Sit-down meal, afternoon tea or indoor BBQ? Whatever your preference, these top Cambridge caterers will see to all your dining needs
BOWL FOOD
This trendy concept, somewhere between canapés and a sit-down meal, is becoming increasingly popular for couples wanting something informal but tasty, and a great way to keep your guests mingling. Puddini at the Deli, based in Willingham, offer dishes of chilli, risotto, beer-battered fish, gnocchi bake or spicy lamb kofka, all served in small, sugar-sized bowls which can be eaten standing up (from £13.95pp). The Cambridge Dining Company offer sweet and savoury bowls including beef stew, vegetable and bean curry and crayfish ravioli.
FORMAL DINING
Spoil your family and friends with a traditional sit-down meal from one of Cambridge’s many quality caterers. Flair Catering in Oakington offer a tailored three-course menu, priced from £33pp. Starters include fillet of monkfish in Parma ham and fig, and caramelised onion and blue cheese tart, while mains include duck breast in soy, pea risotto and trio of venison with swede and potato. The desserts look delicious too.
BRILLIANT BUFFETS
Save on serving staff and consider a buffet for your wedding breakfast. These can be hot and/or cold, and your choices are unlimited. Crown Catering, linked with The Crown and Punchbowl, Horningsea, offer hot and cold options like glazed ham, salmon and crispy duck with noodles, plus a salad bar and a delicious dessert table. St Ives-based Sandra Starling Catering offers cold fork buffets from £13.50pp and hot buffets along the lines of Lancashire hot pot, fish pie and chicken gumbo for £14.50pp.
BBQ & HOG ROAST
Make the most of a summery, outdoor setting with a professional barbecue for your guests. Puddini offer a choice of Suffolk sausages, homemade burgers, BBQ glazed chicken, sticky ribs and griddled halloumi, with sides, for £12.95pp. Or go to Tom’s Kitchen, which offers BBQ and spit roasts plus a delicious selection of puds (from £8pp). If you’re in the market for a hog roast, we’ve heard good things about This Little Piggy, run by Cambridge caterer and farmer’s daughter Charlie. She knows how to get the pork succulent and the crackling nice and crisp, and offers pork alternatives and veggie options too.
AFTERNOON TEA
Nothing says English sophistication more than the afternoon tea, and The Teatime Treatery offer lovely Afternoon Tea wedding packages from £11.25pp (for 65+ guests). Nibble a dainty sandwich then indulge in home- made scones and sponge cakes – all washed down with speciality loose-leaf tea. Delightful!
TABLE PICNIC
Banish any weather worries and bring the fun of an outdoor picnic inside for an informal dining solution. We love this sociable idea: rather than wait for each course to emerge, guests can get stuck in to a selection of tasties served all at once. Pass the scotch eggs! White Pheasant Catering, based at the 2 AA Rosette award-winning White Pheasant in Fordham, offer a Table Picnic option (mini goat’s cheese tarts, pork and apricot sausage rolls, vegetable crisp…) all for £26 per head.