Creating a wedding meal for your family and guests can be a lot like conducting an orchestra. You need to fine-tune and synchronize all the available options to create the best possible harmony of sounds—or, in this case, flavors. Selecting a caterer, one that can provide culinary options and services that are both memorable and appropriate to the couple getting married, is crucial in the early stages of wedding planning. Combining a contemporary, hipster mentality with a sense of tradition, we’ve explored one city in the Pacific Northwest that offers a host of options when it comes to unique catering services for your big day. Without further ado, here are our top 5 wedding caterers in Portland, Oregon.
1. Pearl Catering
Established in 2003 and located in Portland’s attractive Pearl District, Pearl Catering is a full-service caterer that offers a variety of specialized menus, bar services, and rental coordination. Whether you choose the Southern Hospitality menu for an early morning breakfast buffet or one of the delectable protein-plated dinners, Pearl Catering is sure to provide you and your guests with meal options that suit your wedding needs.
Specializing in themed menus, this caterer is suitable for both a buffet-style dinner as well as a more formal-plated meal if you’re into a little fancy—plus, there are plenty of vegan and gluten-free options that’ll take you from the shores of the California coast to Little Italy. But if it’s a quintessential Portland experience that you and your significant other crave, then consider Pearl Catering’s Food Truck, a more casual event catering experience that provides exciting BBQ and Southwest options for your wedding.
Typical Cost: Average catering price per person: $40 for plated service; $29 for buffet service; $13 for stations; $10 for hors d’oeuvres
Food Genres: American, Asian, BBQ, British, Cajun, Caribbean, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin American, Local, Mediterranean, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Russian, Seafood, Southern, Southwestern, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese
Find Pearl Catering on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
2. Crave Catering
While Portland is home to multiple farm-to-table wedding caterers, it’s clear that nobody does sustainable, full-service catering quite like Crave Catering. Ingredients are sourced from its very own family farm to ensure that your wedding day is filled with fresh, local charm. While its primary focus is on tailoring your special day to meet your vision, it also offers a wide variety of menu items that’ll keep your guests talking long after the meal is over.
The seasonal food catering packages are unique to Crave Catering, as each highlights the Pacific Northwest flavors of the season, from a hazelnut-crusted chicken dinner in the brisk autumn to a cedar plank salmon in the warm summer. This caterer is an ideal option if you and your darling have a favorite time of year. But for something more traditional, Crave Catering also offers a number of familiar menu options such as a Hawaiian BBQ and a street taco display. No wonder it’s one of the best wedding caterers in Portland, Oregon.
Typical Cost: $39.99/per person for buffet dinner; $49.99/per person for family-style dinner; $54.99/per person for plated dinner
Food Genres: American, Asian, BBQ, Cajun, Caribbean, Chinese, French, German, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Latin American, Mediterranean, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Southern, Southwestern, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese
Find Crave Catering on Facebook and Twitter.
3. Mississippi Delta BBQ
Bringing the flavors of Southern cuisine to the Pacific Northwest is Mississippi Delta BBQ, a Portland catering company that has specialized in traditional BBQ fare since its opening in 2004. Capable of feeding up to 2,000 guests, it offers a wide variety of delicious food that’s sure to please such as pork ribs, beef brisket, chicken on a stick, a variety of sausages, and even a whole natural pig, all served straight from the smoker and grill. Meanwhile, popular side dishes include potato salad, sweet potato purée, smoked corn on the cob, and deviled eggs.
Utilizing fresh ingredients with plenty of gluten-free options, Mississippi Delta BBQ is committed to providing genuine Southern cuisine for your wedding day. Served up with a slice of Southern hospitality, this BBQ spread will surely blow up your Instagram account with its succulent mishmash of meats and sides.
Typical Cost: Inquire here
Food Genres: Southern
Find Mississippi Delta BBQ on Facebook.
4. White Pepper
A full-service caterer that strives to create real experiences with real food, White Pepper works with local farms to provide specialized menus that feature local and seasonal ingredients, making it one of the top wedding caterers in Portland, Oregon. Located off Northeast Glisan Street, this catering company can set up for wedding events of any size, offering packages that vary from plated meal service, family-style meal service, full bar service, onsite cooking, and so much more.
The Tasting Room, which is unique to White Pepper, is where you, your honey, and up to 26 guests can share an intimate experience as you sample possible menu options for your special event. This experience offers a variety of custom or house menu options including braised beef, panna cotta, and cedar-smoked salmon. For a more casual option, it does offer several food displays that are locally sourced and reflect the season, which is recommended for a group of 40 or larger. With so many opportunities to create your ideal wedding meal, White Pepper willingly caters to your taste, style, and budget.
Typical Cost: Full-service events range between $60 and $150/per person; family-style meals, plated meals, and casual buffet meals can range between $25 and $35/per person
Food Genres: American, though you should also inquire within for more details
Find White Pepper on Facebook and Instagram.
5. ChefStable Catering
Spanning hors d’oeuvres, plated dinners, and family-style meals, ChefStable Catering specializes in creating unique menus that include popular dishes from iconic Portland restaurants, including recipes from chefs at Lardo, Grassa, St. Jack, and Salt & Straw. For an informal affair, the short rib croquetas, chimichurri chicken skewers, and crabcakes make for ideal small plate and appetizer options. But if you and your partner are planning a larger gathering, consider some of the summer options for a family-style dinner such as grilled and roasted leg of lamb, flat iron steak with smoky tomato butter, and pan-roasted salmon.
Willing to collaborate with couples to create custom meal options, ChefStable offers an alternative to the familiar flavors of a classic wedding reception, right down to the desert. In fact, you can have Portland’s famous Salt & Straw ice-cream as an alternative to a wedding cake, with flavor offerings such as pear & blue cheese, honey lavender, and cinnamon snickerdoodle.
Typical Cost: Inquire here
Food Genres: American, Asian, Cajun, Caribbean, Chinese, French, German, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin American, Mediterranean, Mexican, Sandwiches, Southern, Southwestern, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese
Find ChefStable Catering on Instagram.
James Kenneth Presley is a writer, content creator, and storyteller whose work has spanned a collection of diverse outlets, including both film and weddings. An aspiring novelist and the author of his first epic go-round, titled My Dreams Belong To Dad, James firmly believes in the power of storytelling and embraces the challenge of creating something from scratch. A Portland native and graduate of Portland State University, James finds bliss when developing recipes in the kitchen, joy when he’s sitting in front of a movie theatre screen, and peace of mind when listening to an Amy Grant Christmas song with a cup of warm coffee.
