When interior designer Yash Rai, 25, moved to NCR from Madhya Pradesh, weekends felt isolating –just him, his phone, and the view from his balcony. Craving connection, he took a leap and hosted a ‘chill house meet’ for strangers.
He isn’t the only one choosing to spend time with strangers. More young professionals living away from home are turning to IRL (in-real-life) meet-ups – from guided walks and group dinners to stranger parties – to make new connections and explore the city’s social life in new formats.
Joel Johnny, 29, now a party host, recalls going for his first strangers party: “All I had was the address. I’d signed up to meet new people. It was awkward at first as I didn’t know anyone, but the ice-breaker session melted the tension. The possibility of finding some people who you can gel up with is exciting. That’s the spirit behind having stranger parties”
‘Hosts open up their homes to strangers’
Even a super-connected metro city can be lonely sometimes. To offer a quiet 'third space,' Meghna Chaudhary opens her Bengaluru home to two strangers daily from 12pm to 4pm. Guests can read, nap, or just be.
Kainat Ahmed, 31, who hosts Stray Souls In The City in Gurgaon, says, “After moving to Gurgaon from Mumbai and working remotely, my social circle felt limited. This prompted me to go out and be around new people. Post-pandemic, I wasn’t ready to meet 20-25 strangers at once, and dating apps didn’t feel right – whether or not I was looking for a relationship. So, I began hosting small gatherings at home instead. My idea was to bring together people who may or may not share interests but are in a similar life stage. It also helps many to tackle urban loneliness. Depending on the theme of the meet-up, like bachelor monologue sessions with themes like adulting in a new city or quarter-life crisis, I would get about 20-25 sign-ups but invites go to only 8, so that it is intimate and wholesome. With the next chapter, the plan is that professionals meet and talk about what they do, and foster connections and collaborations”
‘People meet for fun activites & playing games'
“We are a friendship community,” says Suhani Buthra, founder of Xcited Club. “Most members are away from their hometowns. They pay a small subscription fee to join monthly online meet-ups and take part in social drives like food distribution and activities like greeting card drives, where we make cards and distribute it to people we meet on the streets. Every weekend, we gather in open spaces to play childhood games or do hands-on activities. People make strong offline connections here.”
“Misfits is a platform for people to come together in communities around a hobby which hosts weekly meetups. People come together to gather, unwind and belong in these meetupsups while engaging in the hobby the community is based on” says co-founder, Chaitanya Dhawan. Adding, “Independent, passionate people run these communities across hobbies from boardgaming, quizzing to hiking, dance and football. We currently have around 40 such community meetups happening every week in NCR. It’s heartwarming to see people who otherwise would have never met come together and forge some really strong friendships and communities."
Dining with strangers is the new adventure
From supper clubs to midweek dinners, food has become a powerful social glue. “Weekday dinners with strangers are a response to big-city loneliness, as is the growing demand for other IRL experiences,” says Tu-Han Vincent, regional manager at Timeleft. “In India, South Delhi is shaping up to be our busiest zone in terms of number of people attending.”
“The idea seemed bizarre at first,” says Ayaan Shaikh, 29, a software engineer from Bengaluru. “But then I thought, when was the last time I met someone outside my work circle? I landed at a table with people from all walks of life. It was more refreshing than another weekend at the same old bar.” “I moved to Delhi last year and found it hard to make new friends,” adds Jitesh Bansal, 32, a management consultant. “Traditional networking events felt forced, and bars weren’t my thing. These dinners were a game-changer.”
Supper clubs, where hosts invite food lovers to their homes and serve a curated menu and talk about all things food, is rooted in the similar idea - of bonding with people in person, real time. Surabhi Bhandari, who has been hosting Marwadi supper club in her Gurgaon home, says, “Food is a powerful bridge for cultural exchange, and supper clubs have become a vibrant space where like-minded individuals can connect and share their stories. When I started Marwadi pop-up, two years ago, I was hesitant to open my home to strangers, but looking back, I’m so glad I did. Food allows me to connect with people who share the same passion, transforming strangers into friends. Through these pop-ups, I not only get to share my culture and food stories but also hear others’ experiences.”
“Presenting the food experience at home to people we don’t personally know is always the most exciting part of it. While catering to people bound by love for food and new cultures in the intimate setting of our home, we end up gaining so much in terms of perspectives, stories and understanding of food cultures,” says Sreetama Sen, founder of The Terracotta Tales, a Bengali supper club in Delhi.
The new ‘find-a-date’ platform?
With dating apps feeling more like an endless loop of ghosting, dry conversations, and awkward first meets, could social dining prove to be an alternative? “It's exciting to meet someone without expectations. I’ve been on dates where we ran out of things to talk about within 15 minutes. But at these dinners, even if you don’t find romance, you walk away with a good experience,” says Tara Menon, 26, a content writer from Mumbai. However, not everyone sees this the same way. “It’s not a shortcut to finding love. You’re not guaranteed to meet someone single, let alone someone you like romantically. But it does feel way more organic than scrolling through profiles,” says Sureeli Prakash, 28, a Bengaluru-based lawyer.
What makes these spaces safe
Hosts take several steps to ensure safety. Kainat swears by ‘LinkedIn vetting’ to check and filter profiles after reading through the sign-up forms. “While now the meet-ups happen in cafes, I started with hosting people at home. Being a solo host, calling strangers home could be tricky. Keeping a fee that pays for food and drinks ensures that the crowd is filtered,” she says.
“Timeleft matches you with five others who are believed to share values, same stage in life, interests, but are still different enough (gender balance, introvert/extrovert etc), in a safe environment, with good food,” adds Tu-Han Vincent.
‘People seek spaces that offer authentic connection’
Nishi Joshi, psychotherapist practising in Mumbai, explains, “In an era marked by digital fatigue, people are seeking spaces that offer authentic connection. Studies show that in-person social interactions significantly reduce stress, support emotional regulation, and enhance mental well-being. The idea of third spaces with strangers may seem unconventional, but they tap into a deep human need: to be seen, felt, and connected beyond the curated world of screens. Versova Reads in Mumbai and Lodhi Reads in Delhi are fantastic examples of third spaces.
Mumbai-based psychologist Kasturi Subha, adds, “Many people move to new cities for work, and making friends as an adult is hard. These events create a structured yet relaxed space for socialising, making it easier for people to connect in a meaningful way.”
He isn’t the only one choosing to spend time with strangers. More young professionals living away from home are turning to IRL (in-real-life) meet-ups – from guided walks and group dinners to stranger parties – to make new connections and explore the city’s social life in new formats.
Joel Johnny, 29, now a party host, recalls going for his first strangers party: “All I had was the address. I’d signed up to meet new people. It was awkward at first as I didn’t know anyone, but the ice-breaker session melted the tension. The possibility of finding some people who you can gel up with is exciting. That’s the spirit behind having stranger parties”
‘Hosts open up their homes to strangers’
Even a super-connected metro city can be lonely sometimes. To offer a quiet 'third space,' Meghna Chaudhary opens her Bengaluru home to two strangers daily from 12pm to 4pm. Guests can read, nap, or just be.
Kainat Ahmed, 31, who hosts Stray Souls In The City in Gurgaon, says, “After moving to Gurgaon from Mumbai and working remotely, my social circle felt limited. This prompted me to go out and be around new people. Post-pandemic, I wasn’t ready to meet 20-25 strangers at once, and dating apps didn’t feel right – whether or not I was looking for a relationship. So, I began hosting small gatherings at home instead. My idea was to bring together people who may or may not share interests but are in a similar life stage. It also helps many to tackle urban loneliness. Depending on the theme of the meet-up, like bachelor monologue sessions with themes like adulting in a new city or quarter-life crisis, I would get about 20-25 sign-ups but invites go to only 8, so that it is intimate and wholesome. With the next chapter, the plan is that professionals meet and talk about what they do, and foster connections and collaborations”
‘People meet for fun activites & playing games'
“We are a friendship community,” says Suhani Buthra, founder of Xcited Club. “Most members are away from their hometowns. They pay a small subscription fee to join monthly online meet-ups and take part in social drives like food distribution and activities like greeting card drives, where we make cards and distribute it to people we meet on the streets. Every weekend, we gather in open spaces to play childhood games or do hands-on activities. People make strong offline connections here.”
“Misfits is a platform for people to come together in communities around a hobby which hosts weekly meetups. People come together to gather, unwind and belong in these meetupsups while engaging in the hobby the community is based on” says co-founder, Chaitanya Dhawan. Adding, “Independent, passionate people run these communities across hobbies from boardgaming, quizzing to hiking, dance and football. We currently have around 40 such community meetups happening every week in NCR. It’s heartwarming to see people who otherwise would have never met come together and forge some really strong friendships and communities."
Dining with strangers is the new adventure
From supper clubs to midweek dinners, food has become a powerful social glue. “Weekday dinners with strangers are a response to big-city loneliness, as is the growing demand for other IRL experiences,” says Tu-Han Vincent, regional manager at Timeleft. “In India, South Delhi is shaping up to be our busiest zone in terms of number of people attending.”
“The idea seemed bizarre at first,” says Ayaan Shaikh, 29, a software engineer from Bengaluru. “But then I thought, when was the last time I met someone outside my work circle? I landed at a table with people from all walks of life. It was more refreshing than another weekend at the same old bar.” “I moved to Delhi last year and found it hard to make new friends,” adds Jitesh Bansal, 32, a management consultant. “Traditional networking events felt forced, and bars weren’t my thing. These dinners were a game-changer.”
Supper clubs, where hosts invite food lovers to their homes and serve a curated menu and talk about all things food, is rooted in the similar idea - of bonding with people in person, real time. Surabhi Bhandari, who has been hosting Marwadi supper club in her Gurgaon home, says, “Food is a powerful bridge for cultural exchange, and supper clubs have become a vibrant space where like-minded individuals can connect and share their stories. When I started Marwadi pop-up, two years ago, I was hesitant to open my home to strangers, but looking back, I’m so glad I did. Food allows me to connect with people who share the same passion, transforming strangers into friends. Through these pop-ups, I not only get to share my culture and food stories but also hear others’ experiences.”
“Presenting the food experience at home to people we don’t personally know is always the most exciting part of it. While catering to people bound by love for food and new cultures in the intimate setting of our home, we end up gaining so much in terms of perspectives, stories and understanding of food cultures,” says Sreetama Sen, founder of The Terracotta Tales, a Bengali supper club in Delhi.
The new ‘find-a-date’ platform?
With dating apps feeling more like an endless loop of ghosting, dry conversations, and awkward first meets, could social dining prove to be an alternative? “It's exciting to meet someone without expectations. I’ve been on dates where we ran out of things to talk about within 15 minutes. But at these dinners, even if you don’t find romance, you walk away with a good experience,” says Tara Menon, 26, a content writer from Mumbai. However, not everyone sees this the same way. “It’s not a shortcut to finding love. You’re not guaranteed to meet someone single, let alone someone you like romantically. But it does feel way more organic than scrolling through profiles,” says Sureeli Prakash, 28, a Bengaluru-based lawyer.
What makes these spaces safe
Hosts take several steps to ensure safety. Kainat swears by ‘LinkedIn vetting’ to check and filter profiles after reading through the sign-up forms. “While now the meet-ups happen in cafes, I started with hosting people at home. Being a solo host, calling strangers home could be tricky. Keeping a fee that pays for food and drinks ensures that the crowd is filtered,” she says.
“Timeleft matches you with five others who are believed to share values, same stage in life, interests, but are still different enough (gender balance, introvert/extrovert etc), in a safe environment, with good food,” adds Tu-Han Vincent.
‘People seek spaces that offer authentic connection’
Nishi Joshi, psychotherapist practising in Mumbai, explains, “In an era marked by digital fatigue, people are seeking spaces that offer authentic connection. Studies show that in-person social interactions significantly reduce stress, support emotional regulation, and enhance mental well-being. The idea of third spaces with strangers may seem unconventional, but they tap into a deep human need: to be seen, felt, and connected beyond the curated world of screens. Versova Reads in Mumbai and Lodhi Reads in Delhi are fantastic examples of third spaces.
Mumbai-based psychologist Kasturi Subha, adds, “Many people move to new cities for work, and making friends as an adult is hard. These events create a structured yet relaxed space for socialising, making it easier for people to connect in a meaningful way.”
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