For a spell, we were relegated to small gatherings. But now, dinner parties are back, and not just in private residences. The new format is taking root in various forms across the country, from a sultry eight-course al fresco supper in Miami to a pop-up supper club in chic New York City apartments. But they all share a desire to reignite the magic of dinner parties by bringing people together around the table.

New York, New York

At a monthly Harvest Dinner series, diners enjoy a peak-season four-course meal gathered around a communal table. The restaurant’s name and décor take inspiration from the Lindens trees lining New York city streets, so both the interior and exterior have lush foliage and sprinkles of greenery throughout. The menu includes an amuse bouche, shareable appetizers, a choice of entrée and family-style desserts. A recent summer menu featured warm Parker House rolls with grilled scallion butter, grilled stone fruits, heirloom tomato salad and peach creme brulée. "We hope our Harvest Dinner Series helps people emerge and remember all the magic and possibility that is intrinsic to New York City. We want people to laugh, reconnect and build memories through great food, drinks and company," says Gary Wallach, managing partner at Renwick Hospitality.

Various locations across the U.S.

To experience a unique dinner party with 100 to 150 soon-to-be-friends, seek out one of Cloth and Flame’s ticketed events. What started as a hot air balloon company has grown into an experiential event agency. Dinners go way beyond food and florals: live music, a DJ set, stargazing, aura photography or even a silent disco set in a unique location — like the middle of the dessert. Typically, a welcome hour with craft cocktails and passed appetizers is followed by a multi-course meal that matches the night’s theme. Think: a mezcal-paired Dia de Los Meurtos dinner featuring guajillo-marinated octopus with salsa macha, pickled carrot and tonnato aioli. Loads of attention is poured into the event design, overseen by design manager Tasmia Khan. "Over the course of the years, we’ve been able to source some quirky decor elements — an old apothecary shelf, a vintage canoe, antique books, to name a few — that have made their way into the design of our events. A curated playlist and custom lighting elements set the mood."

Houston, Texas

When Daily Gather opened in January 2022, Houston diners felt so at home they lingered for hours, and that’s exactly what chef Brandi Key intended. The stylish space has clusters of lounge-like seating, creating small clusters within the larger dinner party. When you sit down, servers drop a deck of conversation cards to encourage diners to put down their phones and chat. The menu is more of a choose-your-own-adventure approach, so you can mix and match from the ample selection of shareable plates and cocktail party-esque nibbles. Think: Tabasco-spiked deviled eggs, elote cornbread topped with warm chili-lime butter and calamari fritto misto. To drink, try the aptly named cocktail Friends Having Dinner, where bourbon mingles with a duo of elderflower and blood orange liqueurs. Save room for the bananas foster bread pudding, a nostalgia-inducing throwback that features vanilla pudding layered with vanilla wafers, whipped cream and rum-caramelized bananas.