Underground Dining Scene

I add places as I hear about them. I do try to keep the listings up to date – if you know about a place that’s opened, closed, moved, changed its website, let me know. I go through the listings every few months and try to contact those that appear to be defunct, but it’d be great to keep it more up to date. One note, please don’t ask to be listed if you’re not really an underground supperclub – this isn’t a place for listing your hot, trendy nightclub, restaurant or what-have-you. This is a resource for people who offer dinners in their homes, galleries, offices, or other private spaces or like to dine in them. And these are simply linked listings – I have enough work to do on my own dining club – if you have photos, testimonials, reviews, etc., to post, post them at the site you’ve had me link to.

For those who aren’t quite sure what the “scene” is all about – here’s a link to our information page: Frequently Asked Questions/Preguntas Frecuentes and a link to an article I wrote on the topic for the Guardian UK.

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General News or Musings: Underground Restaurant Movement 101
Dine With Locals (a service to pair you up with a local while you travel and dine in their home)
Eat With a Local – social networking site for meeting up with locals as you travel to dine, and to host as well
Supper Club Fan Group – ning.com group for fans of hidden restaurants

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North America

— Canada —

Prince Edward County – 1one1 UnRestaurant – article with e-mail link

Sanguenay (Chicoutimi), Quebec – Gourmets Clandestins

Singhampton, Ontario – Eigensinn Farm

Toronto – Charlies Burgers
Toronto – Hidden Lounge
Toronto – House of Commons
Toronto – Ronica’s Divans
Toronto – 6 Degrees Underground

Vancouver – Chef Todd’s Apartment 12B (more of a privately catered dinner, as you need to put together the whole group yourself)
Vancouver – Swallow Tail Supper Club
Vancouver – The Birds Nest
Vancouver – VanGourmet
Vancouver – Vegan Secret Supper

— Caribbean —

Havana – Cuba Restaurants
Havana – Cuisine only tourists can afford
Havana – Havana Journal
Havana – La Guarida
Havana – Paladares Havana

Port Antonio, Jamaica – Dickie’s Best Kept Secret

Tortola, British Virgin Islands – Senior Travel

— Mexico —

La Paz, Baja Sur – Casa Cóctel

— United States —

Ann Arbor, MI- Bona Sera Supper Club – a community group that throws benefit dinners at various secret locations
Ann Arbor, MI – TT Supper Club – small, in-home fundraising dinners

Athens, GA – The Four Coursemen

Atlanta – Curry Cravings
Atlanta – Rogue Apron
Atlanta – Souper Jenny! – cafe that holds occasional invitation only dinner events

Austin, TX – Dai Due
Austin TX – Supper Underground

Belfast, ME – The Lost Kitchen

Boise, ID – The Hidden Table

Boston (Sommerville) – Casa Bobonis
Boston – O.N.C.E.
Boston – Washburn Underground Kitchen
Boston – Wink

Bozeman, MT – Hush Bozeman

Charleston, SC – Guerrilla Cuisine
Charleston, SC – L.I.M.E.

Chicago – Chicago Tribune article
Chicago – Chicago Dinner Chat
Chicago – City Provisions Supper Club – catering company that hosts wandering events
Chicago – Clandestino
Chicago – Culinary Speakeasy
Chicago – One Sister Inc.
Chicago – Sinhá
Chicago – S&M’s Underground
Chicago – Sunday Dinner
Chicago – Wandering Goat
Chicago – X-marx Chicago
Chicago – Yo Soy
Chicago also has some similar ventures like Sunday Dinners (catering company that holds invitation only dinners for “members” when they don’t have bookings) and Wellfleet (fish purveyor who runs a once a week “occasional” restaurant) – not precisely the in-home/underground scene, but on the fringe and both come highly recommended

Dallas – Light-bulb Oven
Dallas (Keller) – Second Saturday at the Manor

Denver – Beware of Dog
Denver – Hush Denver
Denver – Noble Swine Supper Club

Dundee, OR – Sub Rosa (virtually underground…i.e., as far as I know, this is a cyberspace eatery only)

Durham, NC – Too Cool for School

Earlton, NY – Basement Bistro

“East Bay”, CA – Joe’s Bustaurant

Estero, FL – Blue Windows

Fairfield Country, CT – Souterrain

Greensboro, NC – The Next Supper

Houston – Tenacity Supper Club

Kutztown, PA – Tess Kitchen – I’m not quite clear on this one, Huffington Post wrote it up, apparently this jewelry designer also occasionally hosts in-home dinners, though there’s no direct mention on their website

Las Vegas, NV – Paladare Las Vegas

Los Angeles – Chicks with Knives
Los Angeles – Currawong
Los Angeles – Gourmet dining goes underground
Los Angeles – The Hidden Agenda (caterer who offers bi-monthly underground dinners)
Los Angeles – Miguel Nelson – large scale events
Los Angeles – On the Lamb
Los Angeles – Orgasmo de la Boca
Los Angeles – Pheast
Los Angeles – Secret Suppers
Los Angeles – Sent by Joe
Los Angeles – Taste of Pace
Los Angeles – The Un-Curry Table
Los Angeles/Studio City – Underground Kitchen

Madison, WI – Black Market
Madison, WI – School Woods Supper Club
Madison, WI – Underground Kitchen

Miami – Cobaya – Gourmet Guinea Pigs
Miami – KMBP 2.0

Milwaukee – Sub Rosa (I’ve only seen this place referenced in a couple of articles, a vegan dining club for up to 80 people, if anyone has more info, let me know.)

Minneapolis – Notes from an Underground Restaurant

Multi-City – Anti-Restaurants
Multi-City – Kitchen not so confidential
Multi-City – Like-a-Local (forum to offer and accept dining with, playing with, living with locals as you travel)
Multi-City – One Pot
Multi-City – Outstanding in the Field
Multi-City – Psst … Alice Waters Sent Me
Multi-City – Restaurants on the Fringe, And Thriving
Multi-City – Supper Club
Multi-City – The Anti-Restaurants
Multi-City – The Supper Club
Multi-City – 2 Guys Investigate
Multi-City – Underground Dining – Restaurant Alternative?
Multi-City – Underground Restaurants
Multi-City – World’s Best Secret Dining Clubs

Nevada City, NV – In the Kitchen with Wendy Van Wagner

NE Washington & N Idaho – The Wandering Table

New York City – Adventures in Secret Dining
New York City (Downtown Manhattan) – Apt 4 food & wine
New York City – Bread, Butter, Cheese – underground grilled cheese sandwich delivery…
New York City (Prospect Lefferts Gardens) – Brooklyn Edible Social Club
New York City (Brooklyn) – Brooklyn Laundry
New York City (East Village) – The Cardinal Club
New York City (Chinatown) – Chinatown Cake Club
New York City (Brooklyn) – Choice Cuts
New York City – City Grit
New York City – Corsair Club (proving this isn’t a new phenomenon…)
New York City (Brooklyn) – Devorar
New York City – Entree New
New York City – Evoe!
New York City (Williamsburg) – 4 Course Vegan
New York City (Williamsburg) – Good Iron
New York City (Gramercy) – The Good Knife
New York City – Guerilla Culinary Brigade
New York City (West Side Manhattan) – Home Slice West
New York City (roving popup) – The Hunger
New York City (Bedford-Stuyvesant) – Masala Loca
New York City (Bedford-Stuyvesant) – Midnight Brunch
New York City (Greenpoint) – Nasturtium
New York City (Williamsburg, I think) – New Deal Supper Club (Rabbit Mafia)
New York City – The Noble Rot
New York City (Bushwick) – One Big Table
New York City (Brooklyn and other locations) – A Razor, A Shiny Knife
New York City – Red Box Bistro
New York City (Greenpoint) – Reel Tasty (Forking Tasty)
New York City – Secret Restaurants
New York City – Studio Feast
New York City (Astoria) – The Sunday Night Dinner
New York City (Williamsburg) – Tchoup Shop – popup occasional BBQ in the backyard of DBA bar
New York City (Fort Greene) – The Ted and Amy Supper Club and a review
New York City (Tribeca) – Thursdays at Worth St.
New York City (“Outer Boroughs”) – Under Belly
New York City – Underground Food Collective
New York City – Underground Lobster Pound – underground lobster roll delivery…
New York City – Undergrounds Unite (a group of 5 NYC supperclubs that get together and co-sponsor occasional events)
New York City (Williamsburg) – Whisk & Ladle Supper Club

Oakland, CA – Canvas Underground
Oakland, CA – Ghetto Gourmet (Although based from Oakland, CA, they put on events nationwide)
Oakland, CA – Paladar Temescal

Orange County, CA – Block & Wheel Underground Dinners

Philadelphia – L’Atelier (catered dinners in offbeat venues)

Portland, OR – Back Room
Portland, OR – D’Merde (more of an art gathering, but with food and drink)
Portland, OR – Plate and Pitchfork Farm Dinners
Portland, OR – Simpatica

Prospect, TN – The Poetry Reading – midway between Nashville, TN and Huntsville, AL

Sacramento – The Hidden Kitchen
Sacramento – Pajo’s Fine Dining
Sacramento (Fair Oaks), CA – Suburban Suppers
Sacramento – The Wine

San Francisco – Brassica Supperclub – temporarily(?) closed after a police visit
San Francisco – Cook Here and Now
San Francisco – Cook with James
San Francisco – Du Jour Dining
San Francisco – graffEats Guerilla Dining
San Francisco – Guerilla Gourmet
San Francisco – Introducing the Utterly Random Dinner Party
San Francisco – The Phoenix Supper Club
San Francisco – Radio Africa & Kitchen
San Francisco – Secret Dining in San Francisco
San Francisco – Secret Parties of the Hippest Hip
San Francisco – Shaw’s Supper Club
San Francisco – Speakeasy Cuisine
San Francisco – SPICE
San Francisco – Sub-Culture Dining
San Francisco – Tip Top Supper Club
San Francisco – Wild Kitchen

San Jose, CA – “spēk-,ē-zē
San Jose, CA – Urban Food Secrets… Revealed!

Saratoga Springs, NY – Private Dining Experience

Seattle – Cache
Seattle – Cloak-and-Dagger Dining
Seattle – Gypsy
Seattle – Home
Seattle – One Pot
Seattle – Rebel, Disgraced, Tries to Pull Off Rebound
Seattle – Underground dining is poised to claim the spotlight

Silver Spring, MD – Dining Under the Table

Sonoma – Bistro Incognito

Spokane – Ghetto Gourmand

St. Louis – entre: Underground – talk about hidden, you can’t even view the website without an invitation!

Tennessee (Eastern) – Voodoo Kitchen

Turlock, CA – Relish Rogue

Washington, DC – Hush
Washington, DC – Orange Arrow – a bit bigger operation, but in the spirit of this page, oh, and you have to be referred…more info about them in a Post article

Wilmington, DE – Flipside

Woodstock, NY – Woodstock’s Hidden Kitchen

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South America

— Argentina —

Acassuso – 15 a Puertas Cerradas

Buenos Aires – Afro-Kitschen
Buenos Aires – Allium Cocina + Sentidos
Buenos Aires (Villa Crespo) – Almacen Secreto – a little less underground than it used to be
Buenos Aires – Behind Closed Doors
Buenos Aires (Colegiales) – Buena Birra Social Club
Buenos Aires (Belgrano) – Casa Alma Tinto
Buenos Aires (Palermo) – Casa Coupage
Buenos Aires (Palermo) – Casa Mun
Buenos Aires (Recoleta) – Casa Parrilla
Buenos Aires (Retiro) – Casa Roca
Buenos Aires (Recoleta) – Casa SaltShaker – our own place
Buenos Aires (San Cristobál) – Château Matheu
Buenos Aires (San Telmo) – Cocina Garden
Buenos Aires (Colegiales) – Cocina Sunae
Buenos Aires (Colegiales) – Colectivo Felix
Buenos Aires (Villa Devoto) – Comer con Amigos
Buenos Aires (Belgrano) – Como Como en Casa – catering company that does a monthly puertas cerradas dinner
Buenos Aires (Villa DeVoto) – Dantón Cuisine
Buenos Aires (Villa del Parque) – El Poney Pisador
Buenos Aires (Palermo) – Flechazo
Buenos Aires (Colegiales) – Kensho
Buenos Aires (San Telmo) – Le Restaurant
Buenos Aires (Villa Crespo) – La Cocina Discreta
Buenos Aires (Belgrano) – Mis Raices (for more than 30 years!)
Buenos Aires (Villa del Parque) – Nice Food
Buenos Aires – Noches Grimod
Buenos Aires (Almagro) – Paladar Buenos Aires or their facebook page
Buenos Aires (Almagro) РPaladar Do̱a Fela
Buenos Aires – Psst! Want a Discreet Dinner?
Buenos Aires (Villa Crespo) – Sammy’s
Buenos Aires (Palermo) – Tipo Casa
Buenos Aires (Colegiales) – Treinta Sillas Ghetto Gourmet

Mar del Plata – Casa de Aromas

Mendoza – 743 Bistro
Mendoza – Los Chocos

San Isidro – 326 Puertas Adentro

— Brazil —

Porto Alegre – Anteprima

São Paulo – Casa dos Cariris
São Paulo – Patuá
São Paulo – Les Amis (and, apparently, we inspired them to open their place)

— Chile —

Santiago, Chile – Oty’s Family Dinners

— Peru —

Ayacucho – Hilda Maurina Mamani Cáceres

Lima – Huariques – Spanish language blog that covers both puertas cerradas (closed door) restaurants and “hole-in-the-wall” spots
Lima – Secrets of the Sea
Lima – Fusion dining in Lima – Machu Picchu can wait
Lima – A Puerta Cerrada
Lima – Inexpensive Restaurant Choices (Sankuay, Sonia, Tio Mario, El Encuentro de Otani)

Pucalipa-Ucayali – Angela Davila De Rengifo
Pucallpa-Ucayali – Mirla Soraya Sanchez Diaz

— Uruguay —

Montevideo – La Cuisine Secrete

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Europe

— Austria —

Vienna – The Dining Room
Vienna – Dining That’s Not Set To Strauss Waltzes

— Czech Republic —
Prague – Gallery Hunger
Prague – U Jednoho pokoje (At the One Room), a.k.a. Chez Julien

— Denmark —

Copenhagen – First on the Right
Copenhagen – Silver.Spoon

— France —

Châteauneuf – Red Radish Supper Club

Lyon – Le Salon Anglais

Paris – Aux Chiens Lunatiques
Paris – The Gentle Gourmet – vegan b&B that also offers dinners by reservation
Paris – The Hidden Kitchen
Paris – Lunch in the Loft
Paris – In a secret Paris cavern…
Paris – My Private Dinner – organize your own!
Paris – Paris Soirees Dinners (mix of dinners and other types of events)
Paris – Rachel Khoo (also at times in London)
Paris – The Sunday Dinners (Jim Haynes) (for more than 30 years!)

— Germany —

Berlin – Fisk & Gröönsaken
Berlin – Hand in Mouth
Berlin – Loteria Supper Club
Berlin – Metti una sera a cena
Berlin – Palisaden Supper Club
Berlin – The Shy Chef
Berlin – Thyme Supper Club
Berlin (Havel) – Travels With My Fork
Berlin – Zagreus Projekt
Berlin – Zuhause

Düsseldorf – Sundays Dinner Party
Düsseldorf – Rebelote Supper Club

Frankfurt – The Secret Table

Münich – Shane’s Kitchen

— Greece —
Athens – The Secret Supper

— Greenland —

Illulissat – H8

— Hungary —

Budapest – Lakásétterem (in Hungarian)

— Italy —

HomeFood

Bologna – Home Food Italy

Florence – Cucina Cinzia (also in London)

Padova – Mama Isa’s

Rome – Cook Here and Now

Vacone, Lazio – Solo Per Due

— Netherlands —

Nationwide – Tafel van Twaalf – listing of places all over the country – they keep it updated better than I can, so check it first (in Dutch)

Amsterdam – Dine with the Dutch
Amsterdam – Kilaen (in Dutch – 2 seat in-home restaurant)

— Norway —

Oslo – Club de Mardi

— Poland —

? – Uczta Babette (Babette’s Feast)
Warsaw (Mokotów) – Klub Kolacyjny

— Portugal —

Lisbon – Hush-Hush Garden
Lisbon – Marmita’s Supper Club

— Spain —

Barcelona – La Contrasenya
Barcelona – Jezebel’s Night
Barcelona – Kokun (on hiatus)

Madrid – La Cantina del Mar

Sierra Nevada – Jardín de la Alpujarra

— Sweden —

Gothenburg – Middagsklubben GBG

Stockholm – Hemma hos Linn

— United Kingdom —

Basingstoke – Mr H Goes Gorilla

Belfast, N. Ireland – Plot 15 Supper Club

Bethesda, Gwynedd, Wales – Moel Faban Secret Supper Club

Bognor Regis, West Sussex – Hery’ Supper Club

Brighton – The Bay Supper Club
Brighton – Loco Dining
Brighton – Love Poppy
Brighton – Open House Dining
Brighton – Purple Sprouting

Bristol – Bishopston Supper Club
Bristol – Mi Casa
Bristol – The Montpelier Basement
Bristol – The Secret Service Supper Club

Cambridgeshire – The Outlawed Epicurean
Cambridgeshire – The Secluded Tea Party

Canterbury – Kaos Underground

Cardiff – Calon y Gegin

Cheltenham – Chocolate Poppy Supper Club

Colchester – Colchester Secret Supper Club
Dorset – Food Heaven

Edinburgh – Charlie and Evelyn’s Table
Edinburgh – Queen of Tarts

Exeter (South Devon) – Little Lillie’s
Exeter (Toipsham) – Vino Kitchen

Kent – Hari Covert

Kingston-Upon-Thames – Jay Kay’s Supper Club

Lancashire – Sir Cassidy’s Secret League of Diners

Leeds – The Secret Tea Room

Lindley (Huddersfield) – Cafe Nouveau at Home

London – 10 of London’s best secret supper clubs
London (Bromley) – Annie’s Supper Club
London (Brixton) – The Basement Galley
London (Shoreditch) – Bootleg Banquet
London (Tooting) – Broadway Lofts Supper Club
London (Hackney Downs) – The Bruncheon Club
London – Can be Bribed with Food – very occasional and by invitation
London (Paddington) – Castello di Potentino
London (Osterley) – Chakula’s Secret Dining Club
London – Chefs London
London (Limehouse) – Chowpatty Supper Club
London (Newington Green) – Civet Cat Club
London (Islington) – Clandestinos
London (Clapton) – The Claptonian Arts Club
London (E2) – Comida Divertida
London (Brixton) – The Crumbs and Dirty Dishes
London (Fulham) – Cucina Cinzia (also in Florence, Tuscany)
London (Hackney) – The Curious Kitchen
London (Kensington) – Daddy’s Indian Supper Club
London – Dave Clasen’s First Weekend
London (Islington) – Eat Me Supper Club
London (Hackney) – Fernandez & Leluu
London (Putney) – The First Bite Is
London (Camden) – Francesca’s Secret Kitchen
London (Wimbledon) – Frangipani Supper Club
London (Blackheath Village) – Friday Food Club
London (Shoreditch) – Full House
London (Tower Bridge) – Good Stock
London (Central) – Greekfoodlovers’ Supper Club
London (Hackney) – Green Onions
London – Hidden Tea Room
London (East/Brick Lane) – Humble Kitchen
London (Tufnell Park) – Joginder’s Supperclub
London (East End) – Khana Commune London
London (Brixton) – The Last Supper Club/Kitchen Jezebel
London – Latitudinal Cuisine – more of a pop-up potluck/potlatch
London (Islington) – Lex Eat
London (Dalston) – The Loft Project
London (Islington) – London Cooking Club
London (Northwest) – Mama Lan’s
London (Greenwich) – The Meridian Supper Club
London (East End) – Midnight Steakout
London – The Moveable Restaurant
London (Kilburn) – Ms. Marmitelover’s The Underground Restaurant
London (Haringay) – The N15 Tea Party
London (Twickenham) – Ndudu
London (Holland Park) – Nomad Chef
London (Dalston) – Number 68 Project – planned as a temporary series of events through June 2010
London (Angel) – The Old Hat Club
London (Hackney) – The Pale Blue Door
London (Dalston) – The Parkholme Road Supper Club
London (Barnet) – Pash and Friend
London (Crouch End) – PEA
London – Pipsdinners – and soon in Edinburgh
London (East) – Pistachio & Pickle
London (Camden) – Rambling Restaurant
London (Brixton) – Salad Club
London (Brixton) – The Saltoun Supper Club and a review
London (Blackheath) – The Savoy Truffle Supperclub
London (Newington Green) – The Secret Ingredient
London (Holloway) – The Secret Larder
London (Shepherds Bush) – Le Secret Supper Club
London (Dalston) – Shacklewell Nights
London (Newington Green) – The Shed
London (East Sheen) – Sheen Suppers
London (Highbury) – Single Suppers
London (Hackney Downs) – Snackney Downs
London (New Cross / Brockley / Telegraph Hill) – Sophie & Julie’s Eat Meet Supper Club
London (Lewisham) – Stocks and Hares Supper Club
London (Stoke Newington) – Stokey Secret Supper
London (Nottinghill) – Stolen – Monday’s Chow
London (Clapton) – Sugarloaf Supper Club
London (Nottinghill) – Sunday Lunch Club
London (Hendon) – Superb Suppers
London (Balham) – The Supper Club London
London (East End) – Tete-a-Tea
London (Bethnal Green) – Tudor Road Supper Club
ondon (Croydon) – The Underground Tea Party
London (West) – Urban Sage Supper Club
London (N1) – White Room Supper Club

Manchester – The Spice Club

Multi-city – Housebites (listing site for people who don’t have their own sites setup to advertise dinners)
Multi-City – Open for Dinner – online UK guide to “pop-up” restaurants
Multi-City – Pale Blue Door

Newcastle – The Next Big Event – mix of catering and popup dining events
Newcastle – An interesting extension of the idea for the Eat Newcastle Gateshead food festival.

North Oxfordshire – The Secret Supper Society

Norwich – Unthank Supper Club

Nottinghamshire – Clarkie’s Supper Club

Peterborough – The Outlawed Epicurean

Poole (Parkestone) – Tansy’s Kitchen

Reading – Friday Dinner Secrets

Scottish Borders, Scotland – Dine at my House

Warwickshire – Secret Squisito

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Asia

— China —

Beijing – Gourmet Underground

Hong Kong – Cuore Private Kitchen
Hong Kong – Da Ping Huo – more of a small private kitchen that simply doesn’t have a sign, so you have to know it’s there – touted by many as the best Szechuan food in Hong Kong
Hong Kong – A new sort of speakeasy – in Hong Kong
Hong Kong – Mandy’s Private Kitchen
Hong Kong – Once Upon a Table…
Hong Kong – Private Kitchens add color to H.K. food culture
Hong Kong – Secret Diners’ Business

Shenzhen – Secret Restaurant

— Indonesia —

Jakarta – Azanaya

Yogyakarta – The Sawah

— Japan —

Tokyo – Aronia de Takazawa

— Malaysia —

Kuala Lumpur – Jen’s Underground Supper Club

Selangor – Huck’s Cafe

— Philippines —

Tagaytay City – Sanctuario

— Singapore —

Singapore – Khana Commune

———

Australia, New Zealand, S. Pacific

— Australia —

Melbourne – Global Gobbler
Melbourne – Zingara Cucina

Sydney – 4 Foodies
Sydney – Bite Club
Sydney – Secret Supper Society
Sydney – Table for 20
Sydney – Tablenosh
Sydney – The company of strangers
Sydney – Transient Diner – to contact: transientdiner (at) gmail (dot) com

— New Zealand —

Auckland – Plum Kitchen Supperclub

———

Africa

— South Africa —

Pretoria – Red Tomato Bistro @ Home

———

I found this blog that’s a fascinating reversal on the experience that in-home restaurants provide, a young woman in the Netherlands who gets herself invited to people’s homes for a traditional dinner of their culture (she focuses on finding someone from a different ethnic background for each meal), along with conversation about the food culture, recipes, and backgrounds of those cuisines.

A similar concept is the “pop-up restaurant” – often open just for a single or short-term event, perhaps held at an art space or warehouse or exhibition hall, though sometimes in a private home; or a visiting chef (or local chef without his or her own restaurant) taking over the kitchen and dining room of another existing restaurant on their closed night(s). Plenty of hits on internet searches for the term.