Nommery is a place to meet new friends over shared meals

Friendships are an “add on” that I did not expect.

Phyl Doppelt
Sep 1, 2018 · 4 min read

Try and make an arrangement for a party of four to go to a restaurant — as for six friends, well forget it. Either they are too busy or no one can agree on a time, date or restaurant, or they indulge themselves in various food “no-no’s”. So, how to resolve this if you are a foodie?

Enter Nommery.

I signed up on nommery.com about three years ago and now receive regular emails with invitations to attend dinners or brunches at San Francisco’s diverse selection of restaurants, or larger gatherings at wine bars to enjoy cocktails and small plates. These range from hole in the wall ethnic places, to tasting menus at the hottest restaurants. But they are all current, and often difficult to get a table. Each invitation has a limit to how many people can sign up. When I arrive at a dinner I never know who I will meet, except I do know they will be people who are interested in dining out and want to know more about the burgeoning food culture that is very much a part of San Francisco. Instantly, we have a common denominator.

“What?” you might say, “Dine with strangers?” Yes, I really enjoy that aspect and the possibility that I can meet interesting people way out of my regular social orbit. It may be challenging but it’s never boring. Conversation is all over the place, from where they have lived or travelled, to occupations that I have never heard of. It could cover theatre, music, movies, discovering a new neighborhood to what is going on in the world around us. Often people are new to San Francisco, or like myself, have returned after being away for several years.

One of the most rewarding aspects for me as a member of Nommery has been the diversity of people I have met and the fascinating conversations we have had over dinner. San Francisco is a magnet for the technology industry so there have been a fair amount of techies. This is not my world but it has been interesting to delve into it because it is the driving force in the recent growth of the City.

There are too many people to list them all, but among them have been the founder of Rotten Tomatoes, the CEO of Nomiku Sous Vide Smart Cooker (who appeared on Shark Tank where she found an investor for her company), the CEO of a start-up Yogurt company, an expert from the wine department of an international auction house, a chef who teaches cooking classes and takes groups overseas on restaurant tours, a retired school teacher who has taken on a new career as an archaeologist and goes on digs to remote regions, people from the fashion world, writers, designers, accountants, lawyers, a headhunter — too many to list.

Not always in my comfort zone, but would I give it up? Absolutely not!

There are now over 4,000 members in Nommery, plus 8,500 San Francisco Foodies on Meetup. This combination of diners does not happen in a haphazard way. It is controlled by a set of algorithms that sort members into groups of likeminded people. At each event that I attend there is always at least one new member, which indicates that Nommery is growing. Most members are newcomers to San Francisco who join Nommery to form friendships and build relationships. The demographic is mainly professional, aged between the young twenties and the fifties, though there are both older and younger in the mix. Members can also recommend restaurants they would like to attend and post on the website, inviting other members to join their event.

In this way, friendships are formed with people who are likeminded. Never one to eat out alone, I joined Nommery three years ago after being away from San Francisco for fifteen years — I will not admit how many restaurants I have visited in that time, but it is definitely more than I would have enjoyed had I not been a member of Nommery. As for the people I have met, also a good number. Some I see again and again at dinners, and for a few I have really connected with, I get to see them outside of Nommery events. These friendships are an “add on” that I did not expect and have helped me ease my way back into living in the Bay Area.

When I talk about Nommery to friends in other cities, they express that they wish there was a Nommery in their city; a place to meet new friends over shared meals. What a way to build relationships, enjoy good food with excellent company and widen one’s horizons.

Melisa Lin and Fareed Rayyis, CEO and COO respectively of Nommery, would like to expand Nommery into other major US Cities and then Worldwide. I look forward to the time when it is a reality that more people can share in this experience — to ”build meaningful relationships at great restaurants.”

Thank you Nommery.

Follow me on Nommery

Nommery

Nommery is a social dining network connecting like-minded people over delicious meals at great restaurants. Our posts showcase Nommers and the relationships they've built at our events. Post a restaurant reservation on nommery.com and we'll fill your table with new friends.

Phyl Doppelt

Written by

Nommery

Nommery

Nommery is a social dining network connecting like-minded people over delicious meals at great restaurants. Our posts showcase Nommers and the relationships they've built at our events. Post a restaurant reservation on nommery.com and we'll fill your table with new friends.

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