Lan Café (CLOSED)

The decor at this vegan Vietnamese spot is nearly nonexistent—ten tables fill the petite white-walled space—and the service is harried. But the food is so good and cheap, you may give up your meat habit. The menu lists many familiar dishes—like pho and banh mi—made veg-friendly with seitan (wheat gluten) and bean curd. Pad thai was light and full of soft tofu, with none of the sticky, gooey sauces that coat inferior versions. Like other spots on the block, Lan is BYOB.