From your local college pizzeria to the flashiest restaurant on South Beach, there’s no shortage of dining options in Miami. But underneath the flashiness and often expensive foodie fun of South Florida, is a lost art — the dinner party. You might associate dinner parties with the kinds your parents hosted or attended: drab, overly formal and often running way too long. But in recent years, the dinner party has received a much-needed Gen Z makeover. Dinner parties in 2023 are totally revamped.
Gone are the days where dinner parties equated to dusty tablecloths, too-formal toasts and silverware clinking over pointless small talk. Whether you’re most drawn to the ability to dress to a theme, eat a home cooked meal or spend time with your friends in a classy setting where you don’t have to shout over the music, dinner parties satisfy the perfect in-between of going out and staying in. But how does one pull off such a classy gathering on a college budget?
Curating Your Guest List
Do you know the saying, “the people make the place?” This sentiment certainly holds true when deciding who to invite to your dinner party. Ideal guests are people who will appreciate the intention and can bring something to the table — both literally and figuratively. University of Miami graduate student Giovanna Fernández started hosting her dinner parties a few years ago as a way to get closer with her friends she’d met not long before and was pleasantly surprised by the reception.
“I honestly didn’t know if dinner parties would be something they’d want to do. But everyone I invited showed up and we had so much fun. It was such a great way for us to all connect and now we’re so close, and we still
That being said, don’t be afraid to expand your invites to outside of your circle. One of Fernández’ friends and recurring guests, UM senior and media management major Kristen Mosely, says she’s enjoyed integrating her friends’ boyfriends into Fernández’s dinner parties.
“We’ve been slowly introducing our boyfriends to the group. The last one we had we brought them all together and they actually became friends so fast, and that dinner party ended up being my favorite one so far,” said Mosely.
If you want to take it a step further, there’s even been trends on TikTok of dinner parties where every guest must bring someone that the rest of the party doesn’t know with people raving about the unexpected connections born from it.
To Theme or Not to Theme
If the frat parties haven’t clued you in already, people love a good theme. While dinner parties don’t necessarily require a theme, they can be a super fun way and easy way to engage your guests and make the night more cohesive — think themed menu, dress code, music, etc.
Maria Paes is a UM senior majoring in advertising who hosts themed dinner parties frequently. Paes advises to “get everyone excited” for the event.
“With everyone having such busy schedules, it’s important to choose a theme everyone can get excited for, and one that has clear options for dishes,” said Paes. “I like to base all the decorations around the theme.”
Paes hosted an Italian themed dinner party at the beginning of this school year, complete with European style decorations and Italian food.
“The decorations were super cute, everyone loves Italian food, and it was super easy to plan,” said Paes when reflecting on her dinner party hosting experience.
Themes can be as generic or as niche as you desire. And they don’t have to drain your bank account — you can make fun evites in Canva and find decor at the Dollar Store or even DIY it with stuff you already have.
UM senior and architecture major Mary Gorski started hosting monthly dinner parties as a result of her friends being tired of the Miami clubbing scene and wanting to hang out without spending a lot of money.
“Each party has a designated theme which translates to dress code, what to bring, what activity we do and even the music we play at it,” said Gorski. “We’ve done tacos and tequila, renaissance Thanksgiving, Mamma Mia, casino night, cottagecore and Italian summer. I really enjoy hosting, and my friends love a theme and an excuse to dress up, so it works out perfectly.”
Some other popular themes are murder mystery where the host lays out a whole investigation over a “murdered” guest, making a dish or drink that represents your ex-partner and more. Knowing your audience is our best tip — so refer to step one if you’re struggling to pick a theme or use one at all.
Dish It Out
You don’t have to be Gordon Ramsay or Rachael Ray to be able to serve up a stunning dinner. While themed parties provide great framework for menus, you can’t go wrong with going buffet style or making a big batch of something simple like pasta — the Gigi Hadid vodka pasta and the TikTok viral baked tomato and feta pasta are two sure-fire crowd pleasers. And make sure you’re accommodating your guests’ dietary restrictions and preferences — the last thing you want is dinner party drama.
Beverages
Similar to the food, big batch recipes are your friend when it comes to drinks for your guests.
“My go to themed cocktails are normally spritz or things that can be made large batched in a pitcher just for ease,” said Gorski. “Apple pie martini and limoncello spritz have been the faves.”
Margaritas, Moscow mules and sangria are super easy to make large quantities of, and don’t neglect the effortless favorite of a bottle wine. If you’re trusting of your guests’ bartending abilities and want to get more interactive, have each guest prepare a drink for the group to try as a fun activity, like a boozy show and tell.
Be the Perfect Guest
Maybe you’ve read this far, and you don’t feel quite ready to host your own dinner party. Don’t fret — a dinner party is nothing without its loyal guests. If you find yourself invited to a friend’s dinner party, just make sure you’re not rolling up empty handed.
“As much as I’d love to host, my apartment just isn’t ready yet, so I am so happy Gio loves hosting,” Mosely said of Fernandez’s dinner parties.
“Normally what I bring to dinner parties depends on what my roommate and I feel like cooking. We almost always make a pasta dish because we’re truly fiends for pasta, but sometimes we will bring dessert instead,” said Mosely. “If we’re feeling a little lazy, or if we were too late to responding in the group chat, we’ll bring a bottle of wine.”
Catering to the fact that we’re all broke college students, bringing a little booze can make you the darling of the dinner party. All of the hosts we interviewed agreed that they love when guests bring a bottle of wine. Bringing a bottle of wine to a dinner party requires virtually no effort besides a trip to the liquor store, adds to the classy vibe of the event and gives your host one less thing to worry about.
Dinner parties don’t have to be some huge stressful undertaking. Yes, they can be elaborate, but above all, they should just be a way to enjoy good food and good company. Even if you’re an underclassman with little to no hosting space, you can utilize shared spaces on campus to gather your guests. The opportunities are endless, and if you follow our advice, the leftovers and buzz surrounding your dinner party will be too.
Hors D’oeuvres
Hors d’oeuvres are the perfect little bites to keep your guests from getting hangry while the main course is prepared. Here are some classic hors d’oeuvres that are easy to prepare and beloved by eaters everywhere.
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Shrimp cocktail
- Pigs in a blanket
- Jalapeño poppers
- Deviled eggs
- Baked brie bites
words_julia hecht. photo_valeria barbaglio. design_charlotte deangelis.
This article was published in Distraction’s Winter 2023 print issue.
Follow our Social Media: