8 Summer Dinner Party Trends Experts Want You to Bring to Your Table

This season is decidedly the summer of dinner parties: Intimate and intentional at-home gatherings are thriving, with people craving depth and passing on perfection. Hosts are seeing a shift toward immersive outdoor entertaining that’s both elevated and unfussy, from Mediterranean-inspired garden parties to backyard hibachi.

“The vibe is relaxed but refined—more conversation and less spectacle,” says Christine Ferguson, event planner and designer at Christine Ferguson Events.

Bottom line: It’s all about unscripted hosting. Ahead, entertaining experts share how to embrace and execute this laid-back dining experience while tapping into the top trends they’re seeing.

1. Nostalgic and Interactive Food

Comfort classics are making a comeback, with elevated versions of nostalgic favorites that feature straight-from-the-garden ingredients.

“Guests crave comfort but not predictability, and these fresh takes on beloved dishes—such as garden tomato sandwiches reimagined with focaccia and basil oil—offer a balance of warmth and whimsy, evoking a sense of memory with a dash of surprise,” says Lynn Easton, founder and creative director, Easton Events.

You’re not just being served, you’re being invited to dive in. Hosts are creating interactive environments that allow guests to customize their food and mingle at the same time: Biehl offers on-trend examples like bruschetta bars, build-your-own pizza, sushi making, and spritz stations, just to name a few.

“There’s no seating chart, no timed courses—just a casual setting for guests to enjoy and feel at ease,” says Monelle Totah, co-founder of Hudson Grace.

2. Inspirational Seasonal Ingredients

Juicy fruits including peaches, cantaloupes, and plums are showing up in unexpected ways—paired with burrata, layered into crudo, or mixed in with seafood, while spicy-sweet pairings like mango-chili, honey-jalapeño, and grilled pineapple with peppered glaze offer dimension and spark conversation. Hosts are also using these seasonal ingredients as inspirational party themes.

“For example, you can decorate the table with tomatoes, make a menu that uses tomatoes in each dish, then send guests home with gift bag of tomatoes,” suggests Katie Lee Biegel, co-host of The Kitchen and co-founder of Kind of Wild Wines.

3. Interactive Cocktails and Mocktails

Whether it’s a gin cocktail infused with rosemary or a zero-proof spritz topped with edible flowers, dinner party drinks in 2025 are both seasonal and sensory.

“Interactive cocktails are trending, including DIY spritz bars, pre-batched sangria stations, and curated mocktail menus which enable guests to personalize their drink experience, taking pressure off the host and giving guests a chance to participate,” Forbes says.

Rather than one signature drink, hosts are introducing mini cocktail pairings to complement different stages of the meal, where guests are guided through a journey and each drink becomes part of the story. Easton suggests an herbaceous spritz with the starter, floral mezcal moment with the main, and a chilled digestif to close the evening.

Presentation matters too: Pre-batched martinis or other spirit-forward cocktails are stored in elegant glass bottles in the freezer and served ice-cold into petite coupes, and simple garnishes are pre-skewered and styled, like lemon twists and frozen grapes. Guests are serving tonics, spritzes, and mocktails infused with herbs clipped straight from the garden.

Some of these garnishes are also dressing up orange wine, a trending summer beverage. “Rosé will never go out of style, but orange wine is its fun, hipper cousin that’s a great conversation starter,” says Biegel.

4. Pretty and Peaceful Color Palettes

“I’m seeing a lot of warm, peachy-orange hues, a golden-hour-in-Italy feeling that plays well with everything,” Biehl says. “Picture orange-striped straws and citrus centerpieces.”

Forbes is embracing a happy, buttery hue, which she says brings a calm energy and optimism to any dinner. Earth tones are also having a moment: Easton loves a crimson and clay combo; Ferguson reaches for terracotta, sandstone, and goldenrod; and Helmsetter embraces the grounding combo of saffron and sky.

“These colors are earthy and ethereal, echoing sunsets, spice markets, and a Mediterranean summer,” she notes.

5. Hassle-Free Serving

Formal courses are out and freestyle eating is in—think grazing boards, seasonal bites, and interactive stations. The spreads are curated, but they invite guests to move about, mingle, and come back for seconds.

“Meals are served family-style, generous and overflowing, with everything hitting the table all at once, inviting people to dig in, pass plates, and stay awhile,” Biehl says. “It’s also super host-friendly—no plating anxiety, no disappearing into the kitchen.”

The setting becomes part of the experience and visuals part of the memory. It’s also becoming progressive and mobile. “Guests may start with oysters and bubbly on the porch, move to summer pasta in the courtyard, and end with pie under the stars,” Helmstetter says. “It turns the dinner party into a casual yet imaginative experience.”

6. Mix and Match Tablescapes

After years of hyper-styled, perfectly coordinated tables, contrast is the new cohesion, with perfectly-imperfect summer tablescapes toeing the line between casual and chic.

“We’re moving away from overly-polished setups in favor of mismatched salad plates and sentimental heirlooms that tell a story and bring real warmth to the table,” Biehl says. “Think woven chargers cozied up next to elegant glassware or paper napkins casually paired with grandma’s china.”

It’s about turning the table into a canvas for storytelling, with hosts leaning into playful, handmade details, such as doodle-on-paper runners, hand-painted menus, and custom matchboxes that add a personal touch.

“Tables are also being layered with meaningful objects like travel souvenirs, inherited candlesticks, or vases from local ceramicists,” Forbes adds.

7. Fruit Over Flowers

“This summer we’re dialing up the zest and dialing down the diva by swapping out traditional fancy blooms for a medley of zesty citrus fruits and aromatic sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and basil, with fresh produce being used for beautiful displays,” Biehl says.

She recommends scattering vibrant lemons and limes down the table as a living runner, along with a garnish station that doubles as a centerpiece, where guests can pluck a sprig for their spritz.

8. Dining Themes

Themes make party planning easier by providing a foundation to build upon, “whether it’s a cuisine, country, or even a song, a theme sets the mood,” Biegel says. Hosts are embracing retro party ideas—like summer camp weekends or tennis and ’tinis, which tap into nostalgia but in an elevated way.

The La Dolce Vita vibe is also on trend, with hosts embracing a southern Italian aesthetic featuring citrus branches, Amalfi-inspired linens, mismatched ceramics, handwritten place cards, and Nonna-style dishes.

“Inspired by the ease and elegance of Italian summer dining, La Dolce Vita celebrates beauty without pretense,” Easton says.