As many Duke seniors say goodbye to the Durham for the last time, and relatives fly in from around the country, the rush to secure reservations for that table of 12 is on.
For some, Graduation Weekend is the perfect opportunity to indulge in a truly special meal surrounded by the friends and family. For others, it's a mad mission to show your grandmother that college life is about more than ramen.
With graduation less than a month away, however, those who have neglected to plan ahead may be faced with more limited dining options. To make matters even worse, Mother's Day falls on Graduation Sunday, so restaurants are guaranteed to be swamped. While one last hurrah at Bojangles' or CookOut may be in order for your closest group of friends, the out-of-town relatives might not take so kindly to North Carolina's special brand of grease. To prevent such culinary tragedies, recess presents an up-to-the-minute picture of what the best restaurants in the Triangle will be offering come May 12-14 and just how hard it will be for you to squeak in the door.
The Fearrington House Restaurant, (919) 542-2121
2000 Fearrington Village, Pittsboro
North Carolina's most critically acclaimed and priciest restaurant offers fixed-price dinners ranging from two to seven courses from $55-$95. Unfortunately, Fearrington House is already booked solid for Graduation Weekend. The good news is that the professional front-of-the-house staff oversees an organized waitlist that offers a glimmer of hope for those looking for a superlative dining experience. Get on the waiting list, choose a back-up in case things don't work out, and hope for a divine intervention. After all, you made it into Duke, didn't you?
Magnolia Grill, (919) 286-3609
1002 Ninth St., Durham
Durham's bastion of creative new-Southern cuisine is also a Graduation Weekend hotspot. While most tables have already been spoken for, an exploratory call might yield a coveted dinner reservation. Unpretentious and focused on big, if sometimes muddled, flavors, Magnolia Grill is sure to please a wide variety of diners. The restaurant is one of the few to offer its normal a la carte menu throughout the weekend.
Washington Duke, (919) 313-2163
3001 Cameron Blvd., Durham
For diners who would prefer not to leave campus, the WaDuke is offering two distinctive dining experiences on Sunday, May 14. In the Grand Ball Room there will be a buffet offered for $59. Seatings for this buffet are at 12 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. In the Fairview's dining room there will be a $75 fixed-price menu topped off with a sparkling wine toast in place of the normally offered a la carte menu. Seatings for the Fairview will occur between 12:30-1:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Nana's, (919) 493-8545
2514 University Dr., Durham
Nana's, recess' Parents Weekend 2005 pick, will be offering a $45 three-course menu with six choices for each course. Tables are still available for seatings at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Four Square, (919) 401-9877
2701 Chapel Hill Rd., Durham,
A more elegant but less popular alternative to Magnolia Grill and Nana's, Four Square puts forth its own interpretation of New-Southern cuisine. A $60 three-course menu with five choices per course will be offered all weekend. Tables are still available.
Anotherthyme, (919) 682-5225
109 North Gregson St., Durham
This casual and eclectic Durham favorite is a great alternative to some of the area's better-known and more expensive options. Anotherthyme incorporates global influences its wholesome menu. The restaurant will be offering a $38 three-course menu and is quickly filling up.
Bin Fifty-Four, (919) 969-1155
1201 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill
Bin Fifty-Four's admirable steaks and refined setting are as good a reason as any to make the trek down 15-501 to Chapel Hill. The restaurant will be offering its normal a la carte menu but will be open on Sunday, its usual day off, to accommodate Duke families and Mother's Day parties.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.