NYC Clubs and Apps for Making Friends: A Run Club, a Book Club and a Dinner App

3 min read

Illustration: Nightlife Report

“Girls, how do you make friends in New York?” has a long thread on r/AskNYC, and the best replies share a theme: show up to the same thing, repeatedly. Here are three options we checked on their own pages on Nov 4, 2026.

1. A run club that welcomes everyone

The Most Informal Running Club Ever (TMIRCE): NYC is a Meetup group that describes itself as high-fives, smiles, and free weekly workouts, with speed, tempo, and distance sessions for “all abilities, all paces.” On Nov 4, 2026 it listed 8,728 members and a 4.9 rating from 1,888 ratings. It lists “Tempo Thursdays” on Thu, Nov 5 at 7:00 PM ET at Alphabet City Beer Co., 96 Avenue C.

Best for: people who want movement plus a built-in social follow-up. The group says no one is too slow.

Tip: introduce yourself to the organizer at the start. Tell them it is your first time.

2. A women’s book club about New York

The Women’s “Novels of New York” Book Club is a Meetup group celebrating its second decade, for women who love books set in or about NYC. It lists 945 members and a 4.9 rating from 423 ratings. Each season features three books on a theme, posted ahead for easy scheduling. Meetings happen in friendly public spaces, parks, and occasional restaurants or food halls.

Related4 LA Clubs and Groups for Women Who Want Real Friends

Best for: readers who want a conversation with structure.

Tip: read the current book first, even partially. Showing up with one favorite line is enough.

3. Timeleft: dinners and walks with strangers

Timeleft says it turns strangers into friends with weekly dinners, drinks, coffee, and walks, matching you with a group. Its site lists “women-only dinners” under “Who it’s for,” and New York as a city. The pitch: no bios, no swiping, no planning; you show up.

Best for: people who want a one-time experiment before joining anything recurring.

What about Bumble BFF?

Bumble BFF is the friendship mode of Bumble. Its landing page was sparse when we checked, so we are only linking it. Test the app yourself before relying on it.

A realistic 30-day plan

How to turn a meeting into a friendship

1. Ask for a handle or number before you leave.
2. Send a short text within 48 hours: “Great meeting you! Coffee after the next one?”
3. Suggest something small and specific.

Safety basics

Meet in public, tell a friend, and trust your gut. For stress about meeting new people, our grounding tricks work before an event.

For a free cultural plan to share with a new friend, see our free-culture weekend.

What to wear and bring

For a run club, wear what you would wear for a neighborhood jog and bring ID if the after-event is at a bar. For a book club, bring the book (or your phone with a note of one favorite line). For a dinner app, bring curiosity and a plan to head home at a sensible hour.

What if I’m shy?

Choose the format that gives you a job. A book club gives you a topic, a run club gives you a pace, and a dinner gives you a table. A built-in activity makes conversation easier. And remember that most people in these groups were new once, and many joined for the same reason you did.

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