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Imagine the snack bar at the local ice rink in the town where you grew up: the friendly bar where you ordered; the garish décor; the plastic trays and baskets; the laminated tables and booths; and the greasy fried food, too-sweet soda, and impossibly thick milkshakes. Now imagine that spot without any signs of actual meat or dairy products and situated in dripping-with-irony Williamsburg and you've got yourself Foodswings, the greasiest vegan spoon in town. Owner Freedom, a painter and Bronx native who’s been vegan for more than a decade, explains the restaurant’s philosophy: "I've never been one for grains and vegetables. I always wanted the food I grew up with. That's the motivation." Foodswings has this food nostalgia down pat, and they manage to create some convincing deep-fried favorites out of soy products. The typical snack bar fare—hotdogs, hamburgers, nachos—is augmented by salads and lighter sandwiches, and the novel "milk" shake flavors, like peanut butter and jelly and pistachio, give McDonalds a run for its money. The "chicken" drumsticks in Buffalo, barbecue, and Southern-fried versions particularly impress, approximating their free-range equivalent in taste and texture—though diners should beware the chopstick-like bone at their center. — Andrew Sessa

After 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays Foodswings switches to its "Midnight Munchies" menu, featuring simpler snacks and sandwiches.

Foodswings drumsticks, $7.95