Do you ever eat alone at restaurants? Or do you prefer to go with a friend or partner?
For the longest time, I refused to eat out alone. If I couldn’t find someone to go with me, I would get takeout or just whip something up at home. It was always easy to find someone to grab a bite with you in college, most of the time you just had to poke your head out of your dorm room or text a friend to see if they were on campus.
Eating alone, at one point to me, seemed almost unthinkable. It felt like if I were out eating alone, I may as well wear a giant sign that said, “I couldn’t find anyone to hang out with me.”
Now, at this time, this thought process seems unthinkable to me. My way of thinking over the years has shifted from “Eating alone means I look like a loser” to “Eating alone means I feel comfortable + enjoy my own company.”
I arrived at this change of heart through the same route I’ve traveled to arrive at most epiphanies – age + becoming more self-secure. This was definitely a hang-up I was able to shed as I grew older + became more comfortable in my skin. Plus, sometimes a gal’s gotta treat herself!
Now when I see a person enjoying a meal out by themselves or someone at a bar nursing a cocktail or a glass of wine, I admire their self-confidence and refusal to let anything stand in the way of them doing something that makes them happy.
A few months ago, it had been a long few weeks at work + I just needed to do something special for myself. I decided to make a reservation for one at La Collina, an Italian spot that opened in Eastern Market in 2021. They had cacio e pepe on their menu + I was sold! I had an absolutely delightful time. From my patio spot, I people-watched to my heart’s content (one of my favorite activities) + enjoyed an Aperol spritz, their cacio e pepe, and chopped salad. Their chopped salad was amazing!! It was so flavorful and an extremely generous serving, I ended up taking half of it home for later. I definitely recommend checking out La Collina for your next solo dining adventure or date night!
Do you ever eat alone at restaurants? Or are you going to give it a whirl now?
P.S. Here are two of my favorite recipes for the classic Aperol spritz – a pear version and a blood orange mint spin!
