Exhausted by loneliness, sticker shock at restaurants, and the chaos of New York’s dating scene, a growing number of city dwellers are ditching nightclubs and bars in favor of something far more intimate: underground dinner parties.

Across the city, ticketed supper clubs—often hosted in private homes—are becoming the new way to socialize. From candlelit Upper East Side penthouse dinners featuring martinis and truffle risotto to lively backyard feasts in Bed-Stuy, these gatherings bring strangers together around a shared table in search of connection and community.

Brooklyn resident Bernadette King Fitzsimons, 27, is a regular at Heirloom Supper Club, a monthly dinner hosted by roommates Julian Tineo and Madison Scott in their warmly lit Bushwick brownstone.

“I went to my first Heirloom dinner two years ago without knowing anyone,” Fitzsimons said. “It was intimidating at first, but I ended up meeting one of my closest friends that night.”

The idea of paying to eat inside a stranger’s home with people you’ve never met may sound uncomfortable to some. For Fitzsimons, however, it beats fighting for space in a crowded Manhattan bar, shouting over a DJ just to hold a conversation.

“At these dinners, everyone comes in open to talking and meeting new people,” she explained. “At a bar, it can feel awkward starting conversations with strangers. This felt cozy and welcoming—especially because it’s in someone’s actual home.”

Tineo and Scott, former coworkers turned roommates, launched Heirloom Supper Club in 2023 to help people connect outside traditional work or school settings.

“As young people who spent our early 20s in New York, we know how hard it can be to meet new people,” they said.

What began as casual dinners for friends quickly grew through word of mouth. To cover costs, they began selling tickets and building a social media presence. Today, Heirloom operates on a pay-what-you-wish sliding scale starting at $65, reflecting their belief that “everyone deserves a seat at the table.”

“We don’t handpick guests or require demographic information,” Tineo said. “If we recognize someone who’s been before, we might seat them next to someone new to help break the ice—but otherwise, it’s a bit of a gamble.”

Regular guest Nico Mann says that’s part of the appeal.

“New York can be really lonely, especially if you’re working all the time,” he said. “These dinners attract people who actually want to connect and make time for others.”

As nightlife loses its shine and social isolation grows, these underground supper clubs are redefining what it means to go out in New York—one shared meal at a time.