Mix Up Your Lunch Routine With Three Boston Chef Collaborations

Bagelsaurus, Tiger Mama, and Catalyst lend their flavors to other local restaurants this winter.


The Bagelsaurus "Eggspañola Bowl" at Whole Heart Provisions photo / the Catalyst "Fully Committed" Sandwich at Parish Café / Tiger Mama "The Super T" at Saloniki

The Bagelsaurus “Eggspañola Bowl” at Whole Heart Provisions photo via Instagram / the Catalyst “Fully Committed” Sandwich at Parish Café photo provided / Tiger Mama “The Super T” at Saloniki photo via Instagram

What you eat for lunch can set the tone for the rest of your day. Don’t let yourself get into a noontime rut that leaves you uninspired in the afternoon—and with these new limited-time specials at Boston-area restaurants, there are truly no excuses.

Think everything bagels are just for breakfast? That’s never the case—and it’s especially not true with Bagelsaurus master Mary Ting Hyatt’s new bowl for Whole Heart Provisions. Inspired by the Cambridge bagel shop’s popular Eggspañola, this vegan, gluten-free bowl subs charred Japanese eggplant for the over-medium egg. It’s dressed with Hyatt’s pimenton aioli, and features black olive gremolata and avocado, plus an everything seed crumble topping for full bagel-y effect. The bowl is $11.85, and available through the end of February. The Eggspañola bowl is only available at Whole Heart, but maybe someday the salad shop’s founder Rebecca Arnold will return the favor with a sun-dried veggie bagel at Hyatt’s place—she’s teased the idea before.

Another fast-casual favorite, Jody Adams’ Saloniki Greek, is featuring the flavors of Tiger Mama this month with the Super T by chef Tiffani Faison. Bonus: It’s also a fundraiser for the Greater Boston Food Bank. Tiger Mama’s creation, available throughout January as a pita wrap or a rice plate ($8/$9), has curried chickpeas, tomato-coconut curry, a yogurt-cream spread to cut the spice, and a classic onion chutney.

“I’ve been on an Indian kick for a while. This is Indian meets Sri Lanka,” Faison says. “I wanted to go with a veggie focus, given people are more health conscious in January. With this you don’t have to make food sacrifices.”

But if you do want to indulge, check out Parish Café’s porky new sandwich. The Fully Committed by Catalyst chef William Kovel is loaded with roasted porchetta, broccoli rabe pesto, grilled red onions, and an herb aioli. Both locations of Parish Café—in the Back Bay, and in the South End—feature more than a dozen guest chef-designed sandwiches, and Kovel’s is the newest special. It’ll be available through the spring. The Fully Loaded comes on a fresh ciabatta roll with a side of Cape Cod potato chips.

Whether you’re seeking a healthy-ish bowl or wrap bursting with exotic flavors, or a classic Italian-American sandwich, these pedigreed plates will satisfy this winter.

Whole Heart Provisions, 487 Cambridge St., Allston, 617-202-5041, wholeheartprovisions.com.

Saloniki Greek, 4 Kilmarnock St., Fenway, Boston, 617-266-0001, 181 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge, 617-714-5152, salonikigreek.com.

Parish Café, 361 Boylston St., Back Bay, 617-247-4777, 493 Massachusetts Ave., South End, Boston, 617-391-0501, parishcafe.com.