How To Throw An Only Murders In The Building Themed Dinner Party

The award-winning show "Only Murders in the Building" is currently in its fourth season, and if Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin have taught us anything, it's that the murder mystery genre can appeal to everyone, especially when you toss in a healthy dose of humor and a riveting setting like New York City. Watching this series is even more fun when in the company of friends. After all, you need people with whom you can discuss your theories and prime suspects.

But what is a watch party without the right snacks, drinks, entrees, and desserts to accompany it? From Dimas chicken wraps to Gut Milk, food plays a central role in this Hulu series.

With Halloween right around the corner, you have double the reason to plan for an eerie "Who dunnit?" themed dinner that showcases your creativity and skills in the kitchen. Here are our top tips for hosting an "Only Murders in the Building" watch party, covering what to serve, how to serve it, and how to set a light-hearted, yet mysterious mood that will keep your friends talking about your party long after the killer is finally revealed.

Let's address the elephant in the room: Oliver Putnam loves his dips, and no "Only Murders in the Building" themed dinner party would be complete without an extensive selection of them. In fact, in season 1, Oliver stated, "This is all I eat. Dips for dinner." So, first and foremost, buy lots of dips — specifically, Greek dips. That's because Oliver's favorite supplier in season 1 was Teddy Dimas' restaurant; Dimas Chicken Wraps even sponsored the trio's podcast for a while.

This is your chance to delve into dips you may have never eaten before. Oliver seems to have more mainstream tastes, given that he has a penchant for hummus, a classic party staple in its own right, as well as tzatziki and onion dip. What other Greek dips can you serve? Impress your guests by branching out with taramasalata, a dip that capitalizes on the flavors of salted, cured fish roe (roe being unfertilized fish eggs).

Or you can opt for skordalia, the garlicky Greek dip you have to try, and one that may be more pantry-friendly since it is thickened by potatoes, bread, and/or nuts. If you believe that life is "betta with feta" and want to bring some heat to the party, serve tirokafteri, a spicy feta cheese dip. Of course, you'd be remiss not to include an eggplant-based dip, so consider serving the simple and delicious melitzanosalata. If you're like Charles, you might want to enlighten your guests to a tasty new salsa; keep reading for more on that later.

In season 3, Schmackary's cookies are Ben's vice; you might even say his Achilles heel. He can't keep his hands off them, despite being on a diet. Schmackary's is a real-life bakery, and they have a real-life connection to Broadway; in fact, most months, Schmackary's releases a special cookie as a nod to a different Broadway show. The "Only Murders in the Building" themed Death Rattle Dazzle Cookies were only available in October of last year, but you can still order other flavors from Schmackary's website with nationwide shipping.

On the other hand, baking your own batch of Death Rattle Dazzle Cookies is a surefire way to get your guests talking, especially if everyone has seen the show's 3rd season. First, you'll need to prepare a batch of red velvet cookies, mixing both semisweet and white chocolate chunks into the dough. Once they have cooled, you'll smear the cookies with a vanilla cream cheese frosting and adorn them with rattles made from red and white fondant.

We don't care if it's a breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner party: You need to serve omelets. Poor Charles would feel rather left out if you omitted his specialty dish, don't you think? He is such a seasoned master of omelets that he can expertly crack the eggs with one hand and, with the other, toss the shells over his shoulder into the trash can behind him. We don't expect you to do that, but we do believe that you can make perfectly delicious omelets with some practice! If you don't want to be in the kitchen cooking while your guests socialize, you can always make your omelets ahead of time and reheat several at once on a baking tray in the oven. Bonus points if you can cook your omelets while seamlessly and simultaneously singing the patter song, "Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?"

Now, what ingredients to add? In the series, we see Charles chopping green and orange bell peppers to include in his omelets. Feel free to get creative, though; we love the idea of whisking in maple syrup for a sweet omelet worth savoring. And because Charles loves salsa, don't forget to set out a large bowl of it. At this time of year, you may be able to start finding autumn-themed variations like Trader Joe's Fall Harvest Salsa. Fresh roasted vegetables can be a game changer for jarred salsa if store bought brands seem a little lackluster. Either way, the juiciness of the tomatoes and the pungency of the onions and spices will complement your omelets wonderfully.

In season 3, Loretta prepares a batch of pork chops for her date with Oliver because her microwave is not working. However, her efforts are for naught because she overcooks them to such a degree that Oliver loses a tooth when biting into one. Needless to say, you should strive to make a more palatable and tender tray of chops.

Various methods exist for making pork chops. The most common methods include baking them in a very hot oven and searing them in a pan, but you can also get perfectly reverse-seared pork chops in an air fryer. If you opt for the oven method, eyeball the breadth of your pork chops and note whether they still have bones; thinner chops and boneless chops need slightly less baking time than their counterparts. Allot for about 20 to 30 minutes total. To help prevent dryness, keep the pork chops close together to limit the amount of moisture that is allowed to evaporate. If you are pan-searing your pork chops, keep a close eye on them because they may need only two or three minutes of cooking per side.

There are several characters in "Only Murders in the Building" whose names are ripe for the picking when it comes to honoring them with food and drink. With Bunny Folger, you can go one of two ways: Reference either her first or her last name. For her first name, look toward bunny-themed Easter recipes. For instance, you can serve Annie's brand cheddar bunnies on the snack table, design a bunny-shaped charcuterie board, or bake a carrot cake in a bunny-shaped pan. For her last name, you can serve Folger's coffee after the conclusion of the meal or use it to make espresso martinis that can be enjoyed throughout the evening.

If you have a spice jar full of poppy seeds that you've only ever used to bake lemon poppy seed muffins, honor Poppy White by experimenting with a new recipe. For instance, you can bake a batch of Hamantaschen – buttery, triangular pastries that are traditionally eaten in the spring, on the Jewish holiday of Purim. However, these cookies are available year-round in places like New York City, and you can make them at home whenever the urge strikes — such as when you are hosting an "Only Murders in the Building" party.

For Mabel Mora, you can work with any red liquid to make Bloody Mabels. The most obvious choice here is the tomato juice-based cocktail known as the bloody Mary, but fruit punch also works. You can serve soups like gazpacho, tomato soup, and borscht in shooter glasses for a similar effect. Vince Fish is a new character in season 4, and it's obvious what kinds of dishes you can serve to honor him: Think along the lines of roasted salmon, fish tacos, and fish curries. If you're not into fish, you can always serve ham, given its role in the card game Fish plays with the Sauce family.

If you are anything like Oliver, you might be tempted to add so much pizzazz to the planning and execution of your watch party that you have little energy left to enjoy it once the big day arrives. We have a few tricks you can use to set healthy boundaries for yourself.

Aside from limiting the number of people you invite, the most pressure-relieving strategy is to make it a potluck. If you want to keep creative control, you can add dishes to a shared spreadsheet for your friends to claim, or you can look forward to seeing what they come up with on their own (just be warned that you might end up with an abundance of dips). You'll also want to keep an organized fridge and freezer for a stress-free dinner party, since your guests may need to use a few of your condiments or want to store their dishes somewhere cold until it is time to eat.

If you don't feel comfortable asking your friends to cook, you might consider preparing a few recipes at home and then supplementing them with dishes from the grocery store and/or nearby restaurants. No matter what, remember that the purpose of this watch party is to relax with friends and bond over witty, laugh-out-loud entertainment. Even if cooking is your greatest passion in life, try not to spend the whole party in front of the stove.

Gut Milk is a fictional spoof of real-life meal replacement products, and it is practically forced upon the Arconia's tenants by the building manager, Ursula. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Oliver has taken a particular liking to the product, likely due in part to its 13% alcohol content. While it usually comes in a vanilla blast flavor, Matthew Broderick's cameo in season 3 introduced us to a new flavor when he asked to split a blue raspberry Gut Milk with Oliver.

The specific ingredients in Gut Milk are unclear, and we're not even sure we want to find out. It follows that you can make your own Gut Milk with any ingredients that strike your fancy. You could play up the gut-healthy angle and serve glasses of kefir or lassi, or you could lean into the alcoholic nature of the drink and serve spiked vanilla milkshakes or White Russians. Feeling the autumnal vibes already? Transform your White Russians with a simple pumpkin spice swap. If you really want to keep it simple, though, just serve your guests glasses of milk; they might even enjoy the novelty of such an austere party beverage.

The Pickle Diner is Bunny Folger's old haunt, but each member of the murder-solving trio has been known to spend a fair amount of time in this fictional restaurant that serves standard diner foods like sandwiches, fries, waffles, and, yes, pickles. The Pickle Diner is not necessarily named after the jars of pickles that line its walls; instead, it may be named after Maison Pickle, a real-life restaurant in the same neighborhood as The Pickle Diner's fictional location (coincidentally, Maison Pickle would be one of Oliver's favorite restaurants since it specializes in dips).

Regardless, The Pickle Diner gives you a great excuse to serve pickles at your party. Indeed, pickles are a great finger food for get-togethers, especially when you can introduce guests to different varieties than they are typically accustomed to eating. Many of us have wondered what actually is a pickle, and, technically, the USDA defines a pickle in America as "the product prepared entirely or predominantly from cucumbers." However, other definitions are more generous and inclusive of cuisines ranging from Indian to Mexican.

Consider reserving a small table just for pickles, and place a placard in the center that reads, "The Pickle Diner." Then, get creative with your brines and ingredients. If you want to stick to the Greek theme from earlier, serve toursi. Recipes for pickled vegetables vary by region in Greece, so choose according to your capabilities and the rest of your menu; for instance, while the preferred ingredient on the island of Karpathos is sea fennel, this might be difficult to find, and you would have better luck preparing a different recipe that calls for, say, bay leaves. You might want to place your Bunny Folger and Vince Fish themed dishes here, serving pickled carrots and pickled fish, respectively. Provide plenty of toothpicks and small plates at this station.

Do-it-yourself murder mystery games abound on the internet. You can select between plots that take place on pirate ships, in haunted houses, and even at high school proms. Of course, the best choice for an "Only Murders in the Building" dinner party is a murder mystery game set in New York City, such as this one revolving around the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Make sure that the game you select features enough characters to accommodate everyone at your party. If you don't want to pay, or if you want to flex your creative muscles, you can always write a murder mystery game of your own.

Alternatively, treat your guests to a Son of Sam game, like the one Oliver organized in season 2 to try and rustle up clues about the murderer. There is no cap on the number of people who can play this game, so even if two dozen people attend your dinner party, everyone will still have a chance to join in on the fun. While there are card games sold online that mimic this game's structure, you could easily craft your own materials. Here are the basic rules: Each person receives a card, and while most of the cards indicate the players who receive them are innocent, only one of the cards identifies the killer. You, the host, will say "blackout" before everyone closes their eyes. The killer will then pinch one person of their choosing, who can fall to the floor as dramatically as they please before removing themselves from the game. While the killer attempts their best poker face, the group votes on who they think is the prime suspect. If the group guesses incorrectly, the falsely accused will also remove themselves from the game and the cycle will repeat itself until the killer has been correctly identified.

The charming, busy streets of New York City form the stage for many scenes of "Only Murders in the Building." In the Big Apple, you will see far more than apples; you will also see hot dog vendors and snack carts selling items like pretzels, popcorn, and roasted nuts.

You will see people sipping from Anthora coffee cups as they rush to work and folks biting into bagels as they stroll around one of the city's many parks. In fact, because of its cultural diversity, you can find most any kind of food in New York City. That means you have the freedom to bulk up your dinner party with dishes ranging from pizza to sushi to babka. Lean further into the New York City theme by queuing jazz music or Broadway show tunes to play in the background, decorating the room with string lights, and labeling food on green card stock cut into rectangles like street signs.