Keeping a restaurant open in New York City—especially a small, independent one catering to special diets—is a battle against the odds. So in a way, it’s a small miracle that the vegan hole-in-the-wall Toad Style in Bed-Stuy was able to survive for over a decade. Still, the restaurant’s sudden closure on May 6 leaves a hole in the community and in the Brooklyn vegan restaurant scene.
The spot at 93 Ralph Avenue was opened in 2015 by Jillian Camera and her partner Tyler Merfeld. Camera had previously worked at vegan restaurants Champs Diner in East Williamsburg and Cafe Blossom and Peacefood Cafe on the Upper West Side (the first two of which have since closed), but from the beginning, Toad Style had a menu all of its own.
Everything but the breads, drinks, and desserts were made in-house—all of the proteins, cheeses, and sauces were scratch-made, which set them apart especially as vegan products like the Impossible and Beyond burgers rapidly became ubiquitous. They had a brunch menu (served until 4 pm, blessedly) centered around Burmese tofu, which is made with chickpeas rather than soy. For those of us missing Toad Style’s cashew cheese-topped burgers, eggy breakfast Cubanos, and avocado cream-slathered nachos, there really isn’t a comparable substitute out there.
Unlike most restaurants, it wasn’t market fluctuations or Covid-induced challenges that ultimately forced the Toad to close—it was a result of legal issues beyond their control. The space’s Certificate of Occupancy, dated 1975, technically only permits the commercial space to operate as a printing shop, though this didn’t stop Toad Style or previous tenants from attaining proper licensure to operate as a restaurant. But after a lawsuit was filed against their landlord by the real estate developer who owns the building next door (only the latest maneuver in a years-long battle between the two property owners), the restaurant was advised to cease operations immediately.
“That was really trippy, pulling burgers out of the oven and getting that call,” Merfeld says, recalling how they suddenly had to refuse scheduled produce deliveries and discreetly spread the word to their staff, all in the middle of service.
The lack of choice is salt in the wound, especially for Toad Style, which has a record of deftly pivoting in the face of adversity. During peak Covid lockdown era, the kitchen’s deep-fryer finally broke for good. Instead of shelling out for a new one, they decided to redesign their menu such that they wouldn’t need it anymore. In a way, it was kind of fortuitous—the fryer had always created a bottleneck for production, for one thing, and as their business shifted from about 50-50 eat-in/delivery to 100% to-go, deep-fried items didn’t travel as well. So instead of watching orders sit, grease soaking into their paper bags, fried items were swapped out for grilled or baked ones, resulting in more delivery-friendly dishes that still satisfied cravings (although, longtime customers do remember the pizza fries fondly).
“I defended it until the end because it made the food and the work environment so much healthier,” Camera says about abandoning the fryer..
Beyond just a vegan hub, Camera and Merfeld always conceived of Toad Style as a piece of the broader community. During the BLM protests in summer 2020, concerned about the presence of law enforcement in the neighborhood, they offered rides home to any staff (especially those of color) who were working after dark. In December 2023, they held a fundraiser for Palestine, and this past January, they closed for the anti-ICE strike day but remained in the store to serve free lunches to neighbors.
Toad’s Tomorrow
But it’s far from doom and gloom for the Toad family these days. The couple still operates Familiars, an all-vegan coffee shop located right across the street at 94 Ralph Ave, and they’re exploring ways to redirect some of their time and energy into expanding offerings there (look out for bagel charcuterie boxes, perfect for your next park picnic). The kitchen isn’t equipped to produce the full Toad Style menu, but smaller items like soups may make their way across the street.
Cashew cheese, Jackfruit, Chipotle. avocado crema, and cilantro.
They’re also relishing the opportunity to take a breath in a way that the last decade—and especially the last year—has hardly allowed. Camera and Merfeld welcomed their first child last summer, so they’re welcoming the chance to reevaluate how business and parenthood fit into their lives. They’re looking forward to collaborating with friends and neighbors on pop-ups and other one-off projects they haven’t had the bandwidth to consider previously. It doesn’t seem like we’ve seen the last of the Toad, but whatever comes next, Camera and Merfeld are taking the moment to appreciate everything that’s come to pass so far.
“It’s the honor of a lifetime to have served people and been so enthusiastically received,” Camera says, her eyes welling up. “Especially learning that technically, it should never have been there, but that technicality waited 10 years and allowed us to do our thing. We’re so grateful.”
Friends of the Toad, i.e. Other Top NYC Vegan Restaurants
Seitan’s Helper
2 Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Seitan’s Helper is a queer vegan deli in Bushwick with a punky, playful spirit and a serious devotion to housemade seitan. The sandwiches are stacked, saucy, and built for people who miss the old-school deli drama but not the meat. Expect rotating specials, chewy deli slices, cashew cheeses, bright pickles, and big, messy combinations that feel engineered for craving. It is vegan comfort food with a wink: bold, salty, crafty, and just chaotic enough to keep things interesting.
Yough to Go
203 Knickerbocker Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Yough to Go is an all-vegan snackery, deli, and neighborhood provisions stop in Bushwick, the kind of place that makes plant-based eating feel both easy and a little indulgent. The counter leans grab-and-go, with fresh breads, pastries, bagels, croissants, cookies, and hot vegan takes on bodega-style comforts. It is practical but still charming: part corner shop, part bakery case, part “I only came in for one thing” trap. Ideal for a quick breakfast, a snack haul, or a low-lift lunch that still feels considered.
Bunna Cafe
1084 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Bunna Cafe is Bushwick’s beloved plant-based Ethiopian restaurant, warm, communal, and deeply satisfying without ever feeling like it is trying to prove a point. Meals revolve around injera and generous platters layered with lentils, greens, stewed vegetables, spices, and slow-building heat. It is a natural choice for groups, dates, vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores who simply know a good dinner when they see one. The room has an easy neighborhood glow, and the food is best eaten the proper way: shared, torn, scooped, and lingered over.
Chez Alex
72 Ralph Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Chez Alex is a Bed-Stuy bakery and cafe with strong vegan-friendly options rather than a fully vegan menu, making it a useful stop for mixed-diet mornings and casual lunches. The menu includes plant-based choices like tofu-soy chorizo scramble, house seitan sandwiches, vegan Caesar salad, overnight oats, bowls, and pastries alongside non-vegan items. The mood is relaxed and neighborhood-minded: coffee, breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, and easy daytime food without fuss. For vegans, the pleasure is in having options that feel like part of the menu, not an afterthought.
CHLOE
185 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012
CHLOE marks chef Chloe Coscarelli’s return to Greenwich Village, bringing polished, feel-good vegan food back to the Bleecker Street corner that helped shape a generation of plant-based dining in New York. The all-day cafe and bakery serves colorful, approachable classics: burgers, salads, soups, brunch dishes, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and other sweets. It is bright, nostalgic, and very downtown, with the ease of a fast-casual spot and the personality of a chef-led comeback. Come for lunch, stay for dessert, and leave pretending you did not also order cookies to go.
