Dining Solo This Weekend? You're Not Alone.

Solo dining is not for the weak. It is an extreme sport that requires you to leave the garb of awkwardness at the restaurant's revolving door. And no, you cannot silence the “silence” by putting on one of your favourite YouTube videos or watching an episode of the latest show you're binge-watching. Unless you want more eyes on you, that is. You have to pull two chairs back, one for yourself and one for the nervousness you will take with you when you're dining solo for the first time. 

Ever since I moved to Mumbai three years ago, I have had my fair share of solo dining experiences. Some good and some bad, but through it all, if there's one thing I have learned from them, it's that every solo dining experience is different in its little quirky way. 

The Solitary Eater

The first time I ate alone in Mumbai, it was at Café Mondegar in Colaba on my birthday. Determined not to let my big day go to waste without knowing anyone in the city, I decided to explore the lanes of Colaba on a sunny October afternoon. To my bad luck, it was sweltering hot outside and I quickly found myself questioning my decision to come out during the peak sun hours. That is when I stumbled upon the little corner swarming with tourists. 

As soon as I entered, I saw the server eyeing the space beside me. “Table for one,” I said, on being asked the usual first question you hear upon entering a restaurant. I was nervous, yes. But also, excited at the prospect. There were people at every table except the one in the middle, and my server showed me the way excitedly. Somehow, I felt extra welcomed by his friendly nature, and that put me at ease, which goes on to highlight how very important it is that restaurants need to educate their staff on this growing tribe of solo diners and their quirks. 

Being a student on a budget, I could only afford a simple chocolate mousse at the cafe. But the experience itself? A quiet triumph. It made me happy on a day when happiness wasn’t guaranteed, just expected.

Table For One, Please!

I’m not the only one. Others have found quiet joy in dining solo, too. Isha Mayer, Digital Editor of ELLE Gourmet India, is no stranger to the solo dining experience. In my observation, every media tasting she gets invited to is her dining solo, albeit with top-class service. She recalls how happy she felt on one of her first solo dining experiences as a college student. “I had gone to Santa Cruz to collect my art class certificate and had some time to kill when I decided to eat by myself for the first time,” she says. 

“I went to the popular fast food joint, Shabari, opposite Santa Cruz station and ordered a serving of plain dosa with sambhar and coconut chutney. I had always gone there with my family, so it was a new experience eating all by myself. But I was happy and content,” she concludes. 

Shweta Mahadik

“I’ve always been a pretty socially awkward person, so the idea of stepping out alone, especially to eat at a restaurant, felt super intimidating,” shares Shweta. “For the longest time, I just couldn’t gather the courage to do it. But it started bothering me. I kept thinking, ‘Why am I so scared of doing something as simple as eating by myself?’ That’s when I decided I had to break this mental block and just go for it.”

“I picked a weekday on purpose, fewer crowds, less pressure. I hopped in my car and drove to a nice restaurant in Bandra. As I walked in, I felt really awkward. But I asked for a table for one and sat down. I ordered my food, and while waiting, I kept wondering, ‘This is it, people are going to start staring.”

“But when the food arrived, it looked so good, and once I took the first bite, I just forgot I was alone. The food was amazing, and slowly, I started relaxing. I looked around, took in the vibe, and actually started enjoying myself. That moment of letting go felt so freeing. The first time doing anything outside your comfort zone always feels huge, and this was no different. But once you conquer that fear, it opens up something new. Now, I look forward to solo meals. Whenever I feel like I need a break or some me-time, I book a table for myself, walk in with my head held high, and enjoy every moment of it.”

Aishwarya Singh

For Aishwarya Singh, one of the voices behind Desi Crime and the co-founder of Desi Studios, solo dining began in a season of heartbreak. “The first time I dined alone was in Washington, DC, after the end of a long-term relationship,” says Aishwarya. “I was forcing myself to become comfortable in my own company, to enjoy food without needing conversation or distraction from my thoughts and feelings. It was deeply uncomfortable at first, even a little embarrassing. Would people be wondering if I’ve been stood up? But the more I did it, the more liberating it was. It became a way for me to explore some of Washington, D.C.’s most iconic food haunts and make lasting memories with myself. Now, even in a relationship again, I love doing it all the time.”

RuchikaLohiya

For storyteller Ruchika Lohiya, solo dining is an escape. “The thought of going solo always comes in anger or when you don’t have another option,”  Lohiya says excitedly. “But then, you think to yourself that it wasn’t that bad. And then it just helps you and your mind every time someone cancels, with this golden option of doing it solo. I don’t hate it, nor do I love solo dates. It’s just convenient, easy, and also a great escape when it’s not your day," she concludes.

Deesha Katkar

Not everyone is sold on the solo dining fantasy. For content creator Deesha Katkar, eating has always been about people. “The talking, the sharing, the ‘try this, it’s so good’ moment. Do I enjoy dining alone? Not really. I like eating when I’m with people I love, people who love me back. That’s when the food really hits.”

She recalls one solo meal in Goa that made her believe in her conviction even more, “I went to this place I love, it’s my go-to for fish thali. But that day, I was by myself. I ordered the usual, sat by the sea, waited excitedly… and when the food came, I just didn’t enjoy it. The fish was perfect, the view was stunning, but I felt so disconnected. Like I was ticking something off a list, not feeling it. That’s when it really hit me, food isn’t just about taste. It’s about the company. It’s about looking up between bites and seeing someone smile. It’s about talking nonsense over chapatis, fighting over the last piece of papad. That day, I promised myself something really simple: never have your meals solo if you can help it. Because for me, food is love. And love is meant to be shared.”

Taking The Good With The Bad

Trust me, eating alone at a restaurant is not always sunshine and roses. At an extremely popular restaurant in Versova, I had an awkward experience. It was when a server placed a couple in front of an unsuspecting me, trying to enjoy my momos. When questioned, I got a curt reply, “We don't save tables for a single diner.” What proceeded was a 20-minute experience of me eating while listening to what I can confirm was a first date in the making. It was extremely awkward and stopped me from stepping out of my comfort zone for a few months. 

But eventually, when the sting faded into memory, I found myself at Madras Café, this time with a hot plate of sambhar rice and no discomfort in sight. I was back on a solo date with myself, rediscovering the joy of my own company on a beautiful January morning. 

Solo dining can be an eye-opening introspection, an embarrassing story you will tell your kids, or just another normal meal with yourself. So if you’re eating alone this weekend, know you’re not alone. We’re all out there making peace with the silence and learning that it isn’t always awkward. Sometimes it is empowering and simply wonderful.