Max Ultimate Food
If your idea of the perfect birthday party includes tuna tartare and prosciutto-wrapped figs instead of grocery-store sheet cake, Max Ultimate Food is your match. The seasoned catering team brings restaurant-level cuisine and flawless service to everything from cocktail parties to intimate dinners to galas with hundreds of guests. Expect decadent bites and celebration-friendly cocktails, all presented with style and served without a hitch. 65 East Cottage St., Dorchester, MA 02125, maxultimatefood.com.
East Meets West
A flawless wedding meal doesn't just happen—it takes vision, precision, and a caterer who knows how to keep everyone (from vendors to the father of the bride) in sync. Known for its hyper-fresh ingredients, from-scratch dishes, and artful presentation, this seasoned team delivers seamless service and seriously crave-worthy menus. Expect the tuna tartar on wonton crisps, beef tenderloin with horseradish cream, and watermelon cubes with feta and fresh mint to vanish from trays in seconds. 212 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 02210, eastmeetswestcatering.com.
Harvard Art Museums
For couples who want their big day to feel like a curated masterpiece, the Harvard Art Museums offer a setting as timeless as the works on display. After exchanging vows, opt for the Renaissance-inspired Adolphus Busch Hall for cocktails and conversation, followed by dinner from the Catered Affair in the glass-canopied Calderwood Courtyard. It's a celebration where every detail feels intentionally composed—like a canvas brought to life. 32 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA 02138, harvardartmuseums.org.
Verveine Café & Bakery
Here's the thing about great gluten-free grub: you shouldn't be able to tell. Award-winning pastry chef Monica Glass and celebrated restaurateur Ken Oringer (of Toro and Uni fame) have cracked the code at their Central Square hot spot, where prosciutto-and-butter-topped baguettes and truffle grilled cheese on Japanese milk bread make you forget they're catering to restricted diets. And save room for dessert—those chewy ube brownies and nostalgic strawberry hand pies are what the future of inclusive dining looks like. 298 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, verveinecafe.com.
AWOL
The Province Lands marshes make up one of the Outer Cape's most uniquely beautiful landscapes, and AWOL in Provincetown's rooms have a front-row seat to them. The boutique hotel offers understated yet luxe lodgings—plus a heated pool and fire pits outside—that overlook the vibrant green grasses and cerulean-blue waters. Though it's a short walk to town, you may never want to leave, especially if you book the Lark Suite, complete with a roof deck. 59 Province Lands Rd., Provincetown, MA 02657, larkhotels.com/hotels/awol.
Capers Catering
Relax. Everything is being taken care of. No more pre-party freakout as you run to the deli to buy ice, only to realize that you have nothing to put it in. Whether you're having 50 people over for cocktails or the wedding of the millennium, you can count on scrumptious food and prompt, efficient service. An added perk: The chef can pull off everything from authentic sushi to Yorkshire pudding with equal finesse. 66A Broadway, Arlington, MA .
Capers Catering
Run by Emma Roberts, Capers works with brides and grooms to create custom menus that showcase local ingredients—and they do it for parties big and small, indoors and outdoors, formal and casual. (Roberts also owns Flip Flops Clambakes & BBQ, so imagine the spread she could put together for beach nuptials.) If you're curious about her recent creations, try browsing Capers on Pinterest. Mini chocolate-covered "Oreos" with milkshake shooters, anyone? caperscatering.com.
Capers Catering
After nearly three decades in the biz, Capers knows how to whip up one hell of a spread. And with a “farm-to-fork” philosophy, it’s a safe bet your meal will be totally fresh, too. 21 Emerson Street, Stoneham, Massachusetts 02180, caperscatering.com.
A Mano Catering
Elyse Etling is Boston's hottest caterer, and for good reason. Her presentation is sublime, her service is flawless, and her fare is serendipitous, tapping into ethnic dishes and unusual spices. 301 Reservoir Street, Needham, MA .
Concord Caterers
Mark Gallagher has fed the cast of Love Story, the Kearns-Goodwin wedding party, the Harvard Lampoon's centennial guests, Henry Kissinger's pals, and a bunch of People's Republic scientists with particularly fussy palates. He has done Iranian banquets, dinners based on Thomas Jefferson's personal recipes . . . but never turkey and mashed potatoes. Burlington, MA
The Catered Affair
70 Reservoir Park Dr., Rockland, MA thecateredaffair.com.
The Catered Affair
More than 20 years ago, Holly Safford decided that celebrations deserved better than the substandard fare served by many caterers. That may have been a revolutionary notion at the time, but these days, brides and grooms expect spectacular food for their spectacular Big Days—and Safford delivers. With executive chef Robert Smith and a smart, hard-working staff behind her, Safford provides impeccable service and foods that go far beyond formula menus—picholine olives stuffed with sweet sausage and goat cheese, chocolate profiteroles with caramel chip ice cream, and practically anything else a couple might desire. 70 Reservoir Park Dr., Rockland, MA thecateredaffair.com.
The Catered Affair
Your wedding caterer should be, above all else, a perfectionist. You don't want boring and bone-dry chicken any more than you want poorly timed service or cheesy table settings. The Catered Affair owner Holly Safford is just that—a perfectionist who runs her tight ship with equal parts creativity, fabulous taste, efficiency, and soul. What's more, she's been doing it for decades, and her seamless organization and calming demeanor has kept many a girl from turning into Bridezilla. Take that, Martha Stewart. Accord Park, Hingham, MA thecateredaffair.com.
The Catered Affair
This culinary juggernaut is the in-house caterer for a slew of the city’s high-end venues, including the Boston Public Library, Harvard Art Museums, and the Boston Athenaeum (where it also runs a brand-new café open to the public). Which begs the question: If they trust the Catered Affair to handle their cuisine, shouldn’t you? The answer: Yes, you absolutely should. With the goal of creating unforgettable dining experiences, the team here can curate a personalized menu for your big day — think king-crab tostadas and broiled oysters with sea urchin and black lime — that looks as good as it tastes. thecateredaffair.com.