The communal table is a wonderful idea, holding out the promise of making new friends while breaking bread. But like many an ­ambitious menu item, it’s often better in theory than in practice. The ...

When San Franciscan Terri McKenna and her single friends head to Pres a Vi in the Presidio, they usually sit at the communal table. There's almost always a cluster of men sitting there, too. And by ...

Communal dining tables are having a moment. Here's how to navigate the social dynamics without awkwardness. Last night, my husband and I decided to go out to dinner and specifically try a ...

While it?s true that diners are unlikely ever to get tired of eating out, restaurants these days are working harder to keep patrons coming back by adding more fun and flair to the feast. In Wine ...

For Gordon, a longtime Durango resident, architect and all-around adventurer, building things and having fun comes as second ...

Brand new in the San Fernando Valley, this tapas bar takes over the old Tournesol space. It’s done up in hues of saffron and paprika, and at the end of the bar, there’s a handsome communal table that ...

Mary Altman and John Pinson, though each traveling alone on business, savored some conversation with their barbecue last week as they sat together at one of 4 Rivers Smokehouse’s large picnic tables ...

A: There is no gray area when it comes to the notion of sharing your dinner table with total strangers. It’s either an absolutely loathsome thought or a terribly nifty idea. If you’re in the latter ...

Minnesotans appear to be thawing out. In restaurants, anyway, where diners are slowly but surely embracing the communal dining table. Dropping their chilly, arm’s-length practices, complete strangers ...

Last night, my husband and I decided to go out to dinner and specifically try a communal-table restaurant. (I’m required to eat good food for research purposes—my life is so hard!) Communal tables are ...