Cityson is graduating, and we'll all be hungry to celebrate.

April 15, 2014 11:43 AM

Cityson is graduating from a Western NY University. He's done great, and we're all as proud as we can be. About 8 family members are making the overnight trip, and would like to have a nice dinner after traveling on Friday, the evening before the ceremony, which is on Saturday, May 17. We're all staying at the same hotel in Bath, NY and Cityson requested a family restaurant meal rather than splitting up the extended family, as only a graduate and parents may attend the University-sponsored pregraduation dinner. I don't want to leave my own elderly parents and aunt to fend for themselves for dinner, either. The problem is that we've not eaten out at a restaurant nicer than a diner the entire time he's been a student, and have no idea where to go.

We're looking for local gems! Not dressy, formal spots, because one of the extended family is exactly 12 months old, and we need a relaxed-enough place we'd all be comfortable. My aunt is not very adventurous gastronomically, so I don't think an Asian or Indian restaurant would suit her.

I know there are wineries in the area - any tasty restaurants associated with wineries you'd recommend? Bonus points for outdoor dining options, and BYO is OK, too. We will have driven a fair bit to get to Bath, but I know things are Not Close By in this part of NY, and it might entail a bit more driving. All suggestions are welcome, and we all appreciate the Hivemind on this

posted by citygirl to Food & Drink (3 answers total)

Hopefully someone will be able to recommend something a bit closer, but if you don't mind the drive, Stonecat Cafe is really wonderful and has outdoor seating. The food is fancyish farm-to-table style, but the place itself is pretty relaxed, so I think you'd probably be ok with the little one, though you might want to call to ask just to be sure.
posted by dizziest at 12:11 PM on April 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I'd consult Trip Advisor, here's a list of the top 20 places in Bath to dine.

Based on reviews, I'd call ahead to the Betty-Kay Bake Shop and see if they could do a nice cake for Cityson.

I didn't see anything that gripped me from the list, so I did a Mapquest and found this place:

The Village Tavern Restaurant and Inn in Hammondsport. Looks nice and comfy, with a menu with something for everyone. It's a 7 mile drive from Bath, and it looks like about the only nice-ish place that fits your criteria. The Trip Advisor reviews give me hope.


It seems that Hammondsport has more nice options than Bath.

Congrats! What a wonderful event to celebrate with family!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:21 PM on April 15, 2014

Judging by that Trip Advisor list your options are pretty limited in Bath itself. The good news is it is in the Finger Lakes, where you should be able to find decent food within driving range. The Steuben County Dining Guide might be helpful. Hammondsport is a nice little town and there are a couple of waterfront restaurants. There are also a load of dining options in Corning, but that's about 30 minutes away.
posted by plastic_animals at 5:11 PM on April 15, 2014