Let me set the scene: a homely table laid with an assortment of appealing mismatched crockery, handwritten menus, hearty recipes dished up delicately, and endless fascinating conversations. It’s these personal touches that have seen the popularity of supper clubs soar. Part restaurant, part dinner party, but neither entirely, the best supper clubs in London now count among some of the capital’s coolest nights out.

Originating in the US, supper clubs date back to the 1930s, when underground restaurants and pop-ups served food alongside live music and drinks during Prohibition. The concept made its way across the Atlantic into the capital’s private members’ clubs before evolving into the social media-friendly phenomenon it is today.

A supper club is essentially a dinner hosted by a chef or a venue serving up a special or innovative menu in an intimate setting. London’s supper club scene is as diverse as its range of restaurants. There’s a supper club for every taste hosted in some of London’s most unusual spaces: think chefs’ homes, private dining rooms, or even an abandoned tube carriage.

Supper clubs also elevate the overall dining experience by making the meal a deeply personal experience. Since chefs aren’t constrained by traditional restaurant rules, supper club menus are often a reflection of their individual identity and cultural heritage, allowing diners to learn about different culinary traditions and ingredients. “I think what draws people to the supper club concept is the idea of a night out that’s different to the norm – way more curious, exciting and nuanced than the traditional restaurant format,” says Aidan Brooks, founder of Eleven98 supper clubs. “Guests have the chance to engage more with myself as the chef, as the experience is so much more interactive than restaurant dining. I plate up all of the courses in front of the guests and they often interact with me throughout service.”

While supper clubs may enjoy lasting popularity thanks to aesthetics and vibes that see them plastered across social media feeds, the core idea remains steadfastly similar to its origins: community. Given how the bustle of the capital can often feel isolating, a host of supper clubs in London are capitalising on their warm communal aspect to create spaces which encourage strangers to meet and connect.

Punam Vaja, founder of Khao Suppers, believes that supper clubs bring people together in a natural way. “The togetherness of sitting for a shared meal, whether it is formal or casual, becomes a group activity,” she explains. “You’re served at the same time, addressed together, and usually if you’re sat at a communal table, you’re forced to socialise with others. This is the beauty of supper clubs that cannot be created in a restaurant setting. You can come alone, but you won’t be alone once you arrive!”

Combining the flair of a restaurant with the intimacy of a dinner party, supper clubs cut through the monotony of regular meals out. That said, not every club hits the mark. We’ve sorted through the clutter  and gathered together the best supper clubs in London offering great food and memorable experiences.

Khao Suppers

London is no stranger to Indian restaurants. But with menus usually veering towards North Indian gravies, the complete range of the country’s culinary heritage is still lacking in the capital. On a mission to change this, Punam Vaja’s Khao Suppers has been offering Gujarati cuisine in an intimate setting since 2018. “Brought up in a traditional Gujarati family, I am aware there are so many flavours and tastes that are unique to my home life,” says Vaja. Beyond her home flavours, traditional hospitality also prevails in touches such as a welcoming cup of fragrant chai on arrival.

“My menus are inspired by the stories of migration from my family too,” Vaja says. “Coming to the UK in the late 1970s, they were exposed to a whole new array of vegetables and fruits that were foreign, but by trial and error, they managed to recreate traditional dishes along with new creations.” The vegetarian fare uses seasonal ingredients and classic recipes to create an alluring menu featuring thepla (fenugreek flatbread), dhokla (savoury gram flour cakes, and warming Gujarati lentil dal served with rice, papad and pickles. Upcoming menus also include flavourful Indian mango desserts.

Tickets from £54, visit khaosuppers.com

The Bridge Club

Born in the North and having lived across the UK, from Liverpool and the Lake District to London, chef and baker Jack Ponting founded The Bridge Club to reignite a love for British and European food. Each dinner features a unique theme and diners are welcomed with a themed cocktail before being served a four-course meal on sharing platters. “Eating is social to us... we want it to feel like a meal with your family,” Ponting says.

Upcoming menus include the ‘Nature’s Revival’ supper club on 20 May 2024 at The Jolly Gardeners pub in Vauxhall, which will feature fine spring produce such as lamb, crab, and a bevy of fruits and vegetables. This will be followed by a fried chicken-themed menu on 24 June which will see hearty dishes cooked with homemade care.

Tickets from £60, visit thebridgeclub.co.uk

Supperclub.tube

Undoubtedly one of the most unique venues in which to share a gourmet six-course meal, Supperclub.tube takes place onboard a vintage 1967 Victoria line tube carriage parked at the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum. Now in its sixth year, the supper club runs from Thursday to Saturday every week. The quintessentially British experience serves up a menu grounded in Latin American culinary traditions conceptualised by head chef Beatriz Maldonado Carreño.

For the spring menu, Maldonado Carreño focuses on certain hero ingredients, “The spring menu is dedicated to those ingredients that were considered sacred by the different indigenous groups of Latin America; those ingredients are now a staple all over the world.” These hero ingredients include corn, quinoa, tomatoes, potatoes, tropical fruits and chocolate in dishes such as gorditas, risotto, and a delicious chocolate cake.

Tickets from £67, visit supperclub.tube

Humble Grape Meet the Winemaker supper clubs

One for the oenophiles, the Humble Grape wine bar group hosts monthly supper clubs at its Battersea and Islington venues. The Meet the Winemaker series hosts independent winemakers from small, sustainable, family-run wineries for a one-of-a-kind wine tasting served alongside a multi-course dinner thoughtfully crafted to complement the chosen wine. The winemakers take you behind the scenes as you eat and sip, revealing vineyard secrets and distinct features.

For May, the focus is on Blackwater Wines from South Africa while June will boast a series of wines from Domaine De Boisseyt, the oldest vineyard in the village of Chavanay, France.

Tickets from £99.98, visit humblegrape.co.uk

Eleven98

After an impressive tenure at vegetarian restaurant Vanilla Black, Aiden Brooks infused his experience in an elegant restaurant setting with his passion for sustainability and community, and Eleven98 was born. The supper clubs are based in Walthamstow village and feature a menu crafted with produce grown exclusively in East London. “Having been born and bred in Hackney, and being so incredibly proud of my roots, I knew I wanted this project to showcase my hometown and how much it had evolved and progressed since I was a kid,” says Brooks. “I did some research into local community food-growing in the Borough and realised that there was so much going on that I was previously unaware of.”

The menu is changed every week based on the availability of seasonal local produce, but the dishes on offer are always hearty, flavourful, and showcase Brooks’ experience. For May, this means dishes such as ricotta gnudi, bavette of ex-dairy cow, and whipped cheesecake served with rhubarb. While the menu is always a highlight, Eleven98 prides itself on creating a warm communal space where you can find like-minded people and make friends. In fact, that’s how Brooks met his wife five years ago.

Tickets from £78, visit eleven98.com

Kitchen Theory

When it comes to fine dining, what you see, smell and feel is often just as important as the taste of a dish. Kitchen Theory in Holborn takes the multisensory experience seriously for its supper clubs. Chef Jozef Youssef employs his experience at Michelin star restaurants and interest in gastronomy, art and science to craft menus that engage all the senses through unique flavours and experiments designed to make guests more mindful of various sensory pleasures while eating. 

Dishes, such as oyster sorbet, dark chocolate and Guinness balls and parmesan mushroom sponge, are presented with table projections, audio cues and dramatic lighting. Which is to say, the experience is entertaining as well as delicious.

Tickets from £240, visit kitchen-theory.com

Mildreds Off the Books: Dalston Supper Club

One of London’s leading vegan restaurant brands, Mildreds hosts its Off the Books supper club at its Dalston venue every two weeks. Monthly menus are crafted by the development team, with each month focusing on a different cultural destination. The team researches different recipes and techniques from around the world to give guests the chance to try authentic flavours and traditional global favourites with a vegan twist.

So far, menus have featured Latin American cuisine, with dishes such as okra spinach croquettes and radish ceviche, and Italian flavours, with dishes including courgette lasagne and mushroom arancini. For May, the menu takes on Japanese Peruvian Nikkei cuisine featuring vegan takes on sushi rolls and karaage.

Mildreds supper clubs are often booked up well in advance so keep an eye on its website for any openings. Or you could test the waters at sister concept restaurant Mallow Wood Wharf in Canary Wharf which will be debuting its own monthly supper club series from 8 May 2024.

Tickets from £40, visit mildreds.com

Kanishka supper club series

Mayfair’s fine dining Indian restaurant Kanishka boasts a female chef-led supper club series. Chef Atul Kochhar started the Sunday supper club series to showcase the incredible talent of female chefs and their contributions to the culinary world. “By highlighting their work and bringing different perspectives and experiences together, it creates a unique dining experience that promotes diversity and inspires others,” he says.

Kochhar works collaboratively with the guest chefs to plate up extraordinary dishes. After launching the series by creating a selection of mouth-watering Indian fare with Romy Gill, Kochhar has since collaborated with chefs who specialise in varied cuisines, including Vietnamese and Italian. The next supper club will feature Sabrina Gidda who previously founded Bernardis in Marylebone.

Tickets from £85, visit kanishkarestaurant.co.uk

Dinner Ladies

Female-led catering company Dinner Ladies runs supper clubs year round. Each event is designed to be an immersive experience with a specific theme. Previous themes have included Game On, which featured a menu dedicated to wild game, a Chinese New Year feast featuring traditional dishes, and a Malaysian supper club inspired by head chef Nikika’s heritage.

The upcoming Wasted Supper in July is a beautiful commentary on food waste. Guests are invited to bring forgotten items from their fridge or pantry to the table where chefs transform the ragtag group of ingredients into a sharing feast in less than three hours.

Tickets from £55, visit dinnerladiesltd.com

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