Supper clubs shine a light on the social role of food.
By Rich Manning
Consuming food and drink is much more than just a biological need. Rather, our culture has transformed the practice into a social event, with each bite and sip serving as a foundation for the greater good of engaging in conversation and spending time with friends and family. No type of venue captures this dynamic dining experience better than a supper club. Part restaurant, part social hub, these all-inclusive establishments excel at not only bringing people together for a bite to eat, but keeping the good times going after the final plate is cleared. And even though its roots can be traced back to rustic, upper Midwestern communities, the modern supper club carries a sleek, metropolitan cachet that appeals to the global traveler.
San Francisco
It could be said that Supperclub is less of a dining experience and more of an avant-garde, sensual adventure. There is no typical evening to expect here, as the venue puts forth a nightly rotating mixture of events and acts designed to be fun and provocative all at once. For example, one night’s activities may include a four-course dinner, lounging around on a crisp white bed, taking in some performance art or dancing to grooves spun by one of the club’s resident disc jockeys. The only certainty is that this venue, located four blocks from The St. Regis San Francisco, delights in pushing the envelope with its creative offerings. (415-348-0900; supperclub.com)
Atlanta
Ocean Prime complements Atlanta’s posh Buckhead neighborhood with its sleek and contemporary design while remaining true to the classic roots of a supper club. A spinoff from a club that was founded in Ohio, guests can feel the Midwestern sensibility through the venue’s personalized service. Upon entering, guests are greeted by name and warmly welcomed as they embark upon a shared culinary adventure. Ocean Prime offers plenty of ways to tap into this hospitable vibe, from an array of continental cuisine augmented with modern touches to its rollicking cocktail lounge and piano bar. (404-846-0505; oceanprimeatlanta.com)
Orange County
Located a few miles up the coast in Seal Beach, Calif., the award-winning Spaghettini takes the supper club concept seriously. The establishment’s in-house entertainment venue, dubbed the Spaghettini Performance Lounge, routinely attracts some of the top names in jazz. While it has become one of Orange County’s go-to spots to enjoy jazz music, people also flock to the restaurant for its authentic Italian cuisine and Sunday brunch, which features unlimited Champagne, personalized service and live entertainment. (562-596-2199; spaghettini.com)
New York
One of the liveliest metropolitan areas in the world, New York City is home to numerous upscale eateries and a vibrant nightlife scene. A Restaurant Row mainstay, Swing 46 Jazz and Supper Club, combines the two for a premier supper club experience. The club invites guests to step back in time sinking into one of the high-back leather booths to enjoy classic fare like oysters Rockefeller and filet mignon before dancing the night away to the tunes of the swing and big band era that supplied the city its pulse back in the 1930s and 1940s. (212-262-9554; swing46.com)
Puerto Rico
Known as a place to relax, renew and escape from the formalities of daily life, it’s not a surprise to find that Puerto Rico does the supper club concept a little differently from its mainland counterparts. In San Juan, the retro-themed El Livin offers a Caribbean twist for visitors and locals alike. With an elevated view of the ocean and Luis Muñoz Rivera Park’s surrounding greenery, formality flies out the window as the space comes alive nightly with energizing music and dance performances that tap into the local community as much as the restaurant’s selection of elegant yet homespun cuisine. (787-977-6500; ellivinpr.com)
Miami
A key ingredient of a successful supper club is to capture the essence of the community where it resides—something that the coastal restaurant, Juliet, does very well. From the vintage-inspired, awning-covered walkway to the bold flourishes of color that burst throughout the sleek interior, the establishment embodies the heart of Miami culture. What’s more, the venue’s penchant for filling the air with European and Latin sounds sends a clear signal that this local vibe extends beyond its outward appearance. The menu infuses sophisticated Russian cuisine with contemporary fare, giving the restaurant an added level of international intrigue that alludes to the city’s status as a fringe player in the Cold War. (305-949-9994; julietmiami.com)
