Restaurant booths return to New York dining rooms

Booths replace communal tables again

Anna Albury, a designer and writer behind Cool Stuff NYC, notes that worn-in red-and-white striped booths signal quality dining. She cites specific examples like the coat-rack-clad booths at Cobble Hill's Long Island Bar and Le Veau d'Or's cherry-red banquettes on the Upper East Side. Carroll Gardens newcomer Trudie's also features charming two-top booths for its guests. This past year has brought a booth boom of never-before-seen proportions across various hospitality venues.

Pandemic changed dining habits permanently

This change started in 2020 as the pandemic altered dining and socializing habits throughout that time. Private dining became the default choice for eighteen months following the initial outbreak. David Prior, founder of the editorial-led travel company Prior, explains that people wanted to be hermetically sealed from others. He now describes an alone-together moment where groups cluster in booths like small islands within a greater archipelago.

Clients demand defined seating spaces

Sarita Posada of her eponymous New York City-based design firm says clients request booths as a starting point rather than an afterthought. She observes that communal tables assume a social aspect most diners want at a bar but less so at dinner. Operators have picked up on this desire for privacy while celebrating something or looking for a bit of separation.