NEEDHAM - They slip into the poshest kitchens for gorgeous buffets laid out in their honor. Public relations pros court them. Chefs line up to serve them.

They are not scouts for the next Food Network star or critics from Zagat. They’re not even particularly well dressed. They are bloggers who brunch, smartphones in hand and cameras around their necks. And they are in demand.

Since 2010, Boston Brunchers has grown from an informal group of scribes meeting monthly over the leisurely meal of the week, to a 150-member powerhouse that’s become one of the most influential groups in town. So much so, that restaurants comp their meals, hoping for a positive blog or tweet. In a rapidly changing media landscape, where restaurateurs and others in the food industry are struggling to compete, inviting citizen reviewers in for a gratis feed is an instant way to fuel one’s social media cred. Many of these bloggers are recent college grads who can convince the elusive 18-to-34-year-old demographic to patronize these businesses.

On a recent Sunday, Michael Baker, owner of Bakers’ Best Catering, opened his Needham commissary to a dozen fresh-faced bloggers. As complimentary Bloody Mary shooters, garnished with shrimp, are chased with sweet-potato corned-beef hash nestled in bacon cups, the feedback is im- mediate. “Delicious,’’ and “Wow,’’ they shout, whipping out their phones to dash off a Twitpic.