At a recent dinner party, I raised a glass to say “happy birthday” to a new friend across the table. We’d be celebrating with six others over a four-course meal with cocktails, wine and three hours of ...

Jaya Saxena is a former correspondent at Eater, and the series editor of Best American Food and Travel Writing. She explores wide ranging topics like labor, identity, and food culture. At a recent ...

No piece of restaurant furniture is more controversial than the communal table. You either think it’s a fun way to meet new people and embrace the energy of a dining room—or consider it a nightmare of ...

Gen Z is bringing back a controversial dining trend, a new report found, as the generation seeks connection in an increasingly digital world. Members of the generation born between 1997 and 2012 are ...

Not everyone prefers to dine at a quiet little table or booth. For some, a big communal table offers an opportunity to eat, drink and chat with friends and strangers. For diners self-conscious about ...

Among our world’s scorned peoples, there is one group that is arguably the target of more condemnation than any other, a group with a remarkable capacity for arousing suspicion and fear within all of ...

Can we chat? You go first. Nearly every week, I cajole, plead, prod and poke readers for feedback. Often I hear nada, but one recent column got people really stirred up. When it comes to sharing space ...

No piece of restaurant furniture is more controversial than the communal table. You either think it’s a fun way to meet new people and embrace the energy of a dining room—or consider it a nightmare of ...