More diners than ever are asking where their food comes from before they eat it. They want to ensure they’re having a positive impact on the environment, from eating produce grown by local farmers to ordering humanely raised beef.
A few select caterers are rising to this local challenge, and making a difference in their communities by choosing sustainable business practices. While you might not imagine one person eating locally makes a big difference, a corporate event of 500 diners certainly can.
Check out these 25 catering businesses that are helping their communities while making great food.
Contigo Austin
Contigo co-owners Ben Edgerton and Andrew Wiseheart had been hosting and cooking for friends at Contigo Ranch for more than 30 years. As they couldn’t invite everyone in Austin to their ranch, they opened a restaurant and catering business. They bring the best parts of Contigo Ranch to your event: the food (think barbecue and comfort), the atmosphere and the feeling you’re among friends.
Texas French Bread
Texas French Bread opened in 1981 in Austin as an artisan bakery, and is now a farm-to-table restaurant. Their catering focuses on professional events, and they can provide box lunches, salads, platters and desserts. They strive for French bistro standards with local ingredients and flair.
DeAngelo’s Catering and Events
Since 1982, DeAngelo’s in Tigard, Oregon, has strived to source local ingredients in their cooking when possible. However, their sustainability practices extend beyond food. They also compost food waste, donate leftover food on the customer’s behalf, and use china and glassware to reduce their dependency on paper or plastic. Not only are you getting great food, but you’re doing good for the environment.
Figgy’s Takeout and Catering
Figgy’s Takeout and Catering in Portland, Maine, wants to offer the quality comfort food that you love but might not have the time or energy to make. Not only do they source their produce, meat and other products from Maine farmers, but they even forage for some of the ingredients themselves. Their catering can cover weddings, corporate events and holiday gatherings.
Chaco Canyon Organic Café
Launched in 2003, the Chaco Canyon Cafe in Seattle serves 90–97 percent organic foods year-round. They have options for guests on raw or vegan diets, and offer gluten-free and soy-free meals. They don’t even provide utensils in order to reduce their impact on the environment. They can cater for corporate events or weddings up to 100 people, plus the wedding cake.
Kaspars Special Events & Catering
Chef Kaspar Donier sources local ingredients for his catering company in Seattle. He can also personalize your event and provide organic catering, as well. Donier has been a caterer in the area for the past 25 years, doing everything from milestone birthday parties to large corporate galas, which means his company will have no problem accommodating your needs and size.
Ray’s Boathouse, Cafe, and Catering
Ray’s Boathouse has been in its place since 1939 and has been selling food and coffee since 1945. It has become a must-see destination in Seattle and thrives because of its use of fresh seafood and locally grown produce. Along with sustainability, Ray’s is also involved in local charities and community events. They do both on- and off-site catering, and will tailor the menu to your event and preferences.
The Publican Chicago
The menu at The Publican rotates daily to ensure the chefs continue to work with the best seasonal and local ingredients available. They specialize in simple food with the hearty feel of a European banquet hall. For catering, they offer brunch and dinner menus, guided beer tastings, desserts from their pastry chef, and specialty cocktails for receptions.
Lula Cafe
Lula Cafe in Chicago opened in 1999 and continues to wow diners 17 years later. Their brunch serves locally sourced eggs and cornmeal ground at a local mill, while their catered events feature local growers and produce. Each event is tailored to the customer’s tastes and personality, so the food will truly reflect you.
Nana Organic
Nana is an organic restaurant in Chicago whose chefs buy locally whenever possible and work with farms that treat their animals ethically. You can see a list of farms they work with on their website for more information. For catering, they can create trays and platters for corporate events and have an a la carte catering menu for larger parties.
Dawn’s Kitchen Catering
Dawn’s Kitchen Catering in Point Harbor, North Carolina, uses 100 percent locally sourced seafood and produce. They service areas around The Outer Banks and offer personalized cuisine for weddings, family celebrations and special events.
YEAH! Burger
YEAH! Burger believes in locally sourced ingredients not just from an environmental standpoint, but from an economical one. YEAH! is located in downtown Atlanta, and there aren’t a lot of farms and ranches nearby, so they define local as food harvested or produced within 150 miles of the city center — you can check their website for a map. Their catering covers events and professional meetings with their local flair and housemade sauces.
Sun in My Belly Catering
Sun in My Belly in Atlanta creates feel-good food, whether you’re enjoying catered brunch for a committee meeting or serving guests at your wedding. They have an active blog, so you can see the events that they’ve catered and how they turn out. Keep checking back to see how their menu changes seasonally.
Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink
Since 2007, visitors and locals in Miami have flocked to Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink for their emphasis on local ingredients and homemade, unpretentious food. They can cater lunch, dinner or brunch, and they work with groups from 18 to 150 people.
Local Mission Market
Based in San Francisco, Local Mission Market says nearly all of the products they serve come from no more than 100 miles away. They also ensure the ingredients were raised ethically and with sustainable practices. They have catered lunch menus of 15 and corporate events of 450, and also work on private events such as weddings. Check their website to review the farms they work with and read customer testimonials.
Forklift Catering
Based in Somerville, Massachusetts, founders Jamie and Dennis believe a perfect event can come crashing to a halt when tough meat or soggy salad is served. In 2012, Forklift Catering became a certified Sustainable Business Leader, particularly in the fields of local purchasing and waste management.
Cuisine en Locale
Also based in Somerville, Massachusetts, Cuisine en Locale has been catering events with locally sourced food since 2005. Their goal is to help local farmers while enhancing the dining experience of guests. Along with traditional events, they also cater nose-to-tail backyard BBQs, oyster shuck-a-thons and any other event idea you can dream of.
Season to Taste
The Season to Taste team believes food grown and prepared in the Boston area simply looks and tastes better than food from anywhere else, which is why they based their catering company around a local menu. Along with corporate events and weddings, they also have pop-up catering and holiday parties.
The Farm on Adderley
The Village Voice calls The Farm on Adderley one of Brooklyn’s most underrated culinary gems. The restaurant opened in 2006 and uses ingredients almost exclusively from area growers. Their catering includes plated buffets, family-style meals and plated dinners. They also have a stations menu for informal gatherings.
Agava
Located in Ithaca, New York, Agava was founded in 2012 with the goal of creating fun and inviting meals with local ingredients. They also have one of the most unique interiors in central New York, inside the old East Ithaca Train Station. For catering, they have multiple specialty packages from vegan meals to tacos to tapas to luncheons.
Creekside Cafe
Creekside Cafe in Trumansburg, New York, offers breakfast and lunch while specializing in farm-to-table practices. You can read more about the farmers and produce managers they work with online before you decide to hire them for catering services. They have a variety of baked options for your business meetings, openings or special events.
Comida
If you’re looking for a unique experience for your next catered event, consider the Comida food truck in Longmont, Colorado. Everything is made from scratch using local ingredients to create Mexican comfort and street food. Comida also offers pick-up and drop-off catering for indoor events.
Pastures of Plenty
Located in Boulder, Colorado, Pastures of Plenty grows more than 75 varieties of organic flowers and dozens of vegetables on their 35-acre farm. Owner Lyle Davis is also the chef of Big Bang Catering, which uses the farm’s produce. Consider having your event at the farm, where the food is grown mere feet away.
Renegade Foods
Renegade Foods is a farm-to-table catering company in Central Oregon. They believe in supporting the local community by serving organic and locally sourced foods. Along with corporate catering, private events and wilderness catering, they also offer cooking classes for up and coming local chefs.
Eat Private Chef & Catering Co.
Based in Aspen, Colorado, Eat Private Chef & Catering features a team of culinary chefs that take great pride in using seasonal ingredients to create healthy meals. Their dedication to sustainability and passion for their craft keeps them in-demand, from private meals to catered farm-to-table experiences.
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