21 Unique Dinner Party Themes For Your Group
- Date: August 2, 2024
- Topic: Events
- Contributors: Written by Peerspace Staff
Source: Peerspace
Dinner parties are one of the best ways to have a successful get-together. Everyone loves food and socializing! But how do you make a dinner party a little more memorable? We at Peerspace are experts in party planning. That’s why we recommend choosing dinner party themes that are a little more unique than the usual! From food holidays to dress-up affairs, our list of dinner party themes is sure to inspire you to try something new!
1. Masquerade dinner
If there’s one thing everyone loves, it’s a thrilling costume party! Masquerade dinner parties are a great option since you won’t be required to invest in too much costume apparel – unless you want to, that is! A mask is all that’s required but other guests might want to wear a ball dress or suit instead.
2. Potluck dinner party
Potluck dinners are a great way to take some of the pressure off of the host. Since everyone will be contributing to the dinner you have way less cooking (and fewer dishes) to do. A potluck meal should include a sign-up sheet so all of the bases are covered by everyone and no one doubles up. A dinner venue is equally important if your apartment dining room is too small for your guest list.
Did you know that Peerspace has hundreds of dinner venues near you? For example, this luxury house in Charlotte, NC, includes more than just a dining room for your dinner party. A reservation also grants you access to a movie theater room, a full yard, and other amenities for a fun night with friends and family!
3. Garden dinner party
How about an outdoor dinner party theme for a nice evening with friends? A garden party is an easy dinner to plan for. All you need are tables and chairs to fill an outdoor space with. Plus a backup plan in case the weather changes, like a rain cover or tent to retreat to! Add some music, decorate the garden space, and your dinner party is ready for guests!
4. Bite-sized appetizer party
You don’t have to prepare large plates to satisfy your guests. In fact, bite-sized appetizers have advantages of their own! For one, everyone can try a little bit of everything, instead of filling up on a few dishes from the menu. A bite-sized dinner party should include menu options like meat kebabs, antipasto, fruit skewers, dumplings, deviled eggs, and other food you can eat in a single bite! Here are a few bite-sized dinner ideas to get you started!
5. Crawfish boil dinner party
Crawfish boils are a staple of the American South because they’re easy to organize and cook, and so satisfying to enjoy with friends! You’ll need quite a few different seasonings – or you can choose a premade seafood boil mix to keep it easy. Add corn and potatoes for some vegetables to go with your tasty seafood and you’re all set!
New to throwing dinner parties? You’ll feel like a pro once you check out our tips and tricks for hosting a wow-worthy dinner party!
6. Chinese New Year dinner party
Celebrate the Chinese New Year with a feast! This is a tradition that is popular in both Mainland China and Chinese communities around the world. The exact dates for the holiday change each year since it is based on the lunar calendar, so plan accordingly. A Chinese New Year dinner party should include traditional Chinese food like Beijing duck, moon cakes, and spring rolls!
7. Chili cookoff dinner party
Few dishes are as competitive as chili because there are as many ways to make it as there are people in love with it. White chicken chili, red pork chili, ground turkey, sweet potato chili…Bring them all together by hosting a chili cookoff! You might even have a few non-chefs act as the judges, tasting each bowl and giving each recipe a score based on ingredients, flavor, and uniqueness!
8. Mardi Gras dinner party
Mardi Gras is one of the most famous festivals the USA has to offer! It also includes some of the best Southern cooking, so few people will judge you if you host a Mardi Gras party any time of the year! Peerspace is all about party planning, so let us help your dinner party be a success with a few of our Mardi Gras ideas for decorations and food!
9. Southern cooking dinner party
Fried chicken, pecan pie, hush puppies, sweet tea…Southern cooking has long since taken its rightful place as one of the world’s best cuisines. So why not celebrate it with a dinner party focused on Southern cooking? Best choose a venue for your Southern cooking dinner party that is as comfort-driven as the food…A tiny country cabin in Nashville, TN, is one of many great places we have to host a Southern dinner party!
10. International dinner party
International cuisine is one of our favorite dinner party themes because it covers so many possibilities! You can make the day an international potluck dinner by having each guest choose a particular dish from one country, not to be repeated. Or you can even focus on a single country, like India for curry, samosas, basmati rice, and other delights!
11. Dinner color party
From dinner parties to baby showers, color parties are one of the best ways to organize any event! Choosing a specific color gives structure to the event; guests should wear apparel in that shade, for one. You can also choose decorations, drinks, and of course, food, to match the chosen color! Have you seen our color party food ideas yet?
12. Food holiday dinner party
Did you know that the year is sprinkled with dates associated with different dishes? These “food holidays” include entire months’ worth of inspiration! For example, January is both National Soup Month as well as National Slow Cooker Month. International Pizza Day is February 8th. May 28th? International Hamburger Day! Use this complete list of food holidays to plan your own dinner party theme!
13. Birthday dinner party
A birthday can take any form you wish but ending it with a dinner party is very satisfying! Have the birthday boy or girl choose their favorite restaurant and bring everyone over for a private dinner party.
14. Farmers’ market dinner party
One way to support local businesses and use sustainably sourced ingredients is by visiting a farmers’ market near you! You might even leave the exact menu up to chance and see what produce or meat catches your fancy. Some fresh watermelon and feta might be the right ingredients for a salad you’ve only heard of but never made!
15. Food and wine dinner party
Alcohol and food are a match made in heaven. But did you know that matching the right food and beverage is an art that elevates the experience for everyone? Think about a dinner party where you have champagne and oysters, pinot noir and salmon, and other classic wine pairings!
16. Children’s dinner party
Remember your favorite meals from childhood? Well now that you’re an adult, you can have dessert for dinner or whatever else you want! For a children’s dinner party, think grilled cheese and tomato soup, chicken fingers shaped like fun figures, peanut butter & jelly, and other youthful delights! Ask guests to bring their own childhood special meals for an even better dinner party theme!
Your kids are sure to love these creative Bluey food ideas for their next Bluey-themed party!
17. Mexican dinner party
From tacos to tequila, a Mexican dinner party is a safe bet for even the pickiest of eaters since most of us have tasted some or everything on the menu. If you want to make your Mexican dinner party even more memorable, take a look at some of our Mexican party ideas for inspiration! We have ideas for clothes, decorations, food, and other party essentials.
18. Food on a stick dinner party
Okay, hear us out…Putting food on a stick pretty much guarantees that it will be delicious! From corn dogs and fruit skewers to Mexican street corn and lamb kebabs, you can grill, roast, fry, or skewer fresh ingredients, mixing and matching as you like! This is another dinner party theme where letting the guests all contribute potluck-style is guaranteed to be interesting!
19. “Make your own” dish dinner party
This is a flexible dinner party theme that lets guests take a base ingredient and flavor it up as much as they like! You can start with waffles, tacos, burgers, or pizza, for example. After the guests select the basic ingredient, they then move to a station where they add toppings. From there, the custom pizza or other food gets cooked, if needed. Otherwise, you can move straight to the dinner table and enjoy!
20. Street food dinner party
Street food is a large category that includes food that everyone but the pickiest of eaters will enjoy! Street tacos, Korean fried chicken, popcorn, dumplings…Street food is generally small, snacky, and full of flavor!
21. Mini menu dinner party
Look at dinner party food ideas that are all mini versions of larger dishes! Mini pigs in a blanket, mini pizzas, mini burgers, stuffed mini peppers… Check out this list of mini-food ideas to get you started!
Unique dinner party themes: conclusion
As you can see, a dinner party can be as traditional or as exciting as you like! Any one of these unique dinner party themes is sure to impress your guests and have them talking about the event for weeks to come! We hope Peerspace has been helpful in planning your next event. And while you’re here, think about hosting your dinner party inside one of our dinner venues near you!
Find unique event spaces for your dinner party on Peerspace
Get together somewhere better
Book thousands of unique spaces directly from local hosts.
Explore SpacesShare your space and start earning
Join thousands of hosts renting their space for meetings, events, and photo shoots.
List Your Space
