It's Graduation Day! Celebrate This Milestone With Family & Friends

Planning a graduation dinner party is like organizing a birthday party, but everyone in town shares the same birthday. How do you celebrate your graduate in a way that feels special to them, when hundreds of other students are celebrating at the same time? This may seem like a complicated task so we've taken the guesswork out of it for you. Here are some South Florida favorites that are ready to make Graduation Day memorable for the entire family.

BOURBON Steak
There’s no place more spectacular to celebrate a new chapter than BOURBON Steak, Miami’s acclaimed steakhouse by James Beard Award-winning chef and renowned restauranteur Michael Mina. The ideal location for friends and family, the modern steakhouse offers two private dining options, surrounded by striking mirrored glass walls overlooking the restaurant. Both the Glass Box and Tasting Room create a stylish, intimate space for up to 14 or 30 guests respectively. The Tasting Room is accented with high ceilings and a long, oak wood table. Each space is complemented by a selection of over 850 wines to pair with acclaimed premium cuts and group dining menus. The restaurant is also available for complete buyouts, seating up to 350 guests. For details, proposals and private dining inquiries, guests may call (786) 279-6600. BOURBON STEAK is located at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa at 19999 West Country Club Drive in Aventura. www.bourbonsteakmia.com.

Sushi By Scratch
As graduation season approaches, California-based Scratch Restaurants is the perfect location for an intimate/private celebration. This Michelin-starred omakase concept opened in July 2022 in Coconut Grove when husband-and-wife chef/restauranteurs Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee wanted to expand the concept to Miami’s sunny shores. Diners can expect a non-traditional omakase den serving a total of 17 elevated and delicious courses. For more intimate private dining/events, Sushi By Scratch offers seating starting at 5PM, 7:15PM, and 9:30PM, with a 10 seat maximum capacity. The two earlier seatings have a 2-hour time limit as the third seating does not. They do not permit decorations or cake cutting service. For $165 per person, the experience includes a welcome cocktail, a 16-course omakase dinner and one dessert bite with a farewell cocktail. All extra bites and beverages during your experience are charged individually, including by the glass, by the bottle, and pairing options. For buyouts, a $25 per person deposit is required beforehand and there is a $2,000 food and beverage minimum for private seatings. The pricing structure is subject to all applicable taxes and a service charge of 20%. The deposits are non-refundable but in the event you need to cancel, you are able to use that deposit as a credit towards any future experience at any location. Sushi by Scratch is located at 3540 Main Highway in Coconut Grove. To make a reservation please visit, www.sushibyscratchrestaurants.com or call (786) 254-1204.

La Fuga
Spoil your graduate at La Fuga, the acclaimed coastal Italian dining destination at the Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach. The beautiful indoor/outdoor lobby level dining room boasts comfy banquettes, a spacious bar and a wonderful ambiance that includes live jazz Thursday through Saturday evenings. Book a private dining experience, Chef's Table or large party celebration for ten or more before May 31, 2024 and receive 20 percent off your bill. Special prix fixe menus for lunch or dinner start at $30 for lunch and $52 for dinner, exclusive of tax, gratuity and beverages and include some of Chef Michael Mayer’s most coveted signature dishes such as Veal Milanese, Seared Snapper Fillet, Chicken Cacciatore and Smoked Colorado Rack of Lamb; or create your own family-style menu. For full menus or to speak to a member of the catering staff, email allisonbrickman@shorebreakfortlauderdale.com or call (954) 908-7308. La Fuga is located at 2900 Riomar Street at Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach. For more information, visit www.lafugarestaurant.com/private-events

Lona Cocina & Tequileria
Celebrated Mexican chef Pablo Salas’ chic Mexican eatery is located on a stunning strip of beachfront real estate. Lona Cocina & Tequileria offers Salas’ eclectic, soulful Mexican cuisine in a chic, yet funky environment, complete with a gorgeous indoor/outdoor bar, casually elegant interior dining room, a newly constructed tequila terrace, special tequila tasting and Chef’s Table rooms and multiple private dining spaces. The restaurant’s sister space, Tinta, is also available for private event buyouts or catered affairs. Lona’s private dining spaces can accommodate up to 350 guests; for more information visit www.lonarestaurant.com/private-dining-fort-lauderdale. Lona is located at 321 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. For more information, visit www.lonarestaurant.com; Telephone: (954) 245-3069.

Pisco Y Nazca
Every occasion feels special at this stylish modern Peruvian restaurant with locations in Kendall, Doral and its newest site, Coral Gables’ Miracle Mile. For grads it's a great spot to celebrate with a group in one of their beautifully outfitted private dining rooms where you can really enjoy your own special party. Pricing starts at $34 per person for lunch and $58 for dinner at all locations and includes dining favorites like Ceviche Cremoso, Papas a la Huancaina, Chaufas de Mariscos and heavenly desserts including Dulce de Leche Cheesecake and Suspiro. Guests who book before June 30, 2024 will receive a $100 dining certificate for every $1,000 spent up to $500 for $5,000. For information on all three locations along with full menus and contact information for booking inquiries, visit www.piscoynazca.com

Bulla Gastrobar
Offering the finest in Spanish Cuisine to South Florida diners for more than a decade, Bulla Gastrobar is a casual buzzy eatery synonymous with great food and fun times with locations in Kendall at The Falls, Doral and Coral Gables. With various private dining configurations, any graduation event can become even more special at any of the locations - and guests who book before June 30, 2024 will receive a $100 gift certificate for every $1,000 spent, up to $500. Lunch menus start at $34 per person, and dinner at $58. Options include Patatas Bravas, Albondigas, Catalan-style Cannelloni, and Solomillo Moruno – cumin marinated grilled pork loin with mojo verde and Greek yogurt and delicious desserts like Churros con Chocolate and Torrija. For information on private dining, full menus and more at al locations please go to www.bullagastrobar.com

Havana Harry’s
What better way to mark the occasion with family and friends than at Havana Harry’s, Miami’s Michelin Guide recommended Cuban restaurant. The Coral Gables mainstay known for its great authentic Cuban cuisine and cocktails served in a vibrant, friendly atmosphere is so on point for a celebratory occasion, especially with its family-style private dining menus. The three-course menu is chock full of Cuban favorites like Croquetas, Churrasco Steak, Arroz Con Pollo, Tostones and the restaurant’s lighter take on vaca frita – Chicken Vaca Frita. Desserts are equally enticing with temptations such as Guava Cheesecake, Tres or Cuatro Leches and Coconut Flan. For more information and full menus please go to havanaharrys.com or email salescoralgables@havanaharrys.com Havana Harry’s is located at 4612 South LeJeune Road in Coral Gables and is open for breakfast, lunch, Happy Hour and dinner daily.

Toro Toro
With two unique private dining options, Toro Toro, the Pan-Latin steakhouse located inside InterContinental Miami, is the perfect place for graduation parties big and small. The only Chef's Table in Downtown Miami, Table 40 takes private dining to a whole other level. The hidden gem inside the Toro Toro kitchen seats up to 14 guests and is the perfect place for an intimate, private dining experience. It is enclosed in glass allowing guests to see all the action of the kitchen, while keeping the experience snug and entertaining. For larger parties, Toro Toro’s striking El Matador Room seats up to 30 guests, with the ability to open the sliding doors to expand the party into the restaurant’s lounge, accommodating an additional 60 guests. Toro Toro is located at 100 Chopin Plaza inside the InterContinental in downtown Miami. Telephone: (305) 372-4710; www.torotoromiami.com.

Whether you’re toasting to your grad’s success with an elegant graduation dinner, game night at home, or local gastrobar, they’re guaranteed to appreciate the special treatment and the time you put into planning your graduation party.

Congratulations to the Class of 2024!