Upscale restaurant B. Graves opened on Friday May 13, but chef Seth Roberts said the restaurant hasn’t suffered from any bad luck.

Roberts opened the restaurant alongside his brother and sister-in-law Seth and Lauren Parker.

“Lauren is the assistant principal at Zion Chapel,” Roberts said, explaining what led to opening the new business in Troy. “Seth and she moved to the area and they wanted to go on a date, and there was Santa Fe and Mikata but really not much else. There are a lot of restaurants catering to the college market, but we wanted to have a restaurant for young professionals and adults. And something local; not a big chain.”

Some Troy residents, especially Troy University students, may have been confused at first by the restaurant’s name due its similarity to Bibb Graves, the name of a former Alabama governor and also a prominent building on the Troy campus. But Roberts said any name recognition was “a happy accident.”

“We actually didn’t realize that until after we’d already chosen the name,” he said. “Seth’s grandmother was named Betty Graves. She was a small business owner and we thought it would be nice to name it after her.”

Opening his own restaurant is something Roberts said he’s wanted to do for a long time. He worked previously as a chef in Auburn. And while the Troy venture isn’t related to that experience, Roberts said his restaurant experience has helped him develop ideas for the atmosphere an experience they are seeking to create in Troy.

Roberts said B. Graves is a place you could come by after work to get a BLT and a drink and spend $10 to $12, or choose a dinner date for two with all the works and wine.

“We decided not to underestimate the people of Troy,” he said. “We wanted to serve a quality product at a quality price.” He noted that the pricing hasn’t deterred people. “We’ve probably sold more steaks than anything else.”

The hand-cut steaks are some of the most popular items on the menu, Roberts said, with prices ranging from $20 to $30 and supper entrees are also in the $20 range. Lunch entrees range from $9-15 and include sandwiches, salads and Southern staple such as meatloaf. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are a hallmark of the menu, as are the hand-crafted cocktails such as a blackberry mint julep margarita.

Roberts said he makes everything he can in-house, whether it’s curing bacon, pickling, or making his own cuts of steak.

He also makes the pimento cheese in-house, which is a main ingredient in a dish he said has quickly taken off at the restaurant.

“Pimento cheese fritters specifically are becoming our thing,” he said. “People will come in just to get them.”

Roberts said the most interesting thing that has happened at the restaurant in its first month of business was a visit from Kid Rock, who was in the area to perform at the annual Toadlick Festival in Dothan.

“I didn’t see him myself,” he said. “But they had a credit card slip with his name on it and it checked out.”

Roberts gave credit to local artists for making the B. Graves signs, and wanted people to know that the framed art at the front of the restaurant is for sale by local artists as well.

Despite the upscale nature of the restaurant, Roberts said patrons don’t need to dress up to eat there.

“We provide a nice atmosphere, but we’re also really laid back,” he said. “You don’t have to put on a suit and tie to come in here.”

B. Graves is on the Square in Downtown Troy. Reservations are recommended for parties arriving after 4 p.m. Reservations can be made online at www.bgravestroy.com or by phone at 334-770-0333.