The table at Foundation Social Eatery was bright, beautiful and ready for a special evening. Flowers and thoughtful details welcomed guests, and the four-course menu gave everyone plenty to talk about. But for Erica A. Thomas, what mattered most wasn’t on the plates. It was the conversations happening around the table.
The Atlanta native is the lifestyle and entertaining expert behind Eating With Erica, a brand centered on food, hosting, dining and travel. Her recipes, entertaining ideas and restaurant recommendations have been featured by Southern Living, Wine Spectator, CNN, TIME, Reader’s Digest and Woman’s World.
Thomas also created Eating With Erica Supper Club, a women-only dining community that brings together memorable meals, new friendships and genuine connection. The dinner at Foundation Social Eatery marked the launch of Eating With Erica Supper Club’s North Atlanta Chapter, serving Roswell, Alpharetta and Milton.
“There are so many incredible restaurants in North Atlanta that deserve to be showcased and supported,” says Thomas.
Her love of bringing people together began long before she hosted her first Supper Club dinner. Growing up, meals in her home were filled with laughter, wonderful food and love. Her mother made fresh bread and butter each week, cooked with local produce and developed relationships with area farmers. She also enjoyed experimenting with recipes and introducing the family to unfamiliar foods.
Thomas says, “Dinner was never simply about eating, it was an experience.” Those evenings inspired her to create similar traditions with her own family and eventually invite a much larger community to share the table.
Eating With Erica Supper Club now hosts monthly dinners along with mahjong open play, cooking classes and curated travel experiences. In three years, the Supper Club has presented more than 55 dinner parties across two countries and four cities. Members have attended Royal Ascot, enjoyed breakfast at Tiffany’s Blue Box Café while staying at The Plaza, and gathered for a pop-up at The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach.
The experiences may be polished, but the purpose is personal. Thomas wanted women to have a welcoming place where they could leave their concerns at the door, put away their phones and be present. The community is designed to support members through changing seasons, from marriages and career moves to retirement, divorce and children reaching new milestones.
That sense of belonging is what keeps members returning. Cheryl Crisafulli joined about three years ago because she wanted to meet like-minded women, explore Atlanta’s restaurant scene and form genuine friendships.
Crisafulli says, “Erica has really created something special where the food is amazing, but the relationships are what keep you coming back.”
Her involvement has grown beyond monthly meals. She has developed close friendships, expanded her professional network and is preparing to travel to Napa with the group. “What I love most about my membership with the Eating With Erica Supper Club is the sisterhood that we’ve all built.”
Member Wendy Stewart was also drawn to the opportunity to try new restaurants while meeting people. “What sets the EWE supper club apart is Erica's ability to curate exceptional dining experiences that blend entertainment, beautiful tablescapes, and opportunities for smart professional women to connect.”
For Stewart, the chance to dress up and enjoy a beautiful evening is part of the appeal, but the relationships remain at its heart.
Choosing Foundation Social Eatery for the North Atlanta debut was equally intentional. Thomas had supported the restaurant for more than eight years and trusted owners Mel and Sandy Toledo to help introduce the Supper Club to its newest community. She knew one item had to appear on the four-course menu: the mushroom ravioli, a favorite she first enjoyed on a freezing evening years earlier.
Every detail of the launch was meant to offer a preview of future gatherings—exceptional food, beautiful tablescapes and authentic conversation. Thomas approaches each event with the belief that all the elements should work together like a symphony. The venue, menu, wine, music and setting matter, but so do the guest list, seating choices, introductions and dietary preferences.
Thomas says, “Guests may not remember every course or every flower on the table, but they will remember how the evening made them feel.”
The club’s impact reaches beyond its members. Eating With Erica Supper Club has generated more than $100,000 in direct restaurant spending. By intentionally bringing members and guests who value exceptional dining experiences into restaurants, the Supper Club contributes to local economic development while introducing establishments to potential repeat customers.
Thomas is also extending the broader Eating With Erica brand through How to Host, an entertaining platform that teaches women to create beautiful experiences in their own homes. Public workshops and private sessions can include cocktail-making classes or caviar and Champagne experiences. She is also preparing to bring Eating With Erica Supper Club to additional Southern cities.
As Eating With Erica Supper Club grows, the invitation remains simple: slow down, take a seat and make time for one another. With good food, thoughtful hospitality and the right people gathered together, an ordinary dinner can become the start of a lasting friendship and an evening no one wants to end long after the plates are cleared.
JOIN THE TABLE
Eating With Erica Supper Club hosts monthly dining experiences for women in Atlanta and North Atlanta, including Roswell, Alpharetta and Milton. Members also enjoy cooking classes, mahjong gatherings and curated travel. eatingwitherica.com/supperclub