A Guide to Catering Services In And Around NYC

As planners of more than 2,000 intimate events in our properties this year, not to mention hundreds of private parties for our residents and clients, LIVunLtd is here to share a few of our go-to caterers and their insights to help you if your holiday plans include entertaining. Our team of event-planning experts are always at your service to assist with each and every one of your entertainment desires to make planning your events a breeze. That’s why, we called in a few of our tried-and-true favorite catering resources in the city to give you a glimpse of the details of their services, so you can check off the food and beverage planning on your event to-do list.

Whether you’re looking to host a lavish Thanksgiving, a memorable birthday party for a loved one, or a holiday party for each and every one of your friends and family, our team is always at your disposal to bring your events to life. Attending an event this busy holiday season? Check out our Curated Gift Guide for Hosts for some inspiration for the perfect gift to give your host or hostess.

M&G Foodstuff

Price Range: Starting at $25 pp, with a minimum of 20 people
Location: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island City, Jersey City + more depending
Catering type: Full-Service and Drop-Off

M&G Foodstuff is an innovative catering company that focuses on creating vibrant, health-centric, feel-good food. Their dishes embrace produce-centric, seasonal cooking, placing an emphasis on sustainably sourcing their ingredients, believing that great food starts with great produce. They offer both full-service and drop-off catering for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and small bites. They also offer a diverse selection of allergen-friendly options, including gluten-free breakfast tartines and sandwiches to indulgent vegan and gluten-free desserts and baked goods.

What is your most popular dish?

A highlight of our menu is the M&G Seasonal House-made Focaccia, a staple in our kitchen for years and widely regarded as some of the best in NYC! Light, fluffy, and perfectly moist, it’s a favorite in many of our drop-off catering packages. We also offer a wide range of M&G desserts and sweets, all made in-house without any artificial or processed sugars. Despite this, they still feel and taste as deliciously indulgent as traditional treats.

What is your typical lead time from inquiry to booking?

For drop-off catering, we typically require a minimum of 48 hours’ notice, though this may vary depending on your event needs. For full-service event catering, we require 15 – 30 days’ notice due to the more detailed planning involved.

Do you provide wait staff, rentals, florals, alcohol?

Yes, we can provide full staffing, rentals, florals, and a variety of bar packages. Additionally, we assist in sourcing specialty vendors as needed, ensuring that all aspects of your event are seamlessly coordinated.

What trends have you seen booming in the catering world?

While we see many trends constantly emerging in the catering world, we prefer not to shift our business model based on trends alone. Instead, we focus on what we know best—creating high-quality food that feels authentic to us and reflects our values. Our commitment to delivering delicious, thoughtfully crafted meals is what sets us apart, and it’s what keeps our clients coming back.

Lemons and Olives

Price Range: $3,000+
Location: New York, New Jersey + Connecticut
Catering Type: Full-Service and Drop-Off

Lemons and Olives is a health and lifestyle focused catering company that caters to corporate events, weddings, brand activations, photoshoots, and more. Their menu and catering style is inspired by slow living and the warm hospitality of the Mediterranean, with one of their specialities being wood-fired brick oven Napoletana pizza. They provide full-service and drop-off catering along with allergen-friendly options.

What are some of your most popular services?

Plant forward menus, climate conscious food, and wood fired burning oven meals. For the upcoming holiday season, we have new beautifully presented food stations focused on seasonal flavors, to include chou farci, a feast of the seven fishes, baccalà mantecato and of course chestnuts.

What is your typical lead time from inquiry to booking?

For big events, we prefer that clients get in touch with us at least a week in advance, especially during a
busy season (holiday, spring and summer).

Do you provide wait staff, rentals, florals, alcohol? If not, do you provide recommendations to clients when booking?

We provide wait staff, alcohol, and rentals. Happy to recommend some wonderful florists in New York.

Are there any specific catering features that you have seen on the rise in recent years?

Working from mobile kitchens is becoming a trend, especially in the Hamptons where clients prefer to keep their homes private, and love to avoid wear and tear and cooking smells. Also, catering companies like Lemons and Olives that focus on wellness.

RAPT

Price Range: Starting at $35 pp
Location: New York, Miami, Texas + more depending
Catering Type: Full-Service and Drop-Off

RAPT‘s full-service and drop-off catering services put an emphasis on visually stunning and distinctive gastronomic experiences using the finest ingredients from local and urban farms. They specialize in Modern American, Mediterranean, and French-inspired cuisines, with some of their most booked events including brand activations, corporate pop-ups, private parties, product launches, and holiday gatherings. They provide a wide range of allergen-friendly options, including gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and nut-free dishes with their menus being fully customizable to accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences.

What are some of your most popular / trending services?

Our most popular services are passed canapés, coursed meals, buffets, bar services and craft cocktails, event staffing, custom branding, and customizable outdoor food carts.

Do you provide wait staff, rentals, florals, alcohol?

Yes, RAPT is a full-service catering company offering wait staff, rentals, florals, alcohol, permitting, comprehensive insurance, and full or partial bar packages.

What is your typical lead time from inquiry to booking?

Our typical lead time from inquiry to booking ranges from 14-60 days. To best ensure your venue and chef of choice, we recommend beginning the booking process 30-45 days out from your desired event date.

What trends have you seen booming in the catering world?

Some trends we’ve been seeing have been an emphasis in sustainability, customizable menus, vegan and plant-forward dishes, elevated comfort foods, global flavors from bold and diverse cuisines, craft cocktails, and health-conscious choices, such as gluten-free and low-carb options.

Bartleby & Sage

Price Range: Starting at $20 pp, with a minimum of 20 people
Location: New York City, Westchester, Hudson Valley + surrounding regions
Catering Type: Full-Service and Drop-Off

Bartleby & Sage is a Michelin-inspired catering company whose chefs are known for crafting beautiful and flavorful restaurant-quality dishes. They draw inspiration from seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients, and global cuisines, balancing elegance with creativity while reflecting both the client’s vision and authenticity of flavors. Their popular formats are floating dinners and cocktail parties with passed hors d’oeuvres, and they offer a wide range of allergen-friendly options.

What are some of your most popular services?

Seasonal interactive food stations (e.g., Southwestern Chili Bar, burrata bar, hygge station) are quite popular options. For more elevated experiences, roving oyster shuckers and caviar carts are also highly requested.

Do you provide wait staff, rentals, florals, alcohol?

Yes, as full-service caterers we can arrange for all services, including bar/alcohol packages, servers, florals, lighting, rentals, and music.

What is your typical lead time from inquiry to booking?

A typical lead time is 5 business days but we do our best to accommodate last-minute requests, depending on availability.

Are there any catering practices / cuisines that you have seen grow in popularity?

There’s a growing demand for multi-ethnic cuisine and sustainable catering practices. We’re also getting more plant-based options on the menu.

Scoozi Events

Price Range: $2,500+
Location: New York, New Jersey + Long Island
Catering Type: Full-Service

Scoozi Events is a full-service innovative catering company with a focus on cuisine that is fun, experiential, and globally inspired. They aim to bring happiness, engagement and share culture to each and every one of their events. Their speciality is corporate parties, and they offer delicious allergen-friendly options.

What are some of your most popular / trending services?

Our interactive activation stations are some of the trending event elements our clients are incorporating into their events. Partnering that with our small plate pop ups give the “wow” factor we are hoping to achieve.

Do you provide wait staff, rentals, florals, alcohol?

We are a one-stop-shop, we can provide all catering and event needs.

What is your typical lead time from inquiry to booking?

The more the better. We book up fast during busy seasons.

What trends have you seen booming in the catering world?

More and more clients want interaction/action with their events. They want the food to create conversation.

Our team at LIVunLtd is always at your disposal to bring your events to life, and you can send catering request through the LIV app, our web portal, or by emailing or calling us directly. We look forward to assisting you!