Toad Style

Toad Style—with its alternative music soundtrack and old-school karate posters lining the walls (including a Five Deadly Venoms poster from which the restaurant takes its name)—feels like the after-school hangout of cool misfits. But cool aesthetics aside, Toad Style is really for everyone, vegan or otherwise.

Started by Jillian Camera and Tyler Merfeld over 10 years ago, the pint-sized Bed-Stuy restaurant has stood the test of time by sticking to its guns: saying no to the processed Impossible Burgers and Beyond Burgers and only saying yes to scratch-made eats that are as accessible as they are good. Burgers are certainly one of the calling cards here, with all five variations using patties made up of a mash-up of lentils, mushrooms, and oats.

The Sunshine Burger is a house favorite, saucy with sweet chili mustard and cashew cheese that oozes easily from the warm pretzel bun. The sides hold court, too, including smoky nacho cheese amped with pickled jalapeños and warm cups of tart pickle soup that's heavily scattered with dill. And that chilly orange creamsicle slush? It could easily give Orange Julius a run for its money.