Caterers
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May 2008
I am looking for recommendations for a great caterer that can supply large platters of
tasty food for a fun but casual 50th birthday party. We're planning on around 75
people. Thinking of something like Whole Foods, but maybe with a waiter/bartenders and
a bit more on site support. I don't see anything like this in the archives, so your
suggestions are most welcome. Thanks!
Party Platter Planning Plebian
Hi!
Rick and Ann's does great platters, but unfortunately no on-site staff.
http://rickandanns.com/catering.html
Event Planner
We used Hugh Groman Catering for our wedding, they make platters in a side
business called Greenleaf Platters. The food was fantastic. We hired a person
off craigslist to be the server.
Rebecca
Your party sounds similar to what I did for my 40th birthday party. I used Rick
and Ann's in Berkeley (510.649.0869) to cater the food, and at their
recommendation hired servers from Hostess Helpers (866.728.8485) to work the
party. Everything was fantastic.
Cindy
The Arlington located in Kensington has beautiful platters and outstanding
service. People are still talking about the amazing presentation of the hummus
plate months after our event.
Karen
I can recommend a a very good caterer whose food is really special. . .
delicious, creative, and beautiful. He's been cooking/catering professionally
for many years and has lots of good ideas for what to serve. His name is Bob
Waks and his email address is bwaks[at]yahoo.com.
Happy birthday!
stephani
March 2008
Hello!
We are planning our 20th year class reunion and wanting a recommendation
for a delicious, but reasonable caterer to provide appetizers/desserts.
The reunion will be held in Albany...Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Tracy
We were very happy with the job Hugh Groman and Greenleaf
Platters just did catering our school silent auction. The food
was delicious and beautifully presented, and he was very easy
to work with. If you need staffing, check out
www.hughgromancatering.com, and if you just want the food go
to www. greenleafplatters.com.
Heidi
There is a great platter delivery service called Greenleaf
Platters. The food is very high quality and they deliver it on
beautiful ceramic platters and even set the platters up for
you. Then they pick up all the platters and compost all the
food and disposable plates/cups/utensils so there is no waste.
You can order online and see pics of all the food on their
website www.greenleafplatters.com. The owner, Hugh can help
you figure out what and how much to order. We used them for a
baby naming and they also catered my older son's preschool
auction. The food is much more fresh and delicious than your
typical platter delivery from a restaurant or deli!
nr
Lucy - sorry i don't remember her company's name - but she's
the owner of a small and wonderful, organic, healthy catering
service. Her number is 508 9105 or 843-4056.
Betty
I have Used Shoshanna Klein, ''Gourmet by the bay Catering''
for several events that I had in the past and I really liked
it.
she is experienced and uses organic fresh ingridiants.
the most important thing is that she will meet your needs.
I loved her food and the way it was served.
her e-mail is gourmetbythebay[at]sbcglobal.net and phone is
510-703-8618
Tali
Jan 2008
We are planning a small wedding this summer to take place at the
Gardens of Heather Farm in walnut Creek and would like some more recent
recommendation for a reasonably priced caterer who is reliable, provide
an excellent and friendly service setting up a beautiful looking buffet
with very tasty foods. Has anyone used Elegant Occasions in Martinez
and could please give me a feedback. Also Culinary Excllence, I've
seen some very good but older recommendation here but I think they
might be under new ownership??? Other names on the Gardens preferred
list are Blue Heron, Englund's, Glass Onion, Sunrise, Wild Thyme, Wilma
Loft and Serves you Right. So any feedback on these would be most
helpful to us. We'd also love recommendation for great wedding cakes
with non-butter frosting preferred. Please respond to
leeor
We used Blue Heron to cater our wedding and have been recommending them
ever since. Really good food (we still get compliments years later),
excellent service, very organized staff. I felt like they were our
default wedding coordinators, helping us plan the whole day. Have a great
one!
Check out Oren's Kitchen www.orenskitchen.com He is an amazing caterer
and does cater weddings as well as other events.
Tammy
Hi-
Call Patrick David. They are outstanding. They have done two events for
us (and a third next month) and the food, presentation, staff, everything
was amazing.
I would pass on Wild Thyme. I used them twice and once while specifically
asking for peanut-free they brought PB and Jelly sandwiches for kids --
huge no no for me. And they once brought frozen hamburgers, warmed them
in the mini toaster and called them deluxe mini burgers. Gross.
Call Patrick David!
in love with Patrick David's scallops
I recommend Blue Heron Catering http://www.blueheroncatering.com/
428-0781. Speak with Debbie Pfister there and ask for the roast salmon.
they serve it mostly whole on a platter and it is wonderful. The staff
is very organized and easy to work with. They are experienced and I
think you will be pleased.
I have sampled their food a lot because I'm a videographer.
Stu
April 2008
Re: Caterer for Stinson Beach Party
I work regularly with Hugh Groman Catering and can't say
enough good things about him. If you don't need full service
catering, he also runs Greenleaf Platters, which is a more
casual offshoot of his company. Tell him I sent you!
denise
May 2007
Re: Outdoor wedding on a budget
We had a GREAT caterer (for an outdoor wedding/reception) -
Wildrose Catering (www.wildrosecatering.com). We talked with
Greg. He was totally accommodating even though it meant less
money for him (we only wanted side dishes, no liquor etc), the
team of people he brought worked their buns off, and the food was
fantastic. Our guests all raved about the food, and it certainly
was better than any food I've had at any other wedding. It wasn't
cheap but we don't regret a penny.
loved our wedding
March 2007
I would love recommendations of full-service caterers for a professional dinner event
at my home. There would be about 50 women who are in town for a large professional
meeting at the Moscone center and I plan on inviting them to a dinner in Berkeley. I am
looking for somone who prepares good food (could be ethnic) but which would appeal
to people from all around the country.
sheri
Hugh Groman Catering is excellent! Highly professional and
delicious food. He has catered 3 professional event dinners for
a friend of mine and she was very satisfied with the food and
level of service. www.hughgromancatering.com.
Dana
Arnon Oren is a talented caterer. He worked at Chez Panisse at
one time, and was the Chef for Cafe Cacao during its first year
of operation. He now works as a caterer exclusively. He
catered a Thanksgiving dinner for us, and his food is
fabulous! He's a very pleasant person to work with.
His phone# is 510-237-1230
email is arnon_oren[at]yahoo.com
Deni
Try Blue Heron Catering in Emerville or Oakland. (510) 428-
0781 is the number and www.blueheroncatering.com is website. I
used them for a formal holiday dinner this past December was
truly impressed with the food (it was actually hot when served
to everyone!) and service. I worked directly with Debbie, the
owner, but everyone there gave great service. Not overly
expensive, and definitely on the higher end of caterers.
Chanel
Lois Moore (Lois Cooks 482-9212) cooks fresh, healthy food in a
variety of styles, and is good at working out a menu for your guests.
carol
Oct 2007
Re: Crepe catering
Try Chef Dan: Leff www.chefdanleff.com He specializes in this kind of small-party
catering.
Laura
April 2007
Re: caterer to set up chocolate fountain
I would recommend Kari Brandt for your catering request. Catering chocolate
fountains for weddings, parties, etc. is her specialty. I'm sure she would do a
superb
job. My friend is still raving about the chocolate fountain set-up she prepared
for her
at her wedding. She said it was a huge hit! Kari's web site is: http://
www.cocochocolatefountain.com/ and her phone is 925-324-8554.
Melissah
Nov 2006
Has anyone purchased in the past those turkey dinners from
Safeway or Albertsons? How was the taste of the food? What are
the drawbacks to this? I don't want to spend money on bad, dry
turkey with so-so sides. Please give me your 2 cents!!!
teri
We just did a ''basics'' meal package for Thanksgiving from Boston Market and it was
great. Everything comes cold and you just heat everything up. You can get a ''basic''
meal or the ''works'' and you can also add any extra side dishes you like. We had low
to medium expectations going in, and were pleasantly surprised. I chose to go with
Boston Market over the supermarkets as I thought there was a higher chance of the food
being decent since they do this everyday and not just a couple times a year. With the
exception of the turkey and the gravy (which were excellent) I would not say the food
was as scrumptious (or to my liking as much) as if I had made it, but it was all very
good and so worth it so that I got to play with my kids all day instead of spend the
day cooking and cleaning up.
I really recommend the dinners! I am british and would not know
which end to begin with a Turkey! As my kids got older and
wanted a traditional thanksgiving dinner, I decided to try the
dinners from Albertsons. For someone who does not like to cook,
I had no inclination to try and learn how to cook the numerous
things that go into cooking such a dinner. We get the basic
dinner from Albertsons for around $45. This year I got a nice
surprise when I went to pay and they had a $5 preferred member
savings, so I only ended up paying $40. It's really a good deal,
and the dinner is pretty good. Having eaten at friends houses, I
have always found turkey meat to be very dry. The albertson
turkey is not dry and tastes fine. The meal is ready to go and
just needs to be heated. In the basic meal, you get a 10-12llb
turkey, mashed patatoes, stuffing, gravy, rolls, and an apple
pie. We always get extra mashed patatoes, and this year I also
got a ready made green bean casserole and sweet patatoes and
canned jellied cranberry sauce. It's really easy, just heat and
eat! You can also get a deluxe dinner, that has more extra's and
a bigger turkey. We have purchased the dinners for about three
years now, and will contiue to get them. anon
My mom had a Safeway turkey dinner for thanksgiving a couple of
years ago, and it was delicious! Moist turkey, good though basic
dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce (not the
canned type) and I think green beans also. I was pretty
suspicious, and was dreading the whole thing, but it was
actually a little better than my mother's usual turkey dinner
(she's not always consistent). And there's no way you can know
it's not homemade if you aren't told. It wasn't very expensive
either
janet
I'm glad that the other person who responded to this question
had a good experience with the Safeway pre-cooked turkey
dinner. My experience was quite the opposite -- I got it two
years ago, and thought it was absolutely DREADFUL. Maybe my
expectations were too high -- I somehow imagined I'd be getting
a freshly cooked meal, with the turkey and sides all still hot
out of the oven. Instead, it turns out that these meals are
cooked, frozen, and then thawed by the time you get them.
They're not re-heated so you have to do that yourself.
Reheating an entire cooked turkey takes a fairly long time --
and, to keep the moisture in, they give you a great big
ovenproof plastic bag in which you reheat it. This is fine if
you like very stringy turkey that looks and tastes like you
boiled it. The side dishes were all too salty, at least to my
taste, and the pumpkin pie was blah. In the end, it wasn't
that much less work than cooking the whole meal from scratch,
significantly more expensive, and, at least to my taste, it was
AWFUL. Never again!
Diane
Oct 2006
My son is getting married at the Brazilian Room next fall and is
trying to pick a caterer. Has anyone had any experience with the
following companies? The current reviews on some of these are a
few years old.
Serves You Right,
Carrie Dove,
Miraglia,
Melons,
Royal Raspberry,
Ann Walker,
Wild Thyme,
Shais
Thanks!
Jim
We went with Serves you Right (2002) they were awesome!
Service was great before wedding with planning and then also
the day of the event. Everything went very well
skipp
We are also getting married at the Brazilian Room and, to be
honest, the decision of choosing a caterer has been an agonizing
one. After two months of meeting with practically every caterer
on the list, we ended up going with AG Ferrari -- I highly
recommend them if you want a light luncheon. Now, to answer
your question, here has been our experience with the caterers
you listed:
Serves You Right: nice down-to-earth husband and wife team.
They will NOT let you taste the food that will be at the
wedding -- it cuts costs for them. You can attend their
tastings but those foods may or may not be on your menu. In my
opinion, this is a huge leap of faith considering how much money
you spend on food.
Carrie Dove: nice people (husband and wife team), more on the
pricey side.
Melons: most expensive on the list. Photos look fantastic but
you'll pay a fortune. We contacted them but they never returned
our email or phone call.
Royal Raspberry: our friends had their wedding catered by these
people and they were happy with the end product.
Wild Thyme: see Ann Walker comment. Masse's Pastries
recommended them so I would think they would be good.
Shais: one of the cheaper caterers on the list. The chef is
into mediterranean and thai cooking as well as his hummus
paintings. The woman who works with him is very nice.
More important than what caterer to go with is to have an idea
of a menu and budget BEFORE meeting with caterers. I hope this
helps! Best of luck in choosing a caterer!
anon
Ann Walker catered our Brazil room wedding in 2002. We
interviewed one other (in West Berkeley), but for us the decision
was easy since we knew we wanted family style tapas served at our
wedding, and Ann Walker had written a book about tapas. We found
them very easy to work with, and everyone commented on the food.
Ann Walker and her staff helped to make ours the best wedding
most folks we know have ever been too :)Good luck with the
planning, and enjoy your son's wedding.
Jessica
Dear Brazilian Room Wedding:
I am sorry to report I was very unhappy with Wild Thyme. I
tried to contact them to cater my wedding at the Berkeley Rose
Garden. They did not FAX the menu to me. I spoke to two
persons. They promised to get back to me. They never did. I
understand they were moving from Berkeley to Walnut Creek.
However, I never received a follow up telephone call. I could
not get a menu either, by mail or by FAX. I ended up using
Marilyn Rinzer who owns Poulet in North Berkeley. She was
helpful and fabulous. She even had suggestions should it have
rained since I had an outdoor wedding. I love her because I was
a young, naive and overwhelmed bride. She was wonderful
locke
Not to complicate matters, but another caterer to consider is
Delicious (http://www.deliciouscatering.com/) in Marin.
I contacted both Delicious and Shai's for a simple buffet
luncheon after my son's bar mitzvah, and the professionalism of
Delicious won me over. I was able to select the menu and do all
of the business over the phone and via fax. On the day of the
event they were great. I greeted them when they arrived, and the
next time I spoke with them was when they were handing me
packaged leftovers to take home. The food was great, the buffet
looked beautiful, and the service was excellent. I highly
recommend them.
LP
We had our wedding in 2003 at the Brazil Room and used Serves
You Right. We wanted vegetarian food--which they did well
(some guests said they didn't even realize there was no meat,
and others that it was the best vegetarian food they'd ever
had)--and their price was far below the other firm we
considered. The owner was good to work with in general. My
only complaints--and ones I didn't think to inquire about at
all before the wedding--were that they didn't staff the ''bar''
the whole time (it seemed like just after the ceremony and the
early part of the meal) and they returned the cake to the
kitchen way, way too early (not everyone got some even though
there was plenty of cake). Another thing that I noticed is
that I wanted long rectangular tables (which BR has) and the
owner kept steering me to the rounds and intimating that
tablecloths would be a problem. I did some research and
realized that she could just as easily order rectangular
tablecloths (I didn't mind paying a bit extra). Once I was
firm, there weren't any issues. All in all the wedding and
party were lovely. Enjoy!
I didnt see your original post, but wanted to respond about one
of the caterers you must have asked about. We hired Ann Walker
catering (based in Marin) to cater our wedding reception at the
Log Cabin (in SF on the Presidio) and we were absolutely
thrilled with them. I have to tell you that everyone truly
raved about how yummy and fresh the food was. I was surprised
to hear they were not responsive to someone as that was not our
experience. They were collaborative, creative and totally happy
to work with us in every way. They grilled salmon on the
outdoor grill and it was just fantastic (along with asparagus
and some other veggies). My mom's friends were bowled over by
the salmon, the wonderful cheese plates etc. They even packed a
little picnic basket for us to take with us as we were leaving
since they know that the bride and groom often don't get to eat
at their own reception. Just thinking about their food makes me
want to get married again (or at least throw a big party).
Another huge plus: they were very reasonably priced. Please
feel free to contact me if any questions
Trish
I didn't see your original post. but I got married at the Brazil
Building last summer and at first was disappointed that we had to
use one of their caterers (or do something very difficult and pay
a lot of money to not use one of them). I was amazed at how much
some of the contracted companies' food resembled something I
might get on an airline, but we used Trumpetvine because not only
was the owner super nice but also because she used local organic
stuff when she could. It was definitely more expensive, but the
food was memorable for how good it was--really interesting
dishes. The tasting meeting was great fun. I think the owner's
name is Deborah. Good luck
Emelie
Oct 2006
I'm part of a committee planning a farewell party (on a budget) with a
''western''-theme. We were thinking chili and cornbread might be something to serve
that could feed a lot of people without costing too much. Any ideas on where to get
that catered (or have a yummy recipe for cooking it in bulk)??
Howdy Partner
The best chili that I have ever tasted was the chili at the
Warehouse Cafe, a funky place in Port Costa. I have not been
there for a while, so I don't know if it is still available,
but you might check it out. They might give you the recipe;
but if not, it is worth going there and buying a large supply
for a party.
The place may only be open on Friday and Saturday evenings,
and, although the atmosphere is funky, the food is excellent
and reasonable in price. They also have one of the largest
collections of beers (draft and bottled) in the area
Robert
A Woman Called Sam Catering makes the BEST Chili and cornbread
EVER in the entire world. She'll do meat or vegie.
Her e-mail is awomancalledsam[at]hotmail.com
Have fun. Great idea
anon
Oct 2006
Hi,
I'm in need of a good caterer for a party at my home(Oakland)11/03 - does anyone
have a recommendation?
Thanks,
Robin
I HIGHLY recommend Hugh Groman Catering in Berkeley. The food
is outstanding with an emphasis on simple, fresh, delicious
food. It is definitely high end but you get what you pay for
and they take care of all the details so you can relax and
enjoy your party. I have been to one of party they catered at a
friend's house and then used them once myself and both times
people were commenting it was the best catered food they'd ever
had. YUMM
nr
Try Rick and Ann's
Call Hugh Groman at Hugh Groman Catering. His food is delicious
and he does a top notch job. Hugh Groman, 510.647.5165.
www.hughgromancatering.com/hugh[at]hughgromancatering.com
Kimberly
This may not be what you're looking for, and they may not serve
the East Bay, but I want to let you know about a very good
catering experience I had recently. A political group that I'm
involved with used La Cocina in San Francisco to cater a
fundraiser, and we were very happy with the results. La Cocina
helps jumpstart low income people into catering by giving them
access to commercial kitchen space. We gave them our target
budget (we wanted appetizers and bartenders)and they provided us
two proposals from two different women. The food we picked was
very tasty, the service was very attentive, and we were very
pleased. I'd encourage you to contact them, or email me if you'd
like more info.
La Cocina is at 2948 Folsom St. (415) 824-2729;
website: www.womensfoundca.org/grantmaking_sp_lcck.html
You can also do a Google search on them to get more information
about La Cocina's services
summergal
I highly recommend Cynthia Bloebaum, who used to be a chef at XYZ
Restaurant at the W Hotel in San Francisco. Cynthia has also
taught food and wine pairing classes through U.C. Berkeley
Extension. She is absolutely fantastic at preparing foods that
bring out the best in wines. She has catered parties for my
husband's company at very reasonable prices. Call her at 658-1571
A food lover in Berkeley
s
April 2006
I'm catering lunch for the teachers at my daughter's school, and
thought doing Thai or Vietnamese would be a nice change (usually
it's sandwiches). I need a recommendation for a good and easy to
work with restaurant in north Oakland or south Berkeley.
anon
Saigon Express is a great little family run Vietnamese place in
Berkeley. Though I've never hired them to cater an event, I know
that they do have that service available. I'd give them a try. Here's their info: (510)
486-1778
2045 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
Jina
We just catered a birthday lunch from Banana Blossom which is a
Thai restaurant in the Glenview district (on Park Blvd between
hwy 13 and 580). They were very nice to work with and the food
is always great from them. In fact, a number of people at the
party commented on how exceptionally good the food was and that
they were going to have to visit the restaurant. roxanne
March 2006
I am planning an adoption party, in a park, for some adults
(less than 50, but exact number not yet set) and maybe 10 to 20
kids and a few babies. I want a caterer to bring finger
foods/appetizers, maybe five or six selections, with enough for
everyone to have one of each, and one or two desserts, all
vegan. It will be in Berkeley.
First, can anyone recommend a reasonably priced caterer who
offers vegan food?
Second, can anyone give me an idea of a reasonable price? I've
NEVER hired a caterer, and am clueless here.
Thanks!
m_l
I bought sandwiches, salads and cookies for my son's arrival party at Whole Foods. I specified
vegetarian; I presume they could do vegan, though they don't offer tofu or other such non-
meat, non-dairy protein (why doesn't anyone??). Cost for 20-30 people was around $400 (is that
reasonable?). I went pretty much by WF's estimates as to how many servings were in each
item--at the end of the party, sandwiches were all gone, though there were lots of salad
leftovers and some cookie leftovers, so next time I would under-order the salads.
Rick and Ann's catering menu tells you which of their dishes are
vegan. See their website http://www.rickandanns.com/ - they have
the menu online.
We've used them a bunch of times and their food is really great.
They have a nice variety - spend a lot or spend a little. You
can order it and pick it up yourself (near the Claremont Hotel)
or they will deliver.
Ginger
The best vegan caterer I know of is Back to Earth Organic
Catering, based in Berkeley. They have done many vegan events for
me and for my company in the past. They are extremely talented
and make awesome vegan desserts as well. Because they are
entirely organic, and they pay their staff well, they are
probably a little more expensive than other companies, but in my
opinion, well worth it. Also, as a very joyful vegan who loves
food, it was hard to find other caterers who could really prepare
inspired vegan options. Their info is: www.backtoearth.org,
Phone: 510.528.3987
My other recommendation for a smaller event that doesn't require
much serving staff-- Ali Ghiorse, Savory Thymes, (415) 388-7151.
She is also exceptionally talented and easy to work with. I've
mostly worked with her for dinner parties of 20 or so people, or
luncheons where people serve themselves. She does exclusively
vegan food I think.
Alissa
Here is a list of caterers who come recommended by a close friend of mine who is vegan. She also
recommends checking with your favorite veg or veg-friendly restaurant (she likes Golden Era)
because they tend to be less expensive to pick from already-
existing menu items than to hire a caterer to customize a menu for you. Indian restaurants,
Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, etc. are good choices for variety without a huge cost. That said,
here is a list of caterers:
Caterers Daily HarvestVegan/Organic www.dailyharvestcatering.com
chef[at]dailyharvestcatering.com 707-874-2300
Based in Sebastopol, Daily Harvest works with local organic farmers for fresh, sustainable
produce and has a diverse selection of menu options.
InBloom Foods Vegan/Organic/Raw
www.inbloomfoods.com
415-482-9727
Delicious raw, gourmet vegan cuisine.
No Worries CateringVegan
www.nwcveganfood.com
Vegan Filipino cuisine, featuring gluten, tofu, and soy protein in traditionally meat-based
dishes.
noworriescatering2003[at]yahoo.com 510-219-1843
Pa-Raw-DiseVegan/ Organic/Raw http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pa-raw-dise/
Raw organic gourmet cuisine, based in San Francisco.
goodbryan2000[at]yahoo.com
To Your Health CateringVegan
415-665-8155
marc2swan[at]yahoo.com
San Francisco
I've used Zatar on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley for vegan
catering. Very yummy Mediterranean finger foods. As for the
price of catering: your cheapest option is going to be platters
from Costco. For finger food from an actual caterer, I'd say the
range is from $12/person for a mimimal spread to
the-sky's-the-limit. Ways to cut costs include ordering food for
less people than you're actually expecting (caterers always err
on the generous serving side, and most people don't eat one of
everything that's offered), and buying your own drinks rather
than having the caterer provide them. Other things that add to
catering bill: delivery & set-up; servers; clean-up; bringing
utensils, plates, cups, napkins, tablecloths, etc. If you are
trying to cut corners, be very specific about what you do and
don't want them to provide. Have a great party!
Auntie M
March 2006
Hi I need a recommendation for a caterer, I'm having a sit down
lunch for about 50 people in our home.
We're located in the Lamorinda area,
looking for gourmet california cuisine.
Thanks,
Lamorinda Mom
Hi! I highly recommend Grace Street Catering. Call Erin at 510/523-1600. They
are
high end, but worth every penny. Great food and excellent service.
Helena
I can highly recommend Barbara Llewellyn of Barbara Llewellyn
Catering and Event Planning. Please visit her website at
http://www.gatheringguide.com/event_directory/ca_california/vend
or_caterers_catering_4078.html or www.barbarallewellyn.com
She has great food and wonderful service thats reasonably
priced.
a definite fan
I love Hugh Groman Catering for California Cuisine. He does
parties in the East Bay and he is fabulous. The food he makes
is always above and beyond delicious, his staff is always very
professional... I can't say enough good things about him as a
caterer. Hugh always cooks the food and attends every event he
caters to make sure all is going smoothly. Check out his
website at www.hughgromancatering.com His number is 647- 5165
I highly recommend Hugh Groman Catering. Hugh catered
a party for my dad's birthday last year and he did an
incredible job. The food was outstanding, the presentation
was beautiful and the service was amazing. I was really
thrilled with the entire process, from start to finish. Hugh's
website is www.hughgromancatering.com, his phone
number is (510) 647-5165.
Jen
Hi- Oh how fun to have a sit down catered lunch. I have a great
recommendation
for you- Darius at SpringLoaf Catering is fabulous. Always fresh food,
always
innovative, always within your budget. I've worked with him several different
times
both for my personal hire- (one time for a Ladies Baby Shower brunch, another
for
my husbands 40th birthday, and sadly for a friend's funeral,) and for work.
Please
call him, and let him know that Michelle Blakeley referred you.
www.springloaf.com
Or call at (925) 962-9369.
Best, Michelle
Lucy Aghadjian, (510)843-4056. She caters my school's board
meetings and catered my company's Christmas Party. She will
work closely with you on food choices. Uses Organic, Natural,
in-season foods only and everything I have tasted has been
supurb. Not to mention, she is really nice and great to work
with.
Call Traci Prendergast at Chickweed Catering. I went to a 40
person garden party she catered and also used her meal delivery
service. Excellent, natural, terrific sauces. Veggi options.
Some of the best food I've had. She has a website at:
www.chickweedcatering.com
and you can reach her at
510) 282-7605
chickweedcatering@yahoo.com
Stu
You must check out Hugh Groman Catering for your lunch event. He
is very high quality, excellent food, presentation, and service.
I've had his food at 2 different events and both were amazing.
www.hughgromancatering.com.
Dana
I would recommend Jasmine Catering. Oded Hilu is the chef who
runs the business. He has catered several things for us,
including a dinner birthday party and everything was great. He
has a degree from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) in
New York and it really shows, the food looks really pretty, he
has ideas for really interesting and yummy combinations that I
wouldn't have thought of in a million years, but he will work
with you and cook your favorites or suggest things. There is a
web site and the phone number is 845-4378. Feel free to
contact me directly if you would like more information.
Latromb1
Try http://www.olivegreencatering.com/. It's run by Tasha
DeSerio who worked at Chez Panisse for several years.
Cathy
Hugh Groman catering in Berkeley is excellent. You will love his
food and his approach to making a lovely experience for your
guests. http://www.hughgromancatering.com 510 647-5165
Melanie
I would like to recommend Jasmine Catering for your sit-down luncheon for 50 guests. They are a wonderful company that makes delicious dishes and are extremely professional and great to work with. Oded and Sacha will go out of their way to listen to your needs and make your event exactly as you wish it to be. Oded is able to accommodate any menu you desire and you will be amazed at how good his food is and how many complements you will get regarding presentation, taste and professionalism with this wonderful catering company. I used them for my son's sit-down Bar Mitzvah dinner and have been to other events that they have catered and their food is far beyond the regular fare. They cater for weddings, anniversaries, small intimate dinners or whatever your needs, are respectful and leave the place better than they found it. Please feel free to contact me, and view their web site, www.jasminecatering.com
~Sue~
Feb 2005
I am looking for a reliable, reasonably-priced caterer for a
corporate Cinco de Mayo celebration. I'd prefer someone close to
Hayward, where the event will take place. (San Leandro - Castro
Valley - Fremont) As this is a large corporate event I need to
know that their service will be completely reliable. Any
recommendations?
Karolyn
I just noticed that Cactus Taqueria (with locations on both
Solano and College) has a catering menu.
cactus fan
July 2005
Re: Catering - Central or South American Food
Try La Paz on Shattuck Avenue. Really good food, very accommodating owner.
Ann
July 2005
Re: Catering - Indian food in Berkeley/Albany
I have attended 2 parties catered by Wah Ji Wah on
3849 Thornton Avenue, Sunset Village, Fremont, CA, 94536
510-742-1690
The food was amazing--lots of variety, many dishes beyond the typical North Indian foods, beautifully presented. Their grilled meats and veg are great. They bring the grill on site and prepare the meats and vegetables in front of you.
Anon
June 2005
Re: Catering or hired help for BBQ
We have used Back Forty in Pleasant Hill. They have a range of
options for catering, fully serviced & staffed & pick up and
go, whatever suits your needs and budget. I also ''highly''
recommend looking into the Kinder's Meat and Deli, newly opened
in Hercules (there are several around the east bay). We just
did a great backyard party and picked up our menu items (pre-
ordered) and it was great. Give them a call. These were both
all american BBQ style, not ethnic, but totally delicious!
Kerri
August 2004
I live in the Berkeley area and am looking for a high-end
catering service. Ideally, they would prepare and serve savory
appetizers at my home for about 40-50 people over the course of
3 to 4 hours as well as provide bar service. Any
recommendations?
amj
Hi! I am an event manager at UC Berkeley. For the last 9 years, I've used Grace Street
catering for all of our high end events and they are fabulous. You will be extremely
pleased with their service and food. Call Erin at 510/523-1600.
Helena
April 2004
I am looking for a caterer for a dinner for about 7 adults. I'd
like someone to come to my house to cook, serve and clean up
after dinner. We'd like some tasty hors d'oeuvres, the main meal
with maybe a course or two, and then dessert. Nothing too
elaborate. I have looked at the archives but didn't see
anything that seemed right.
Thanks for your help.
Want to spend time with my guests
Lois Moore is expanding her catering business -- she might also
be open to doing some personal chef work. Her number is 482-
9212.
A Woman Called Sam does catering for small and large parties.
Her e-mail is awomancalledsam AT hotmail.com
She is a FABULOUS cook, absolutely conscientious, will totally
take control and get the job done so you don't have to worry
about a thing. Tell her June sent you.
Have fun.
June
Hi.
Ida Shen might be ideal for your dinner party! Her food is
wonderful as is her style...
Contact her at ida AT onthemenu.com and tell her Wanda sent
you...and have a great time with your guests!
Wanda
A new catering company which I've been using for work (for
small gatherings) is Pass The Peas. It's a group of young guys
who all bring a little of their own cultural take to their
menu. Their prices are competitive and they are really trying
to make a go of it. You can call Micheal 510-532-7030. Another
guy I use is Gabrielle at Two or More catering 415-922-3755. I
have never been dissappointed with the service or quality of
either one. Have a fun party!
Juliette
Mary Lou Allen lives in No. Berkeley and is a chef, and a cooking
teacher (and I think she also trains cooking teachers). We hired
her to teach a short series of cooking classes in our home for
our anniversary present to each other, and it was great. More
importantly, I've eaten a dinner that she cooked for a dinner
party, and it was fantastic - not overly fussy, just simple,
elegant and delicious.
While she does not make a business out of catering per se, I know
she does it occasionally and would be interested in talking to
you.
You can reach her at 510 558-8710.
Bon Appetit!
food lover
March 2004
We are thinking of using Culinary Excellence Caterers for a big
family event. Has anyone ever used them, and would you use them
again? THANKS!
Berkeley Girl
Culinary Excellence catered a friend's wedding in 1995 and when
I got married in 2001, we used them as well. We received MANY
compliments on the food and would highly recommend them. I
also recommended them to a friend who hired them for her
wedding and she was also very pleased. Klaus, the owner, was
very helpful and professional.
Maya
We used Culinary Excellence Catering for our Sunday Brunch
wedding in 2000 and they were fantastic!! Not only would Klaus
make anything we wanted, he also suggested many great ideas.
Everyone loved the food and the presentation. I would highly
recommend them for any catered event as they do a great job, are
so easy to work with, and are very reasonable. I did a lot of
research to find a caterer for our wedding and was really
impressed as they make you feel like family.
Suzanna
March 2004
Do you know of a service that can deliver coffee for 400 people to the
UC Berkeley campus? My husband is on the organizing committee for a
conference that will be held on the UC Berkeley campus in September
2005. They cannot find a business willing to be responsible for coffee
service during the conference. They require coffee, hot water, juice, etc,
2 times a day for around 400 people. (Peet's will sell them the coffee,
but they will not deliver.) Can you recommend a coffee service that
could do this?
Kirsten
I hope this works out for you -- there is a place called
Associated Services in Concord that may be able to help.
Their # is (925)932-2739. The owner there has ALWAYS
been very kind toward our school (Christ the King) when it
comes time to do our festival every year. We get all of the
necessities for coffee service from them and they are
FABULOUS. I hope that this is the sort of thing they can help
you with as they are very nice people. Bob is the owner and
if you call them, please tell them that Trish from Christ the
King sent you -- I'd like them to know that we appreciate
them and are spreading the word about how great they are!
Good luck!
Trish
Caffe Roma often does this for campus functions. Probably nearly
any of the local cafes would (Strada, Roma, etc)
You can also try Housing and Dining...They have a website here:
http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/dining/catering/frames.html
For coffee service, try Espresso Subito 527-7330, espressosubito.com.
They provide a fabulous very professional coffee service.
Deborah
June 2003
I am doing a project. Are there any caterers who offer parents
a convenient and healthy alternative to packing a bag lunch for
their kids? I am looking for a caterer that would deliver
healthy lunches daily to the kids' schools.
I know Bentley School uses a service called Lunch N Munch. I haven't
eaten the lunches myself but they look good. I think you get a menu and
can choose what you want on different days etc and then they deliver.
Leah
Redwood Day School (Oakland) uses Lunch n' Munch. The selections
seem pretty healthy to me, although we haven't yet made use of
the service. You can call RDS at (510) 534-0800, and someone
there might be able to give you more info.
LA
Lunch n'munch delivers ''bag'' lunches to our school daily. You
sign up for them a month at a time, and each day you have 3 or
4 different options to choose from. It is catered by, I am
pretty sure, Kensington Bistro. You can call them at: 510) 232-
4013
Shahana
St. Paul's Episcopal School in Oakland gives parents the option
of buying lunches from ''Lunch 'N Munch.'' They deliver healthy
bag lunches and give kids at least three options of entrees
everyday. Call the school to get the contact information.
Diane
May 2003
I'm having a party at my house Saturday night, June 28 and am
looking for 2 -3 hostess helpers. I have a chef preparing the
food, need help with maintaining buffet, serving beer and wine
and clean up. We're expecting about 100pp.
Also, can someone recommend a good party rental store for
glasses, tables, chairs,etc? Thanks
Jeanne
You might want to try Classic Party Rentals in the South Bay.
We used them for Thanksgiving this past year (about 20 people)
and they had very nice equipment and a good selection. I don't
know if they are inexpensive but their prices were comparable to
other companies and they seemed to have a broader selection. You
can have a look at wwww.classicpartyrentals.com
-RK
June 2003
I am looking for someone who would like to earn some extra
$$ helping serve appetizers and clean-up after a party for
approx. 80 people. Party should last about 4 hours and
will be held Friday, July 11. Does anyone have any
recommendations?? Thanks.
Judy
I used this outfit about seven years ago for my Berkeley wedding
and was very pleased:
Hostess Helpers 2070 10th Ave San Francisco, CA (415) 665-9313
We had them do everything (and more) caterers would do, except
the food was supplied by someone else.
- Charis
One of the best ways to find servers/clean-up persons is to
advertise at the California Culinary Academy (CCA) on Polk
street in San Francisco. They will list your ''job'' or ''jobs'' on
a bulletin board for students who would like to make extra
money. It's a great way to get experienced people/those who need
more experience at a good $$ rate.
You can also advertise for a chef/cook to do private dinners at
your home.
Maya
Jan. 2003
I am looking for a caterer for my small vegetarian wedding
reception (only 25 people). My son (two years old) and his
cousins (two under 8 years old) will be there. I need an
affordable caterer who can also provide or coordinate the rental
of tables, chairs, place settings, and linens. The wedding in
late April, 2003. Every place I have called is either WAY too
expensive or won't cater such a small event. I need help!
Drennen
Blue Heron in Oakland catered my wedding and, though I don't know
if they are exclusively vegetarian, the food was fantastic, much
of it was vegan (at my request), they provided linens (etc) and
even a wedding coordinator. They did such a great job my sister
hired them to do her wedding. For hers they set up an outdoor
(yes, vegetarian) grill. It was, again, fantastic.
I have no idea if they'll do an event for such a small number of
people nor on such short notice.
Good luck.
Molly G
I highly recommend Doris Bowen. She has catered small dinners
and a larger party for us. The food is always delicious. She
worked with us to come up with a menu within our dietary
restrictions (she even catered a beautiful Passover dinner --
her first venture into Jewish cooking!). Although she works
alone, she has access to party rentals and can hire assistants.
Doris' number is (925) 648-3329.
A while back, we had a catered lunch at my office, with about
fifteen people served. The vegetarian (with vegan options)
caterer was called ''Mrs. Dish,'' based, I think, in Emeryville.
I couldn't find her on line just now, but I remember that the
food was really good, and also reasonably priced. The other
vegetarian-friendly caterer with whom I've had experience is
Shai's in Kensington (http://www.shais.com/). I don't know if
they do really small parties, but you could call and find out.
The food is delicious and the presentation is really
spectacular -- their hoummus platter is a beautiful work of art!
Alexa
Jan 2003
I am looking for caterer reccomendations for a large party of
200 in Pleasanton in September 2003. Anybody have any
suggestions that won't break the bank? Thanks!
Juliette
My husband is a chef at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and also has
his own catering business. He caters private parties from small
dinner parties to larger parties like the one that you mentioned
for 200 people. He specializes in seasonal organic cooking from
simple to fancy. His name is Arnon Oren: arnon_oren AT yahoo.com,
ph: 510-237-1230
Tammy
You might try Classic Catering in Pleasant Hill. I have used
them a few times and they are always very willing to work
within my budget. I will tell them what we are looking for,
they give a price, then if it above the budget , I'll say, ''My
budget is $XX.XX per person; can you work with me?'' Jackie
is the woman you need to speak with. They are
professional, courteous, and very amenable to whatever
your needs are. They are not a huge outfit, but the food has
always been very good and the staff, excellent! Good luck,
and feel free to contact me with any questions!
Trish
Try calling La Bocca Fina in Hayward. I've used them quite a
few times for large (350 people) to smaller affairs(50-60).
Teri, the owner is wonderful! She is a true professional,
handling all my parties efficiently. She knows the true meaning
of customer service! Which allows me to relax during the
parties and have a good time as well. Her food is always
creative and extremely tasty. She'll help you come up with a
menu for your budget.
Generally with catering the bulk of the money goes toward hiring
the staff to set up, cook, serve, keep things running smoothly,
etc. and just run the party. If you want to keep your costs
down and do more of this yourself, you may want to consider
going to Whole Foods or Picante or someplace like that where
they will just make the food. Then you pick up and do the rest.
However, if you want a full service caterer I highly recommend
La Bocca Fina. Their number is 510-264-0276.
allison
I would like to recommend La Bonne Cuisine, a French
Catering company located in Berkeley. I am working for
them and have seen many large parties they have organized
and they are unbelievable ! The food is great (they only use
organic vegetables and meat without hormones), the
service is really friendly (you feel like dealing with a family)
and they are really creative in terms of presentation and
decoration: their flower arrangements are really unique.
They can help with a lot of ideas regarding the place you are
looking for, the invitations, the theme...They have many
references and can really be a great added value.
Christophe, the Chef really knows what is talking about.
They also organize the French summer camp in Tilden Park
and some cooking lessons for kids (in French !). Last but
not least the prices are not going to break your bank ! If you
want a free quote or some more info call me at (510)
549-3760. Bon appitit !
Laura
We used a caterer for a wedding celebration in Kensington last
summer and were very pleased with the results. We were on a tight
budget and couldn't afford a high-end ''gourmet'' caterer but did
want good food that would appeal to both adults and kids.
The owner was extremely helpful, the price was right, the
staff was friendly, and everyone commented on the delicious food.
Stephen Nicol
Red Robin Caterers
489 Magnolia Ave.
Larkspur
415-924-0956
--Sharon
I would highly recommend Culinary Excellence located in Concord.
Claus (the owner) catered our Sunday Brunch wedding in 2000 and
was so friendly and helpful. He has tastings every month and if
there is something special you would like that is not listed on
his menus, he will gladly make it special for you (even family
recipes). He has been in business for many years and he makes you
feel like part of the family. AND his prices are totally
reasonable!!!
His website is: http://www.culinaryexcellence.com/
Bon Appetite!
Suzanna
I know of a really great caterer based out of Berkeley. His name
is Hugh Groman, his business is Hugh Groman Catering. His number
is 415-250-1361. I actually have been to 2 parties that he did
because after the first one at my friend's house, one of our
friends liked the food so much that they hired him for another
party I was invited to. The 2 parties were very different. One
was a casual more picnic style and one was a sit down very
extravagant dinner, so I think he can probably work with you on
a menu that suits your needs and budget. Per my friend, he was
easy to work with and very personable. His food was some of the
best I've had.
Good luck with your party!
Nina
Owner/Chef Terry Paulding does a wonderful job of catering for
30 and over. She will come up with innovative and eclectic
menus that don't break the bank. She and her staff are
extremely professional but down to earth. She put on a
sophisticated Spanish dinner for us that was elegant yet
simple. The evenings conversation continued to revert back to
the food and presentation.
Terry can be reached at 510-594-1104.
Trish
I recommend Tina Ernano at Beans Catering. Beans Catering uses
fresh, seasonal, and organic (when possible) produce. They
provide menus ranging from Asian influenced cuisine to regional
Italian specialties. They can do small or large parties and also
provide home delivered meals.Contact Tina at tinaernano[at]aol.com.
Danielle
June 2002
I would like to get a recommendation for a local
caterer. I'm having a baby shower for a friend in
about a month and would appreciate a name of a
person who could cater that. After looking over the
postings on the recommendations page and speaking with
some of the caterers listed, it seems like the
caterers I liked are already booked for that date. So
any others that could be recommended would be
appreciated.
Thank you
Katie in Rockridge
If you are just looking for someone just to prepare the food I recently used
Rick and Ann's in Berkeley and thought they were excellent. My party was for 20
people and a friend also used them for a party of 80+ and was also very happy
with them. They have an excellent menu, everything can be served at room temp,
they will deliver, are very helpful in menu planning and I found them to be very
reasonably priced (I don't think our bill even came to $150 and we had tons of
leftovers). Nearly everyone at our party commented on how good the food was.
Try Fete catering at 510-655-9390. Duncan McCreight is the owner and is
really good. He's done a number of events for me including baby
showers.
Good luck.
Kristi
I've had very good success here on Campus using Bubi's Catering. They are
located at 2530 Tenth Street in Berkeley. Their telephone number is
510-549-1759. They have a nice menu, from sandwiches through quiches, egg
rolls and lasagne, with many meat and vegetarian options. And they make
their own cookies, which are WONDERFUL. They are one of the few caterers I
have found in this area who will still cater breakfast. I have dealt in
the past with Jim Kehl, who is just a wonderful guy. Last year he drove my
husband's car keys to our home in San Leandro when I accidentally took them
with me to Berkeley at 7am! Great folks.
Dawn
I would like to recommend my neighbour, Joel Goldfarb.
You can contact him at:
Joel at chezbaygourmet.com
Tel 925-943-2378
- Richa
To the person who is looking for a caterer, I strongly
recommend a friend of mine who has a catering business
in Oakland. Her name is Namie Shin and can be reached
at 510-332-1839. She's a great cook and has been a
caterer for several years. She caters lunches, weddings,
baby showers - and all at very reasonable prices. Give
her a call, I'm sure you'll be very happy with her work.
Robyn
I highly recommend the team at Lalime's/Jimmy Bean's;
they catered our wedding rehearsal dinner. It was
fantastic. You can visit their website at
http://www.jimmybeans.com/JB_catering.html
or call Haig Krikorian at 510-559-7023.
Christine
I would recommend Terry Paulding as a caterer that will
come to your home for a party. She also teaches
wonderful cooking classes in Emeryville through the
Piedmont adult school. Her number is 510 594-1104
Dawn
I highly recommend Skip and his crew at Innovative
Restaurant Ventures. Skip catered my wedding and
friends loved it so much, he catered 3 of theirs as
well. I think he would do a baby shower too. His
pricing was far below any other caterer I had found
and his food was outstanding. You can reach him
through one of his restaurants; Girasole in Danville
(925) 484-1001 or The Big Horn Grill in San Ramon.
Nicole
I used Rick & Ann's catering at the last minute (2 days before) for my
sister's shower. They were great, the food was great and reasonably priced
(comparatively). They were nice and helped me pick how much and what food
would be good. Everyone loved it and thought the food was delicious.
Hileslie1
I can recommend a caterer Chez Ellen. She's cooked for
a few of our parties, including a baby shower. The
food is fantastic. Ellen offers a personal chef
service as well cooking in your kitchen or having
fresh dinners delivered. Her number is 428 CHEF
(2433).
you can write me with more questions.
paula
We were really pleased with Shai's which is located on
the Arlington in Kensington. He was very reliable, and
you can go into his restaurant and taste the food in
advance. I thought his prices were reasonable, and he
really worked with us to bring the prices down.
Daphne
I used Sunrise Catering in Walnut Creek - very reasonable and good food.
Plus with a certain minimum order you get a server/cleaner person. You
also might want to check out Rick & Ann's catering.
Lisa
May 2002
I'm looking for a barbecue caterer who will come and do
the barbecue at my place. I went to a party back east
where a caterer brought a trailer that was a huge
barbecue grill and rotisserie pulled behind a pickup
truck, plus all the ''fixins'', and I'l love to have
that at a housewarming party that I'm planning. Does
anyone out there have any recommendations? Thanks!
new home owner
I went to a Neighborhood Picnic which was catered by
Everett and Jones. They brought *everything* and it was
really, really popular. E&J has in many people's opinion,
the best BBQ in the bay area (some people think Carmen's
in Hayward is better, but they are just wrong!). Flints
may also do a similar deal, though they have some
consistency problems
BBQ Lover
Pearlie's restaurant could probably do this. They now
own a restaurant but they used to be a catering company
with the most amazing (and affordable!) food.
Pearlie's
5885 Bancroft Ave at Seminary;
Oakland
510-569-1394
Try Backforty BBQ in Pleasant Hill. I had used them
last June for my husband's surprise 40th and everyone
loved it! My girlfriend used them for her wedding last
summer also. They have a range of catering plans. They
will come on site with big grill and serve up buffet
style, deliver your just of the grill hot items and
sides in trays, or you can pick it up. They charge by
the person, and I found for the amount of grub we
received, was a very reasonable price price. Includes
plates, tablecloths, utensils and wet-napkins for those
oh so good BBQ ribs. A complete package for throwing a
down home party. We loved them and will definately use
them again and again. They have a web site , I think
it is BackfortyBBQ.com-check it out.
Note from Myriam:
Website is:
http://www.backfortytexasbbq.com/
Kerri
To the person who inquired about Barbecue Catering,
the Great American Bar-b-Q Company in Alameda on High
Street has a huge portable grill that they take to
catering jobs.
Katie
Nov 2002
I am looking for a caterer who does Japanese food WELL. Looking
for sushi / terriyaki / tempura.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Nina
You can try a little Japanese store/caterer on Dwight Way just
above Shattuck. They've catered a few work parties in my office
and done a fine job (and this according to native Japanese co-
workers). Their name escapes me right now, but they're pretty
easy to find (in person, obviously).
Nina (too!)
The Dwight Way shop referred to by the previous response
is Musashi. Manpuku on Telegraph is comparable (both in
Berkeley). There is also a very nice deli on San Pablo in El
Cerrito in the same mini mall as Katanaya restaurant.
The above are affordable bento (i.e., lunch box) type shops.
For higher end catering try Genki on San Pablo in Berkeley.
GF
You should definitely contact Cubby Nakamura at Tokyo Fish Market
on San Pablo Ave. His food is great. I don't know about the
tempura, but his sushi, sashimi, etc. are wonderful. And, he is
an extremely nice guy.
Teresa
The name of the great Japanese caterer is Musashi, on
Dwight Way in Berkeley. They're fantastic.
Susan
I have a different perspective on Musashi - for which a number
have sent high recommendations. For 5 years I've work within a
block of the store so it's convenient to pop by for quick bite.
But I rarely do unless I'm really rushed for time. Musashi sushi
is bland and almost all tastes the same (was that eel or tuna I
just ate?).
The sushi at Joshuya (corner of Dwight and Telegraph) is a little
longer walk but ooooh so much better! The fish is fresh and
flavorful and the staff wants to help (though they generally do
make a mistake). Joshuya where we get our sushi company-wide
lunches.
My experience with the Musashi staff is poor (with the exception
of a few gems who don't stay employed there long). The fellow,
whom I believe to be the owner, is very abrupt.he's rarely there,
though.
Since my day-to-day enjoyment of the quality of staff and food at
Musashi is rather low, I've never gotten them to cater - though
their prices do look tempting. Since there are good
recommendations, maybe they use their better fish for the custom
catering jobs and the day-to-day orders get leftovers!
-a musashi neighbor
Nov 2002
Can anyone suggest an excellent kosher caterer?
Expensive is okay.
Thank you
''A Woman Called Sam'' (that's the name she uses) does kosher
catering. Her e-mail address is awomancalledSam at hotmail.com.
June
I would recommend Oded Hilu for kosher catering. He's a
graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA-the original
one in Hyde Park NY), and can make great kosher food for 2
people or two hundred people. I found him very easy to work
with and flexible with last minute changes. You can contact him
by email: Odedly at attbi.com or call (510)845-4378. Have a great
celebration!
Lois Moore 482-9212. She usually cooks out of the synagogue or
client's home and can make traditional Ashkenazie food (great
gefilte fish, latkes, etc...) as well as California food (baked
salmon, roasted veggies, aram sandwiches) and Israeli dishes.
Carol
Alan Finkelstein (510-845-8275) is a great kosher caterer. His
food is fabulous and he's easy to work with.
Claudia
May 2002
I am planning a party (for about 50 adults) and I'd like to have it
catered. Can anyone recommend a caterer who can provide Mexican food
(enchiladas, rice & beans, etc.)? The website has several recommendations
for caterers, but I'm looking for Mexican food in particular. Thanks in
advance!
Jennifer
We were just at Baja Fresh last night and noticed they do catering. It seemed at a glance their catering
menu was more extensive than their regular menu. They're on Shattuck in downtown Berkeley. you might also
want to try Picante on 6th street.
teresa
Try Cancun in Berkeley on Allston Way.
Portamex in San Pablo/Richmond is yummy. They catered a wedding of a friend once.
Angela
Have you called Picante, on 6th Street in Berkeley? I think they might cater, and
their food is marvelous. Yum yum.
Wendy
You can try Pepito's Deli in Berkeley on San Pablo Ave, and Dwight. They have great enchiladas
and rice and beans. I know that they do catering. You can also try La Borinquena Mexican Deli in
Oakland. It is right across from the police department on Jefferson and 7th. They have the best
food homemade tamales, rice, beans the works. Good Luck!
Alex
Cancun Restaurant off Addison Street here in Berkeley is excellent. I coordinate monthly meetings for
a non-profit and they have done all our events this year. they do tradtional faire but in a tapas style
(appetizers) with an assortment of items (tacos, meat and veggie quesadillas, ceviche, tostadas, and
chimichagas). The price is reasonable usually about $5-$7 person and that includes sodas, chips, three
kinds of salsa and all the utensils and paper goods. The contact person there is Andrea and her direct
line is 510-549-0838. You will not be disappionted.
Oscar
My husband works for an organization on campus and he is always using catering services for his meetings.
The best Mexican food that cater's that he has found is Cancun's Restaurant They have a great salsa bar
and their food is really good (we think). You should go and taste for your self. Their restaurant is on
Kittridge (I think), almost at the corner of Oxford. It is next door to the new apartment complex called Guia
apartments. Good luck!
Sandra
Cancun Taqueria in Berkeley caters.
Toby
Cancun Taqueria in Berkeley or Mecca from Pittsburg both do excellent jobs in catering Mexican Food.
Try Juan's Place in berkeley. I once went to an affair
they catered--all the standard Mexican-American food, and
pretty tasty.
M.S.
You should give Cactus Taqueria a call, especially if you're looking for enchiladas. Their mole verde with
ground pumpkin seeds is wonderful, as are their red mole and adobe sauce (the latter two are specials and
not always available). Plus, their prices are very reasonable considering the quality of the food (Niman-Schell
beef, no lard, etc.). I've never used them for catering, but know that they handle big orders.
Cactus is near the top of Solano, just west of the Alameda; their number is 528-1881. (There's a second
location on College, but I'm not familiar with it.)
Lynn K.
November 2002
I am looking for a caterer for an event that will take place at
Haas over two days in mid-November. We will be meeting in the
Wells Fargo room at Haas.
I was warned that Haas is really picky about letting caterers
into their facilities. I was told that Paul Jenkins at White
Hat Catering has done some Haas events. Has anyone used him? I
read the Caterer recommendations in the archive but he isn't
mentioned.
Most of the UC event caterer recommendations seem to be a few
years old. We will be about 25 people for two breakfasts and two
lunches. Any ideas? This is my first time organizing food for
a campus event--anything else I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance -- Sojeila
Try Travelin' Joe Espresso Catering, which specializes in on-
site espresso bars (regular and decaf coffee, espresso,
cappuccinos, lattes, etc. to order) for meetings and other
events, but can also do breakfast and lunch catering (anything
from bagels and cookies to a to-order hot waffle bar) along with
the coffee. They've done a few events at Haas in the past, and
also provide catering for other UCB departments. Ask for Bill
at 510-843-8730 or check out their website at
www.travelinjoeespresso.com.
CC
Our department orders and picks up food, etc. from Andronicos.
The food is very good and I think it's less expensive than other
places (although money may be no object at Haas :). But you have
to do a bit more work yourself (set up tables, do flowers if you
like, remember to get decorative items, etc.). But we enjoy our
receptions.
Best of luck
Linda
I am an events manager in the University Events and Ceremonies
department on campus and have done many events at Haas. I don't
know what your budget is, but if you have a budget for full service, I
highly recommend Grace Street Catering (510/523-1600, tell Erin
Helena sent you). High quality food and unbeatable service. If you just
want drop off service, I recommend Rick & Ann's (yummy bakery goods)
or Stella Nonna (awesome boxed lunches). Jimmy Bean's is also good
and they run the cafe located in Haas. Jimmy Bean's can work within
your budget and service needs. (I don't have any experience with White
Hat.)
Helena
July 2004
I would like to recommend very enthusiastically a gifted
caterer--Susan, ''The Jewish Martha.'' Susan did an
aesthetically-pleasing and delicious-tasting brunch for
me--frittata, scones, homemade jam, coffee cake, fruit skewers
with marscarpone dip. As well, she was timely and courteous and
very conscientious. On another occasion, I ate at a friend's 10
guest dinner party, for which Susan had catered. Again,
everything was delicious and beautiful--lemon garlic chicken,
roasted garlic potatoes, a mixed green salad with the most
amazing citrus vinagrette, and a luscious apricot cobbler with
homemade vanilla ice cream--and, get this, the apricots were
organic and from Susan's tree.
Susan is emboldened enough to accept new clients. She is
reachable at 510-420-8471.
A Foodie
Feb 2004
My cousin recently started a new catering service which I'd like
to recommend. Ideally suited towards baby showers, baby namings,
wedding showers and adult birthday parties, TheCrepeChef will
deliver crepes warm and fresh to your event. His recipes are not
your standard jam, cheese or apple generic variety. Instead, he
suggests Crepe Cafe Au Lait - Mocha with a splash of liqueur and
Hawaiian brown sugar to lightly sweeten, or Crepe Luau - A south-
sea island specialty - coconut, pineapple and rum, or Cheese
Enchantment - Variety of European cheeses for a zesty fulfilling
crepe, or Tomato Temptation - Roma Italian tomatoes, onion,
olive oil and black pepper among others. For that extra flair
he will flambe selected crepes at the party. For your next
party, contact TheCrepeChef : (650) 303-1092 or
crepechef AT pacbell.net
Tali
Nov 2002
In looking for a caterer on this site I noticed there aren't any
recent recommendations. I would like to highly recommend Hugh
Groman Catering in Berkeley. He catered my birthday party and
I've been to 2 other parties that he catered. He does an
EXCELLENT job and works closely with you to personalize the menu
with food you love. He also cares very much about the freshness
and quality of the food he serves. Lastly, he is just a lot of
fun and makes planning the party stress free! His number is 415-
250-1361.
Nina
2001
I have a reccomendation for a caterer. Her name is Corinne Kinczel. Her
company is called CEK productions. She does personalized catering and
festive occasions (aka: parties) :) She will travel all over the bay
area,she is reasonably priced, and the food is wonderful! Her # is
510.326.4084
I'd like to recommend Art's Cafe as a fantastic caterer. I think many
portions of their catering excelled my wedding caterer which we paid
five times higher for in Santa Barbara, including presentation. We've
used them twice, each time very impressively presented, and the food was
delicious. People were raving about it and asked who this caterer was.
Several guests told me they went back for third and fourth plates!
Also, other friends have used them and were delighted by their quality
and incredibly low rate. For example, their rates may have gone up,
but I hosted my son's birthday party of about 40 people for $500 for
food only.... and they prepared several delicious entrees, a gorgeous
fruit salad, sushi platter, a whole salmon, japanese noodle salad, and
more! We also had enough food left to give a way and eat for an entire
week. Please don't tell them I thought they were inexpensive b/c I
don't want to see higher prices next time we call them. It's o.k. to
say that Susan JunFish recommended them, however. Their food is not
super fancy like for example what you see from the chefs coming out of a
Culinary Academy, but it's better than most foods I've had in
restaurants in Berkely and surrounding areas. They run a simple looking
hole in the wall cafe in El Cerrito, which does not represent how their
catered food look like or taste like. They are also very nice people so
I hired them to serve our guests as well. Enjoy! Susan
2000
Ellie
Looking for a caterer:
I am looking for a caterer for my son's bar mitzvah this spring in Oakland.
I am looking for someone who will do a mixture of providing some of the
food and "presenting" some of the food that we (and our friends) will be
making - and who is not too expensive and would also be open to using the
help of some young adults who we will hire to help the caterer!
Does anyone have someone to recommend?
Lee
I've been very pleased with Tricia O'Brien Catering. She's in Oakland and
can be reached at 420-0958 or tobcaters at aol.com. She catered a party for us
and I also hired her to teach a cooking class to a group of friends (it was
really fun!). Friends who attended my events that Tricia catered have also
used her since they enjoyed her food so much. Her presentation is great and
she is very flexible to help plan
Trish
I heartily recommend Terry Paulding to anyone who is planning a party or
dinner. She
has a wonderful range of diverse ethnic menus to which she adds her own
innovative twists.
She also teaches several cooking classes at Piedmont Adult School. Call
Terry at
510-594-1104
1999
From: Janeen
For the caterer recommendation, I'd like to recommend Trumpetvine Catering.
They are here in Berkeley and in the book. We used them for our wedding
nine years ago and I still get compliments on the food that we had. We did
have lots of hors d'ouvres too. Good luck.
I would highly recommend Carter Brown Catering. The chefs have great
experience (backgrounds include Bay Wolf and Chez Panisse) and are very
creative. They'll provide expert catering and coordinate any size event for
you. They can be reached at 925- 600-8827 or on-line at
carter_brown_catering at Yahoo.com. Their food is fantastic!
Lisa
I've used Poulet for a brunch, 2 lunches and a buffet style dinner. I
discovered them through a wedding I attended several years ago. The owner
Marilyn is a very pleasant, creative and responsive person to work with.
She's willing to discuss different menus and ideas, brainstorm about ways to
save money on the bill and has a great staff of people that work for her.
The food is excellent. You can have them deliver and serve the food or you
can pick it up. The dinner I had them do was for a birthday. She said they
could do the cake but it would be somewhat expensive and suggested I might
want to order it from Virginia Bakery which is located across the street
from Poulet. They actually picked the cake up for me and delivered it to
the party at no extra charge. Just one example of how flexible they are.
Their phone number is 510-845-5932 and they're located at 1685 Shattuck
Avenue.
Kathy
A catering referral-- I used Bread and Butter Catering phone
741-1680 fax 741-1681 for my In-laws 50th wedding Anniversary (150 people)
and they were great. They also handle small events as described in the
request.
--------
Santa Fe Bar and Grill caters beautifully.
---------
Try Chestnut Tree Catering, 1012 B Grayson St., Berkeley, 849-0681. I
have used this company several times for our Dept. events and their
service is tops, food is great, and prices are within reason,
i.e. what others around are charging, but with better quality of food.
Lucy Montanez, SIMS
---------
I've used Blue Heron Catering. 836-0303 Absolutely fantastic hors
d'oeurves, great service and attention. we had them for our house
warming party for 80+ people. They set up, refilled trays, cleaned
throughout the party and after. We even had great leftovers. By all
means give them a try.
---------
I can highly recommend Julia Wildwood. She has catered several events
for us, is quite reasonable, and is a pleasure to deal with. She lives
in Berkeley and her number is 845-2515.
---------------------
Market Hall Catering in Rockridge is excellent! You can cut expenses by
picking up your order or, they deliver. I have never had anything bad and
she has lots of substantial finger foods for a stand-up dinner. All the
produce comes fresh and beautiful from Market Hall produce.
Also, the portions are so generous that I have taken to cutting down the
number of people I report are coming by about 10% - 20% and we have never
run out of food.
Market Hall catering: 547-4066
---------------------
Yes, try Market Hall Caterers, ask for Susan Lieber, 547-4066. her
company is part of the Rockridge Market Hall and they are extremely
popular and yummy. Good luck.
---------------------
WARNING!!!
I would like to respond to the person recommending Market Hall
Catering. I will never use their services again. I had to arrange a
very important catered function for a Hitchcock lecture last spring.
I had used Market Hall Caterers previously and found them quite good.
I made the arrangements well in advance, had been in contact with them
and everything was set--except they didn't show up!! We called--they
didn't return the phone calls. Their courier service called us to say
they had car problems. They still didn't show up. They kept saying
they would be here in 15 minutes and didn't.they were 2 hrs. late. It
was an absolute nightmare. I had 75 people who had attended a very
important lecture by Lord Colin Renfrew and there was no food, drinks,
utensils NOTHING!! After continually calling them and the courier
service the food arrived -- when the reception was over! We never
received an explanation, an apology or anything. It was the most
unprofessional group of people I have ever seen--who took no
responsibility for ruining an important function. Beware. It was
very embarrassing.
---------------------
I know a great caterer, Janet Lash, who has done several jobs for the
School of Public Health, and also did a Boalt fundraiser, was hosted
by an Oracle employee, who is also a Boalt alum.
Although Janet is located in Palo Alto, she provides services to the
entire Bay Area.
She can be reached at:
Phone: 415-856-6320
Pgr: 415 568-8340
or
E-Mail: AVSO at AOL dot com
Good Luck with your party.
---------------------
In response to your inquiry about a caterer, I'd like to suggest my
former babysitter, who now works at Andronicos and cooks for a group
of priests in Berkeley. Her name is Deborah Carson of Just Cater It.
Her phone number in El Cerrito is 528-8489, and pager number is
309-6831.
She's catered many private functions for UC folks (parties, weddings,
dinners, etc.) and have also catered for UCOP meetings.
I have told her that I would be referring her to you. If you would
like to give me a call, I can be reached at 527-3427.
Hope it works out or that you find someone good.
-----------
If anyone is looking for a personal caterer, my husband John Finley
caters dinners/parties for a very reasonable rate. He has many
references from around the states. Local references can be obtained
from the University Art Museum. Or you can call him for any inquiries
at home 510.525.2661 or work 415.291.0808.
From: Aleta (3/98)
Glass Onion, 2824 7th St., Berkeley, CA 94710, 510-848-3548, Fax
848-0724. Ask for Gloria or Tom. Cost $10.00 - $16.00 per plate.
SAMPLE: Grilled breast of chicken with red wine & mushroom sauce,
rosemary new potatoes with garlic & pearl onions, baby mixed green
salad with raspberry vinaigrette, green beans almondine with cracked
pepper, new york style cheese cake. mmm mmm good all for $10.00 per
plate. Price includes utensils, drinks, and they deliver! I
recommend them for your next staff/department/family gathering!
Editor Note As of Feb 2006, the address for Glass Onion is:
Glass Onion Catering
510-848-3542
1-800-My-Lunch
2832 10th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
Owners: Tom & Gloria Atherstone
per email from Brandy Turner 2/21/2006
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