The Format Guide

Supper Clubs & Social Dining in Devon

In short

Social dining means sharing a table with people you haven't met yet — on purpose. Devon offers chef-led supper clubs, communal-table restaurants, and Dinners With Friends' hosted community dinners, where seats are booked with credits from £1 and every guest came to make new friends.

Eating with strangers sounds like a niche hobby until you remember it is how humans made friends for most of history. Oxford research on communal eating shows shared meals reliably build trust and connection — the science is genuinely striking. The only real question is which format suits you.

How the formats compare

FormatWho's at the tableStructureCostBest for
Restaurant dinner with friendsPeople you already knowNone — you book, you talkMenu priceKeeping existing friendships warm
Traditional supper clubWhoever bought ticketsChef-led menu, communal tableTypically £30–£60 fixedFood-first adventures
Meetup / hobby group mealGroup membersLoose — often a side eventPay your own wayExtending an existing hobby circle
Dinners With FriendsA hosted table of people who booked to meet new peopleHosted, curated venue, conversation-friendlySeat booked with credits from £1 + your mealActually making new friends

Explore the scene

Frequently asked questions

What is social dining?
Social dining is sharing a meal with people you don't yet know, organised so that meeting them is the point — hosted community dinners, supper clubs and communal tables rather than private bookings. It turns the oldest bonding ritual there is into a way to make friends.
What is a supper club?
A supper club is a ticketed dinner, often chef-led and held in a home, studio or pop-up space, where guests share a communal table. Menus are fixed, seats are limited, and strangers are expected to talk to each other.
How does Dinners With Friends work?
You buy credits (from £1), book a seat at an upcoming dinner at one of Devon's best venues, and turn up. A host welcomes the table, everyone pays for their own food, and every guest booked specifically to meet new people. No subscription is required to try it.
Are there supper clubs in Exeter?
Yes — Exeter has a growing scene covered in our cooking classes and supper clubs guide, alongside Dinners With Friends' regular hosted community dinners at venues across the city and wider Devon.
Is social dining awkward if I come alone?
Coming alone is the norm, not the exception — most guests book solo. A host makes introductions, the venue and format are chosen for conversation, and the shared table does the rest.

Try a table

The next dinner is the easiest way to understand social dining — one booking, one evening, a table of people who all said yes to meeting someone new.

Browse Upcoming Events