"In a world full of 1950s-themed diners, Toasty Badger dares to be different—it’s ‘70s-styled. The wood paneling, white lace curtains, and starburst clock will transport you back to a dining room where everyone is still mourning the Beatles’ breakup. That funky nostalgia enhances the pancakes, which are already a perfect mix of gooey and griddled. This daytime restaurant on South Congress—boldly located three blocks from Magnolia Cafe, one of Austin’s most famous diners—has a great breakfast, an OK lunch, and all the liveliness you want from a place where servers wear Keith Richards and Janis Joplin T-shirts. It gets packed on the weekends, so grab a reservation and dig into Toasty Badger’s spin on dishes like biscuits and gravy (made with tomato jam and guajillo chilis), or their pork patty breakfast sandwich. If the weather’s nice, sit on the patio, where conversation won’t be drowned out by the indoor speakers blasting “Go Your Own Way.” photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Food Rundown photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Biscuits ‘n’ Gravy It’s hard to beat a classic white gravy, but Toasty Badger goes rogue and pulls off a fairly unique twist using tomato jam, guajillo, and chives, with a hot-sauce drizzle that will set your Saturday brunch catch-up on fire (or at least it’ll taste good). photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Classic Griddle Cakes Pancakes at their finest—fluffy and sweet (but not too sweet) with the perfect outer singe. At the very least, order a plate for the table to share. photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Breakfast Sandwich This is light but satisfying, with a fresh-tasting pork patty served on an English muffin next to a cute rectangular hashbrown. Not sure we’ve ever called a hashbrown “cute” before, but this one really is. photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Toasty’s Chicken Fried Steak The meat is good, but the sauce it’s smothered in could use more salt. Instead, you’ll find it in the incredible smoky collard greens that come with the steak." - Matthew Jacobs
