{"id":374146,"date":"2026-10-15T19:34:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T19:34:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/374146\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T19:34:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T19:34:28","slug":"can-eligible-nyc-singles-find-love-with-30-minutes-and-some-really-spicy-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/374146\/","title":{"rendered":"Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This column originally appeared in the Looped In NYC newsletter. Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Like in Cuffing Seasons past, a single New Yorker could once again scroll the apps or hit the dance floor or approach attractive coeds on the subway.<\/p>\n

But a new method for finding a significant other has arrived in New York City: niche, interest-driven and in-person dating events, like eating extremely spicy food across from an eligible stranger.<\/p>\n

My fellow Looped In producer Elizabeth Shwe recently stopped by Spiciest Supper Club, a speed-dating event at M\u00e1L\u00e0 Project, to determine if this is, indeed, the hot new way to find love.<\/p>\n

Watch this week\u2019s video<\/a> \u2014 and read her recap below.<\/p>\n

James: Is there a connection between hot food and romance \u2026 or is it just tasty?<\/p>\n

Elizabeth: I\u2019d argue yes because it\u2019s easier to bond with a stranger over really good food.<\/p>\n

Like many Chinese dishes, dry pot is meant to be shared family style. \u201cEspecially for Asians, being able to eat together is a really important part about our identity,\u201d co-founder Julie Zhu said, and she wanted to replicate that intimacy in her dating events.<\/p>\n

Leilany Chan, who helps organize the Spiciest Supper Club, said she thinks mala dry pot is the perfect first date to go on because you can customize the ingredients together and figure out what the other person likes and dislikes.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo know someone\u2019s tolerance of spice is kind of fun. Like if you’re choking over mild spice, you might be like, “Oh, damn, like I guess we don’t really match,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The Spiciest Supper Club also has a more intentional feel to it than traditional speed dating events. Each table of 4 has 30 minutes to talk, and there are 3 rotations throughout the night. There\u2019s also a card game at each table that\u2019s full of deep questions, so Zhu is prioritizing the quality of connections rather than the quantity.<\/p>\n

James: How\u2019d it go? Was this a \u201cthe journey is the destination\u201d event, or did some people come away with a win? Are there other in-person dating events Looped In singles should check out?<\/p>\n

Elizabeth: At the end of the night, there were three mutual matches out of 32 people. I did see a lot of Instagram profile swapping, so maybe more couples that didn\u2019t officially match with each other went out on date afterwards.<\/p>\n

Everyone I talked with said they were tired of the dating apps, so they were mainly just relieved to be meeting potential romantic partners in real life.<\/p>\n

Participant Maggie Wang told me someone she recently went on a date with lied about their height by 4 inches on their dating profile, so both thought it was time to try something new.<\/p>\n

What I found is that there are more dating events now that are, unlike traditional speed dating events, more intentional, curated and catered towards younger people who have dating app fatigue. According to Eventbrite<\/a>, events that explicitly use \u201cmeet-cute\u201d language have grown 117% in the first half of 2026. This makes sense with the general trend<\/a> of people wanting to cut back on their phone usage this year too.<\/p>\n

Here are others dating events single New Yorkers can check out:<\/p>\n

Take2<\/a>: I love this concept. Basically you sign up to date the same group of people twice \u2026 and you\u2019re not allowed to get each other\u2019s first and last name to prevent people from looking each other up and making assumptions. Joyce Hasa, the founder of Take2, told me the idea is that the second time around, people are more confident, less judgmental, and more open to connecting with people that they might have written off the first time.Astoria Trash Club<\/a> has a singles event open to 21-plus of all sexual orientations. Pick up trash and shoot your shot?Friends and Lovers<\/a> regularly has singles partiesLectures on Tap<\/a> is technically not a dating event, but it\u2019s somewhere you can have a romantic spark with someone over a lecture.Sofar Sounds Singles Night<\/a>Have no plans on Halloweekend<\/a>? Maybe you can find your boo<\/a> and hereHave a bookshop meet cute<\/a> storyHave a fear of strangers? You can meet someone who has been vetted<\/a> by at least one person!Sober singles trivia night<\/a> at Nook cafe in BushwickSpeed dating at Lately Cafe Bar & Bistro<\/a>Now this is really creative: Any single new dog parents<\/a> anybody?Not exactly a dating event but Queer Panic<\/a> encourages you to meet someone new and dance together<\/p>\n

James: I know that people told you the dating scene these days is \u201cexhausting,\u201d \u201cchaotic\u201d and \u201cdraining,\u201d but we\u2019re not going to end on that note. We\u2019re going to end on a note of triumph and positivity. So please give us one.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth: Totally. The people who I met were actually pretty open-minded. Wang said in her years of dating in the city, she\u2019s learned to not turn someone down so fast based on just one thing you don\u2019t like. You have to remember there are layers to people and nobody\u2019s perfect.<\/p>\n

Here are other quick tips for single New Yorkers who have dating app fatigue:<\/p>\n

Hasa, the founder of Take2, suggests making eye contact and smiling with strangers whether you\u2019re walking on the street, sitting on the subway or the bar. It can really go a long way and improve your confidence, especially during a time when everyone\u2019s on their phones with headphones in.Hasa also recommends straight up telling your friends that you\u2019re single and want to meet someone and telling them what you\u2019re looking for. Also a lot more of her friends are throwing these single matchmaking parties, so maybe you can pressure your friends to host those too.And don\u2019t expect so much on a first date. There are more people bringing \u201cchecklists\u201d to first dates, which can take the romance out of it. \u201cI don’t think you should expect someone to give you princess treatment on the first date, and rub your feet or something. Like, it’s just super weird to expect that from somebody who doesn’t even know you.\u201d Chan said.