Best of Boston

If you don’t think vegetarian cuisine can be decadent, then you’ve never tried Whole Heart’s falafel dog: two golden-fried chickpea-and-parsley patties “dragged through the garden” with tahini, tomato, and Grillo’s pickles. Resounding proof that meat-free dining doesn’t have to be an exercise in self-flagellation, chef Rebecca Arnold and Roxy’s Grilled Cheese owner James DiSabatino go next-level with their salads and street-food-inspired small bites: One forkful of the Sichuan-dukkah-laced Mission bowl should charm even the most ardent carnivore.