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Dinner Club
As the trend of supper clubs continues to grow, it is redefining what it means to dine out. A cozy apartment, a thoughtfully curated tablescape, dishes inspired by personal stories, and a room full of strangers sharing conversations and laughs over a meal. If that sounds like a good reason to leave the house, then The Canteen, a South Asian supper club in Jersey City, might be worth your next reservation. Read on for more about how one Jersey City resident is curating community through pop-up dinner parties.
How The Canteen Got Started
Shalmali Shahane is the founder and chef behind The Canteen. While she works full-time in CRM marketing, she’s always been drawn to creative pursuits outside of her day job.
“I’ve loved cooking and feeding people. Whenever I host friends, I go overboard because I genuinely enjoy creating an experience around the meal. As I started seeing supper clubs become more popular, I realized there weren’t many local ones. That inspired me to create The Canteen,” says Shalmali.
The name of the supper club comes from two places. One is her favorite restaurant in Mumbai, called The Bombay Canteen, and the second is a more personal memory.
“During my undergrad, my group of 11 friends and I would often have lunch together at the college canteen, sharing our favorite meals and stories. That was another reason why the name stood out to me,” said Shalmali.
Through the supper club, she hopes to recreate that same feeling by bringing people together over nostalgic flavors while helping strangers create new memories together. To her, a canteen represents more than a place to eat; it is a space of meaningful conversation and connection, especially at a time when meeting new people can feel difficult.
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To test the idea for The Canteen, Shalmali shared a poll on social media in 2025 asking whether people would be interested in attending a supper club. After receiving a positive response, she hosted her first supper club in May 2025 with a group of six strangers, and it has grown from there.
She now hosts monthly events ranging from evening dinners and afternoon brunches to concepts like apartment cafe and bouquet-making workshops, with groups of 11 to 15 people.
While most guests arrive with a friend or on their own, her goal is to ensure everyone feels connected by the end of the evening. A natural extrovert and people person herself, she not only presents each course but also moves around the room, sparking conversations and making everyone feel welcome.
About the Food at The Canteen
While the experience of dining with strangers who can turn into friends is an absolute highlight, the star of the show is the curated home-cooked meals. Every menu is thoughtfully built around a theme. Shalmali draws from her personal memories and South Asian flavors that bring a sense of nostalgia.
For guests who grew up with these dishes, each course offers a taste of home. For those discovering the cuisine for the first time, the meal becomes an introduction to new flavors and traditions. Her focus is on South Asian cooking, intending to bring a contemporary twist to India’s diverse regional flavors.
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Some of the menus have ranged from a South Indian thali served on a traditional banana leaf to a Maharashtrian brunch featuring aamras (mango purée) and sabudana khichdi, as well as a Bombay brunch with vegetable puffs, watermelon burrata chaat with chutneys, strawberry French toast with cream, and endless pours of chai.
As each course is served, Shalmali shares the story and significance behind the dishes, giving guests a deeper appreciation for the flavors. The apartment itself adds to the experience, offering beautiful views whether you’re attending a sunshine-filled brunch or an intimate evening dinner.
Before heading home, guests are asked to leave a handwritten note about their experience, along with a curated goodie bag featuring products from local businesses.
When asked what she would like to share with someone attending their first supper club, Shalmali says:
“Come ready to meet new people and have an open mind. The food is important, but the conversations and shared experience are what make the evening memorable.”
Follow along with The Canteen on Instagram.
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