Class of 2015, if you’ve recently checked the calendar, you know that graduation is less than three weeks away. While you may be panicking about finals, finding a job and moving out of your apartment, I have another important task to add to your list: graduation dinner reservations.
If you aren’t using graduation as an excuse to eat your way through Atlanta on your parents’ dime, then you’re doing it wrong. Atlanta offers up a ton of delicious restaurants, with everything from Italian eateries with white tablecloths to straight up Southern fare.
Don’t let planning graduation dinner add to your end of year stress. We’ve got you covered with the best restaurants for this celebratory meal.
Pricci
Photo by Sara Kotcher
Located on Pharr Road in Buckhead, Pricci is a classic. From the white tablecloths to the waiters in traditional tuxedos, your grandparents will love the atmosphere. More importantly, you will love the food.
With an expansive menu of artisanal pastas and hearty meat dishes, it’s truly difficult to choose. That’s why your one hope should be that your sister allows you to eat off her plate.
What you should order: The spaghetti setaro with veal meatballs is divine.
South City Kitchen Midtown
Photo by Morgan Goldberg
After going to school in Atlanta for four years, you should give your family a taste of the South. There is no better place to do that than at South City Kitchen Midtown.
They serve up all of the Southern classics you’ve learned to love by living here, but also simple dishes for those picky family members. And they cook everything to perfection. The atmosphere is homey and warm, which is ideal for this type of fare.
What you should order: Start with the fried green tomatoes, then devour the buttermilk fried chicken and finish it off with the pineapple upside down cake. Done.
Bone’s
Photo by Morgan Goldberg
Bone’s is your traditional steakhouse, but flawlessly executed. I took my Brooklyn-bred grandfather here during one of his previous visits, and he said it was as good or better than the best steakhouses in New York.
If that isn’t convincing enough, then you might as well know that Bone’s ranked the highest on Zagat Survey for food and service among steakhouses in the U.S. The steaks simply melt in your mouth.
What you should order: Every cut of steak is beautiful here. Go for the truffle butter mashed potatoes on the side for the smoothest and tastiest steak accompaniment.
Le Bilboquet
Photo by Sara Kotcher
Right in the center of the brand new Buckhead Atlanta shoppes, Le Bilboquet is the picture of French sophistication. Lined with glass windows, the dining room is light and elegant.
Luckily, the menu is more brasserie French than classic French cuisine, which makes for flavorful options for everyone. All of the salads are fresh and delicious (trust me, I don’t use delicious to describe salads often). The mains range from your typical steak frites to salmon with lentils.
What you should order: The cajun chicken is their claim to fame, and for good reason. With a slight spice, this is the tastiest chicken I’ve ever eaten.
St. Cecilia
Photo by Lauren Freydberg
There is nothing like St. Cecilia. It’s a tough restaurant to pigeon hole into just one type of cuisine, but perhaps that’s why it’s so magical.
Their menu boasts extraordinarily fresh crudo, an absurd list of primi pastas and a mix of after pasta dishes. What’s most surprising is it all somehow goes together seamlessly, and since all of the dishes are small, they are best shared with a group so you can try different things.
What you should order: Definitely start with the Maine lobster pan roast. The pastas are also a must.