A group of strangers. A carefully selected menu featuring mindful, fresh and seasonal ingredients. A night you’ll never forget. Welcome to Dinner Party, a homey take on the restaurant dining experience located in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Dinner Party opened its doors to the public in June 2021 and has since gained positive press from the likes of Grub Street and the Gothamist. It offers diners an intimate experience with a cozy interior and simple seating arrangement. The tables are communal, though you can request a private table with your reservation if you’d prefer, and can seat up to 23 guests, according to the restaurant’s owner and chef, Camille Jetta. 

The menu is set for the week each Monday, when Jetta’s team meets to brainstorm its contents. They come with inspiration and recipes based on the weather, time of year and ingredients available, developing a solid menu from those ideas. Dinner Party is about as fresh and down-to-earth as a restaurant can get. What other restaurant purposefully intermingles its guests and offers an entirely new menu each week?

“We all bring a few things to the table that we’ve been talking about that we’ve actually gone and eaten at a restaurant that week and are inspired by,” Jetta said. “All of us are obsessive foodies, even though it’s also our job, so that also helps.”

Dinner Party offers a prix fixe dinner Tuesday-Saturday, as well as a prix fixe brunch on weekends. The dinner costs about $65 per guest between Wednesday and Saturday and about $50 on Tuesdays, while the weekend brunches cost $25 per guest. Reservations open on Resy three weeks before a given date, and they tend to book up quickly. However, those interested in reserving a certain time can place themselves on a waitlist in case anyone cancels their spot. Weekend brunches, according to the restaurant’s website, often have space for walk-in guests.

Last weekend, my friends and I ventured onto the C train to experience the magic of Dinner Party for ourselves. We were greeted with the most beautiful, intimate dining experience we’ve had in New York City. We were seated at our own table, and handed a set of beautifully handwritten menus and wine selections.

We started with a polenta and garlic confit sourdough flatbread with nettle and ricotta salata. It was absolutely divine. The pesto was just flavorful enough without being overpowering, and the cheese was the perfect complement.

After our starter, we ordered a bottle of wine. It was a rosé called Cyprès de Toi bottled by Super Glou. The sommelier came and introduced himself, explaining where the wine came from and how it would complement the menu.

Then, we had spicy roasted carrots with labneh, sun butter, candied kumquats and shies. This dish hit every flavor note — sweet, salty and spicy. It was followed by a duck breast with grape and calçot gastrique, as well as a sugar snap pea and asparagus salad. The salad was a perfect pairing for the duck, as it delicately balanced out the heartiness of the meat.

It was midway through our main course when Jetta came over to introduce herself personally. It added a layer of personal connection to the meal that you rarely get at other restaurants. 

Finally, we finished up with a lemon and black tea trifle with blackberries for dessert. As we left, my friends and I were all buzzing with energy and excitement from our meal. It was one that we will all remember.

Contact Anja Westhues at [email protected].