, according to their website, contain soy, evaporated cane syrup, pea protein isolate, tapioca starch and more).

LaCombe said the chili recipe is his own, and he'll be using Smart Dogs, a store-bought Lifelight brand, until he starts making his own vegan hot dogs. The Big Mock will use patties from Beyond Meat (made with pea protein, according to its website), cheese substitute from Follow Your Heart (coconut oil, modified food starch, potato starch and more, according to its website) and a special sauce made with about six ingredients that LaCombe said tastes just like Big Mac sauce.

The food, while cholesterol-free, isn't super healthy. The Big Mock has about 500 calories, LaCombe said, which is only about 63 less than a Big Mac from McDonald's. Vegan desserts such as vegan bumpy cake and Hostess-style cupcakes are also to be served at Chili Mustard Onions, where LaCombe will be head chef as well as owner.

LaCombe, of Grosse Pointe Farms, previously worked in automotive design. Inspired by the documentary film "Earthlings," which includes topics of animals suffering for the food industry, he went vegan with his wife and daughter.

After developing recipes similar to meat foods he used to enjoy, LaCombe said he wants to share them with others.

"What I'm trying to do is eliminate the kale and tofu mess — that's what vegans eat. Rabbit food," he said. "For me, it's all about animals first, health benefits and earth benefits second."

Contact Robert Allen: rallen@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @rallenMI .