The hottest reservation right now isn’t at a Michelin-starred spot or helmed by a celebrity chef. You won’t find it on OpenTable or Resy either. Instead, it might be happening in a cozy apartment in Manhattan, a tucked-away warehouse in Chicago, or a charming café in London. But no—these aren’t up-and-coming restaurants. In fact, they’re not restaurants at all. They’re part of one of the latest trends in dining: supper clubs.
It’s not the kind you might be picturing—white tablecloths or Midwestern members-only social clubs. These modern supper clubs are intimate, themed, multi-course dining experiences that anyone can attend (if you can score a ticket, that is). They often have rotating locations, surprise menus, and guest lists of strangers that range from six to 60. Some feel like secret dinner parties; others resemble immersive culinary events. But one thing is certain: they’re popping up everywhere.
Curious about how to start your own? We spoke to the people behind some of these clubs to get their advice on building a community around food.
Who: Liz Bendure and Daniel Parker
Where: Various locations around Chicago & their storefront in Logan Square
Cost of ticket: On average between $95-$110
Photo by AJ Grimm
For some, supper clubs start as a side project. For Liz Bendure and Daniel Parker of TXA TXA Club, it quickly became their full-time job, even though they never expected it to. What began as a backyard dinner party in Chicago evolved into a thriving business.
“At first it was just friends, then friends of friends, and then a couple months later, it was all strangers,” said Liz.
At first it was just friends, then friends of friends, and then a couple months later, it was all strangers
Launched in the summer of 2021, TXA TXA Club was their way of reimagining communal dining post-pandemic. As lockdowns eased, they saw people craving connection, hospitality, and new ways to gather. And turns out, they still do.
While their business has expanded beyond supper clubs, they still host one on the last Friday of every month, usually in a different space and often in collaboration with a local business or nonprofit.
“We create a third space for people to dine in a way that feels different from a restaurant,” Liz explained.
Each dinner typically runs for three hours, featuring five courses (including a cocktail hour) and plenty of conversation.
Photo by Clayton Hauck
Their extensive travels through Southeast Asia, Italy, and Spain—specifically the Basque region—have heavily influenced their dishes. They always aim to balance heat, acid, and spice while drawing inspiration from a variety of global flavors.
“Research is very important to us and we’re incredibly interested in learning from different people” she said. “We really want to use ingredients from all over, because so many places have stories to tell.”
Who: Alba María Elena and Tala AlRayes
Where: Various cafes & restaurants in London
Cost of ticket: Between £40-£75
Unlike Liz and Daniel, who have decades of hospitality experience between them, Alba María Elena and Tala AlRayes had little formal training when they launched Tête à Tête. The two friends met at university and instantly bonded over their shared love of cooking and vegan food. While both grew up in families who cooked, they said it was rare to find someone their age who shared the same level of passion.
Their first supper club in June was an experiment after a conversation at a park led to a plan: They’d serve seven plant-based courses like a caramelized fig and orange salad, deep fried olives, and fresh ravioli filled with cashew ricotta.
Since then, they’ve nearly sold out every event, gained thousands of followers, and hosted dinners at different cafes across London.
“People crave spaces where they feel comfortable and can meet new people,” said Alba. “It’s becoming more normal to do things alone and step out of your comfort zone like that.”
People crave spaces where they feel comfortable and can meet new people
Each event has a new theme with a seasonal menu to match. They handle everything from grocery shopping to testing recipes to food photography all while working full-time jobs.
“You can go with friends, but it’s also an opportunity to talk to strangers,” Tala added. “Everyone there is on the same vibe.”
Photo by Domi Rad via @tete.a.tete.dining
Who: Akhil Jonnalagadda and Lukas Facile
Where: Their apartment in Manhattan (with future NYC pop-ups planned)
Cost of ticket: On average between $60 & $100
Photo by Maggie Menendez
For Akhil Jonnalagadda and Lukas Facile, their supper club Two Economists started with a simple idea: hosting dinner parties for friends in their New York City apartment. It wasn’t until a friend suggested selling tickets that they realized they had something bigger.
“I didn’t think people would be as interested as they were, but we’ve been selling out dinners and meeting amazing people,” said Akhil.
I didn’t think people would be as interested as they were, but we’ve been selling out dinners and meeting amazing people,
Photo by Maggie Menendez
They aim for at least one supper club a month, typically with a Friday and Saturday service. Each dinner is capped at six guests and includes four courses each paired with a drink. In the summer, they increase to two events a month and are planning pop-ups at local restaurants.
Their rotating menus often center around seasonal ingredients. For their “Night on the Coast” dinner, for example, they focused on coconut, serving dishes like seared halloumi, shrimp soba noodles, and homemade coconut ice cream.
Balancing it all with their full-time banking jobs isn’t easy (the name itself is a nod to how they met in grad school for economics).
“I don’t think we’ve ever gone to bed before 2 a.m. on Fridays,” Akhil laughed. “We basically go for 24 hours straight—but the best part is we always go out with the guests after.”
Do You Need Formal Culinary Training?
“My husband and I have been in hospitality for 15 to 20 years. We’ve opened and closed restaurants and worked everywhere from dive bars to fine dining.” —Liz
“I’ve cooked my whole life. Tala did a plant-based culinary course after university, but we mostly just loved cooking for friends. We used to host mini supper clubs with five-course menus just for fun.” —Alba
“Lukas was a butcher at one point. I worked in cafes and catering on the side, but mostly I just love to cook. Growing up, I was always in the kitchen with my mom and she taught me all the basics.” —Akhil
Advice for New Hosts?
“Always surround yourself with people who inspire you because a lot of these things can’t happen without collaboration. I think anyone could do this, they just have to have enough passion and drive and the ability to ask for help.” —Liz
“I don’t really recommend starting with something like [an eight course dinner] because you’re gonna have a million other things to stress about besides just the food. After we had the first one, we were kind of like, ‘We don’t want to do this again,’ and you definitely don’t want to feel like that.” —Tala
“Start small. Try it with friends and build from there. Don’t shoot for the fences and do ten dishes right away. Give yourself room for error, do a trial run, but then just really go for it. Things aren’t always going to go right, but that’s okay.”—Akhil
What Keeps Guests Coming Back?
“We’ve had people who’ve lived in the same neighborhood for years finally meet each other. Or they learn about a new local space or business. I’ve also found that food brings out nostalgia and people share stories about childhood and family.”—Liz
“London is such a big city but it’s still so anonymous. Loads of people come by themselves and we’ve realized that people really crave that community aspect of it—and I think that’s what we ended up enjoying the most as well.” —Alba
“Just creating a safe space for everyone, and for people to come alone. We’re always a bit nervous about how everyone will get along, but they always have a good time and bond over good food.” —Tala
“We’ve had people that we don’t even know show up and they’ve integrated right away. I also didn’t fully expect the social aspect that would come out of this. I’ve become friends with people that I didn’t know before these dinners, and that I hung out with after.” —Akhil
Ready to start your own supper club? Where would you host it, and what would you serve to wow your guests?
