This statement over the years remains to be a scary sentence for most to say out loud, and I do not understand why. Maybe it’s because I am an only child, but I personally love the concept of solo dining.

Let me start off with a small win when solo dining, you almost never have to wait in line or for a table in NYC when you forget to make that already impossible reservation. In a city where people are constantly birthing new, trendy restaurants, lines are sometimes inevitable and worse, the reservations are nearly impossible. The city is loud and fast, where everyone is constantly networking, moving and creating with each other, so that sometimes I think we forget about having moments just to ourselves to decompress. Whatever happened to “me time”? I mean, why does dinner equate to needing a friend or a date to go out? Yes I know Gen Z has definitely begun to glorify the “take yourself out on a date concept, but have we really embraced it?

I know I have, but ask yourself when was the last time you went out to dinner alone and didn't feel the social stigma begin to creep in before you have even opened the menu… Last I checked, today’s special did not come with a side of self-pity and regret, wondering if you look weird dining alone.

That being said, solo dining was not something I was always just comfortable doing either. Of course, I had the thoughts of…“Does this make me look weird that I’m here alone?” Or feeling the awkwardness of sitting alone and people watching at the restaurant. But you know what I learned in my past six years of living here in the city? Literally NO ONE CARES… That couple sitting next to you at the table over is not wondering what you are doing there alone. In fact, in today’s social media-centered climate, you might even get better service because you are dining alone and everyone assumes you are a food influencer or blogger.

There is something so empowering about dining by yourself here in New York City; it pushes everyone, including myself, out of their comfort zone. In a world after the pandemic, where social interaction has become less and less frequent, we as a society have gotten comfortable with not socializing unless necessary. Hence why we have seen so much resistance to get employees back into the office as social interactions have felt less necessary, wanted, and frankly needed today after experiencing quarantine. Allowing yourself to get comfortable with solo dining allows us to start actually talking and meeting new people again, helping us relearn how to build new relationships, whether that be lasting friendships or, honestly, just for the plot. You never quite know who you may meet on your solo night out here in the city, and that is one of the reasons why I love New York City so much.

Going out alone is not some sad or lonely thing, and I truly wish this stigma would die and never return, much like my feelings on people wearing blavy — mixing black and navy blue. Being able to take yourself out in the city alone should be looked at rather as a form of self indulgence, a time to yourself where you are in complete control of what you want, eat, and allow yourself to experience that night. Some may think I am over-glorifying this concept, and do not get me wrong, I love going out on dates and girl dinners, but sometimes when your work is quite literally always making you talk and be around people, you just want some time to yourself. One of my personal favorite ways to self indulge is going to sit at a cocktail bar by myself and actually speak to the bartenders making my drink. You get to learn about their story, the drink’s history, and even sometimes snag a recipe to try at home!

I remember a time at one of my favorite cocktail bars in the city, I met this bartender who I got to talk to for hours, and let's just say my liver is still recovering from this solo night out. He was so fun and knowledgeable about spirits and knew the stories behind almost every cocktail I ordered, both on and off the menu, hence why by the end of the night, it was quite a blur. But why this night was so memorable was because not only did I learn the recipe for one of my now favorite cocktails on the menu here, but it was also just getting to meet someone and learn something new! Did you know that the classic Negroni was created by Fosco Scarselli for Count Camillo Negroni when the count asked him to replace the soda water with gin, or how a wet martini was only created during the prohibition era to mask the taste of the poor quality of gin? I don’t know about anyone else, but actually learning the stories behind how these iconic classic drinks were created made me enjoy the experience more, and honestly, what a cool story to learn and share with friends on your next night out at dinner.

Think about it, how often do you actually find yourself talking and meeting new people outside of work while also learning and trying new things? If your instant thought was “never, change that! Self-indulge in a night out

Table for One, Please

More Than Just A Side Dish