SOLVED. YA fiction. Read in 1980s but I think takes place or written in 1970s. Girl’s bff moves to NYC and she visits her there. [s]

[Danielle]

Coming of age with bff moving away.There’s a scene with the bff in NYC (and possibly bff’s new stepmom) where they get new long floaty elegant dresses. Also they go to a Greek restaurant and the girl looks at the menu and says “it’s all Greek to me.”

Might be conflating two books with these details: the girl’s grandma is in hospice and her cat dies under a bush.

[Becca]

The Trouble with Thirteen by Betty Miles looks like a match.

Bruce and I ran to the corner to catch up to Rachel and Erica, and then we all ran down the street to the Greek restaurant they had picked out and crowded in the door, laughing. Erica led us through the front room and past the kitchen to a little outdoor garden, where strings of colored lights were hanging above tables with checked cloths on them. It was so neat! We found a table and sat down and the waiter gave us all menus. I couldn’t understand a word on mine.
“It’s all Greek to me,” I said, and everyone laughed.

[Danielle]

Yes! Thank you!