Fine vegetarian dishes can now be had at some of the toniest spots in Boston, with fixed-price menus that let chefs be inventive and offer diners surprising variety.

By Susanne Althoff – My husband and I eat a lot of Indian when we go out. And Thai, and Mexican. Both vegetarians for 15 years, we favor cuisines that offer plenty of meatless options. We also usually avoid high-end restaurants with well-known chefs, where there's typically only one vegetarian entree on the menu, if that - and how disappointing when it's a $20 plate of uninspired pasta primavera.

But more and more of those restaurants are vying for our attention, most notably by offering fixed-price multicourse vegetarian dinners. They usually feature dishes that don't appear on the regular menu, they can often be made egg- and dairy-free, and they change from night to night. Prices range from $25 to $75 for three to seven courses and often include extras like an amuse-bouche, a pre-dessert sorbet, and post-dessert candies and petits fours. A light lunch that day is advised.

The innovations coming out of kitchens right now will erase anyone's idea that vegetarianism is limiting or boring - and may even tempt steak lovers. Here are seven of my favorites.

See complete article for Susanne Althoff’s reviews of her picks for BEST OVERALL restaurants
Top Three Picks:
Radius
Aujourd’hui
Ten Tables

Photo of Morels in Pastry by Heath Robbins