Despite my frequent coverage of cheesy chicken parm, juicy burgers and seafood in all forms, in a past life, I was a vegetarian. So, when I found myself in Bed Stuy after catching up with a good friend in the neighborhood, I made my way to Toad Style, a small vegan eatery, for a little nostalgia.
Let’s rewind. In 2011, a Thanksgiving dinner prepared by yours truly left a gross mark on me, and the following day, I vowed to give up meat for a month. A month led to two, then six then nearly five years. It wasn’t until my travel schedule started to heavily pick up that I decided I’d eat meat again so as not miss out on authentic experiences abroad. Those years changed my eating habits — most notably that I am not quick to write off a restaurant just because it’s vegan. Two of my favorite sandwich shops during my plant-based years were The Cinnamon Snail (RIP) and Toad Style.
Jillian Camera and Tyler Merfeld, after living in Bed Stuy for over five years, felt the neighborhood was seriously lacking vegan options and sought to change that in 2015. While there are certainly more vegan-friendly options in Bed Stuy now, Toad Style remains one of the most prominent plant-based eateries in the general area. Their signature dish is the Sunshine Burger, which is also by far the most popular thing on the menu. It’s made with a housemade lentil, mushroom and oat patty, homemade cashew dill cream cheese, avocado, sweet chili mustard, and arugula, all on a pretzel bun.
It had been years since I had The Sunshine Burger, so I promptly ordered one — though the garlic confit patty melt and the Hot Stuff burger with buffalo sauce were equally tempting — and I threw in a side of potato salad as per the cashier’s recommendation.
Pre-tip, my burger and potato salad came to around $19. The portions were good — not massive, but not skimping. The first thing I noticed about The Sunshine Burger, aside from its glistening pretzel bun, was the overflow of green arugula. I lifted the top bun to see there was also about half of an avocado sliced, smothered in sweet chili mustard, which sat on top of a good slathering of their house-made cashew dill cheese.
A big qualm with veggie burgers is they can get mushy and fall apart into a soggy mess. The exterior of The Sunshine Burger patty had a slight crunch, which, beyond being satisfying, helped keep the burger intact. The pretzel bun is a wise choice since it’s sturdy enough to keep the sandwich’s contents contained. The mushrooms in the patty give the burger an earthy flavor, and the lentils and oats provide a nice texture throughout.
While the patty itself hit all the right spots, that cashew dill cheese is the most impressive component, with a super creamy and slightly tangy flavor. If I had to knock The Sunshine Burger, I could’ve done with one less creamy component (the avocado, cashew cheese, and sweet chili mustard was one too many). Only a few bites in, the avocado started to slide out, so despite my love for the green fruit, I’d order my next one without.
As for the potato salad, the spuds were cooked “al dente” — neither underdone or overcooked. Because of this, they held up to the creamy dill dressing quite well and had nice pops of tang throughout thanks to the addition of capers and onions. For just $4, you get a good portion, so the cashier was onto something when they recommended it.
Toad Style is far more than just a plant-based restaurant — its “meaty” burgers and hearty sides could sate carnivores just as well, so keep it in mind next time you’re craving a burger, but want something on the leaner side.
- Address: 93 Ralph Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
- Phone: (347) 789-1589
- Hours: Monday-Sunday 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
- Prices: Burgers $14-$16; Tortillas $12-$14; Sides $3-$8; Salads $12; Lunch Special (Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) Add Potato Chips and a Spindrift to any Burger for $1; Brunch $12-$14
- Takeout and delivery available; no reservations.
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