Da Marco: Consistently voted one of the top restaurants in Houston, Da Marco makes for a top-notch elegant celebratory dinner with its Tuscan-inspired dishes. Be aware that there is a dress code here (jackets are preferred for guys), and be prepared to drop a pretty penny on creations like sweet corn ravioli with lobster, whole branzino or maple leaf duck. Dolce Vita and Poscol fall under the same ownership and are less expensive, but still superior options for a celebratory dinner.


Brennan’s: If you have relatives flying in from far-off locales who are curious about Southern cuisine, Brennan’s is a great way to show them a little New Orleans flair without having to make the actual trip. The vest-clad waiters will make your visit to the classy dining room just as comfortable as the rich food will. You’re not going to find the restaurant's famous turtle soup or creole lobster “on a stick” anywhere else in Houston, and the bananas Foster, flamed tableside, is a fabulous ending to the night (as are the free pralines).


Kata Robata: While you could go with Uchi, my personal favorite sushi in town comes from Kata Robata. It’s easy to put together little plates of kobe beef skewers, sashimi, a few rolls, bites like the uni chawanmushi (a protein-studded version of the Japanese-style egg custard), bulk it all up with the miso lobster mac ‘n’ cheese and end up with a phenomenal feast. Or if you have just a couple of serious sushi connoisseurs in your party, opting for the omakase is another way to ensure you’re celebrating graduation the right way.


Underbelly: Those with foodie families can’t skip James Beard Award-winning Chris Shepherd’s accolade-laden crown jewel of a restaurant. Self-described as “The Story of Houston Food,” Shepherd attempts to express his take on Houston’s New American Creole cuisine or merging of diverse cultures with local ingredients through items like smoked pork roast with corn grits and coffee-roasted carrots or Korean braised goat and dumplings or spice-crusted catfish with new potatoes and corn maque choux. The entire menu is designed for sharing, making it perfect for a graduation group, large or small.


Coppa Osteria: In my opinion, Coppa Osteria is one of the best places to celebrate an occasion (and, ultimately, my final pick). While waiting for your party to gather, you can cluster around the bar off to the side. Once you're seated, it’s hard not to find something that pleases everyone in a large group — the menu spans a wide variety of pasta, pizza, protein, salad, antipasti and side dishes. The truffle-kissed burrata makes a jaw-dropping shared starter, and the scamorza pizza and spaghetti carbonara just makes for happy eating. Coppa’s “Dough” room will fit a party of up to 12, and if you happen to feel like bringing in your own celebratory cake, the staff will do a bang-up job of slicing and serving it for you.