"Hello, table for one please."
Even in 2024, some places still can't believe someone would choose to eat alone at a restaurant.
Solo dining. Eating out alone. However you describe it, it's an experience most people try to avoid. To my surprise, after I began dining alone years ago, I found it to be quite enjoyable once I got the hang of it. As your food and dining reporter for three years, even I had to adjust to dining alone. Here are some tips on how to gradually enjoy it, along with some perks and restaurant recommendations.
1. Choose the right kind of dining establishment
Some restaurants are more solo-diner-friendly than others. The key is to focus on enjoying the experience rather than worrying about what others think. I used to overthink how I might appear, which ruined the experience for me.
Fine dining can feel judgmental, but solo diners are common at bar tops, diners, breakfast spots, and restaurant bars. Food truck pods are also ideal, as some folks find restaurant seating more intimidating.
If you're new to dining solo, I recommend going out for breakfast really early in the morning. The breakfast rush usually starts around 9-10 a.m. on weekends, so arriving earlier can mean fewer diners around. Most staff are friendly and accustomed to solo diners, as regulars often come in alone (myself included).
Otherwise, I suggest dining during a busy lunchtime. Contrary to what may come to mind first, seeing so many tables be preoccupied with themselves may help with feeling free from judgment. Similar to the feeling of being unnoticed in a room full of people at a large event. Your server may also be appreciative of an "easy" customer among the larger groups in the restaurant.
Dinner can be more challenging since solo diners are less common at that time. What helped me most was choosing a restaurant I love; being excited about the meal made me forget about dining alone. If you're a regular somewhere or don't mind sharing a bar top, solo dining can be quite enjoyable.
Overall, I'd recommend locally-owned restaurants over fast food or chains as they are usually are more relaxed about solo diners.
Tips
Sometimes, we only have so much courage to dine alone. I used to set timers for myself to stay calm, especially in high-volume places like popular restaurants . This was more helpful in spaces with high turnover, like cafes and ice cream parlors.
Other times, I would try to chat with my servers or fellow solo diners close to me. Sometimes, people would lean over and ask me bluntly why I was eating alone. If you're looking to chat or meet people, dining alone was a great avenue. If you'd rather be left alone, bring earbuds (nothing too noise-canceling, so you can hear your server) or a book.
Lastly, choose places with relatively quick service. Solo diners can be served faster, as one or two dishes are quicker to prepare than a larger table's order.
The best restaurants for solo dining
Here are some places I have personally enjoyed eating out at alone or have the characteristics for a quality solo dining experience. In no particular order:
Breakfast: Word of Mouth Bistro, Sybil's Omelettes, White's Restaurant, Black Sheep Catering & Cafe, Toast & Jam.
Lunch: Wild Pear, The Manila Fiesta, The Easy Otter, Kike's Taqueria, Taqueria El Jacolito, Mint Leaf Bistro, Bearwolf PNW Deli and catering, Checkpoint 221, Manna Japanese Comfort Food.
Dinner: Royal Thai Kitchen, Magnolia on the Green, Happy Bibimbop House, Epilogue Kitchen, Kim Huong Vietnamese Restaurant, Mina's Cafe, Tup Tim Thai Cusine, Lanxang Lao Thai Cuisine.
Other: Isaac's Downtown, Manna Bakery, Gerry Frank's Konditorei, Pacific Standard, Alleycat Bar, Ring of Fire Frozen Treats, Sweetly Baked, Ratchet Brewery, Santiam Brewing, The Rabbit Cellar Lounge.
Em Chan covers food and dining at the Statesman Journal. You can reach her at echan@gannett.com and follow her on X @ catchuptoemily.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Solo dining: A guide to eating out alone, restaurant recommendations
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