The 15 Coolest Caterers In London

If you have a special occasion coming up or perhaps just want a break from the kitchen, then consider using a professional caterer to do all the hard work. From a lobster roll specialist to a duo who serve healthy lunches at high-profile fashion shoots, here are 15 of the capital’s best teams to call on for your next party…

UPDATED JULY 2019

Rhubarb

A stalwart on the London catering scene, Rhubarb is the brains behind the food at 70 of the capital’s big-name venues: Royal Albert Hall, Madame Tussaud’s, Sky Garden and Abbey Road Studios are just some of them. Luckily for us, the team also caters for weddings and private functions, planning everything from canapés and food stations through to seven-course dinners. Hits from its current menu include lobster salad served in a filo tart with quail's egg, mustard leaf, citrus aioli; and wild sea bass with mussels and shoreside vegetables.

Visit Rhubarb.co.uk

The Hill Food Company

Whether it’s an intimate dinner, product launch, press day, wedding, milestone celebration or themed party you’re planning on pulling together, the team behind The Hill Food Company has big ideas when it comes to catering. As well as creating sharing boards brimming with bold and colourful flavours, canapés to match a brand or theme, or traditional three-course dinners, the team can provide a seasonal wine list and comprehensive cocktail menu.

Visit TheHillFoodCompany.com

Dirty Lobster

From Alice In Lobsterland pop-ups through to a dating event called Lobsters For Life, catering team Dirty Lobster has a tongue-in-cheek approach to cookery. Serving up its eponymous meat in the form of lobster rolls, Thermidor, mac ‘n’ cheese and served whole with chips, the team can show up to events, shoots and parties to keep appetites sated. Beef and chicken burgers, plus truffle and chilli fries will keep non-seafood fans happy.

Visit Dirty-Lobster.com

Social Pantry

Founded by Alex Head, Social Pantry is a catering company with a café on Lavender Hill serving up fresh, seasonal and delicious food. With a dedicated team of chefs, event planners and waiting staff, the company is partnered with a number of charities, and has served food to the likes of Rihanna and Gigi Hadid. As well as catering for corporate events, weddings and drinks parties, the team can also rustle up private brunches and dishes for five-course dinner parties.

Visit SocialPantry.co.uk

Rocket Food

A family-run boutique catering company, since 2000 Rocket Food has grown to specialise in large-scale events in grand locations – recent parties have taken place in the British Museum, National Gallery, Central Saint Martins and The Shard. Mixing culinary tradition with cutting-edge cookery techniques, the menus feature the likes of oak-smoked SW8 trout, sour yoghurt, smoked roe, pickled cucumber and dill seaweed crackers; and sautéed black bream with Café de Paris butter, grilled fennel, Israeli couscous, parsley and capers.

Visit RocketFood.com

Chilli Bees
Chilli Bees
Dirty Lobster
Dirty Lobster
The Hill Food Company
The Hill Food Company
Rhubarb
Rhubarb

Chilli Bees

Created in 2008, Chilli Bees is a south west-London based caterer headed up by Ellie Short. Focusing on fresh, seasonal dishes, Chilli Bees works well for supper clubs and informal dinners – sharing dishes on its menus include the likes of fillet of lamb with pea puree and sharing salads – and delivers inventive canapés, bowl food and desserts, such as deconstructed lemon and strawberry cheesecake with limoncello: summer on a plate.

Visit ChilliBeesCatering.co.uk

Rose & Food

Headed up by private chef Sophie Rose, Rose & Food is a London-based catering company that focuses on creating sustainable, seasonal dishes. A hit with the fashion crowd – her clients include Rixo and Vogue – Rose can offer anything from private chefs and event catering to recipe writing and testing. Sample dishes include the likes of scallop carpaccio with truffle vinaigrette; and buttermilk lemon meringue pie with basil oil and micro basil.

Visit RoseAndFood.co.uk

Tart London

Described by Sienna Miller as purveyors behind “the best food in London” Lucy Carr-Ellis and Jemima Jones are the pair behind Tart London, a boutique catering company that develops healthy but delicious feasts for fashion shoots. Weekly ES Magazine recipe columnists, the duo also know how to throw a party – hits from their feasting collection include Middle Eastern whole chicken and spiced lamb meatballs with orzo, feta and pine nuts. We also like the pair’s new permanent venue, Wild By Tart, in Belgravia.

Visit Tart-London.com

Arnold & Henderson

Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson – the duo behind the ever-popular Rochelle Canteen – produce parties and events of all kinds and in all sorts of places. Each menu is informed by the season and character of the event, making the food as memorable as the occasion. The company caters for canapé parties, charity fundraisers, cocktails, dinners, launches, openings, shoots, weddings and more. Even the canapés sound amazing – think radishes and celery salt, anchovy toast and salsify and parmesan crisps.

Visit ArnoldAndHenderson.com

Zara’s Kitchen

Zara’s Kitchen was born from a fascination with bringing beautiful, fresh food to people’s tables. From humble beginnings training as a chef at the Silwood School of Cookery in Cape Town, South Africa, Zara White has grown to become one of the freshest names on the London catering scene. The catering company loves to create tailored menus for intimate canapé and drinks parties as well as all-singing-all-dancing weddings and corporate events.

Visit ZarasKitchen.co.uk

Rocket Food
Rocket Food
Rose & Food
Rose & Food
Social Pantry
Social Pantry
Tart London
Tart London

Suzanne James

Over the past 20 years Suzanne has gone from a private chef working alone from home to the owner of an established business with a great reputation. With a team of professional event planners, chefs and front of house staff working alongside her, you will now find her on the list at many venues in London. In 2017 Suzanne opened Fifty Seven, her own private hire events space and cookery school in East Dulwich, which is also the home of her pop-up Supper Cub.

Visit SuzanneJames.co.uk

Eden

Eden is regarded as one of the UK’s most sustainable caterers, providing fresh, seasonal and delicious food around central London. With a range of standard and premium menus to choose from, the team can cater for anything from a breakfast meeting for 15 or a sit-down dinner for 1,000. Using UK ingredients wherever possible, as well as free-range meat and sustainably sourced fish, the kitchen serves everything from street food to fine dining and BBQs.

Visit EdenCaterers.London

Top Hat

Founded by Hattie Mauleverer-Jones, TopHat has been established since 2007. The business has grown into a luxury boutique caterer, recognised as one of the UK’s best caterers in Tatler’s party guide as well as Vogue and the Evening Standard. With an eye for detail and love for fabulous food, Top Hat has created a reputation over the last ten years for delivering impeccable service and events with a personal touch, serving up dishes such as guinea fowl breast with sweetcorn puree, confit leg and carrot crisps along the way.

Visit TopHatCatering.co.uk

The London Kitchen

The London Kitchen prides itself on its ability to create delicious, seasonal food for two to 2,000 guests. Whether you are looking for bespoke menus to fit with a themed evening, witty dishes that play on the best of British ingredients or mouth-watering canapés guaranteed to keep people talking, look no further. Highlights from the current menu include asparagus with hollandaise and crispy bacon and enoki mushroom summer rolls.

Visit TheLondonKitchen.com

The Hampstead Kitchen

This north London catering company provides event and party catering for special occasions. Previous clients are as diverse as its food, ranging from loyal locals in Hampstead to celebs, techies, politicians and even royalty. Menus are created from diverse cultures where food is an integral part and enjoyed best when shared together. Currently, menus are focused on Nordic, Scandinavian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Persian cuisines.

Visit TheHampsteadKitchen.co.uk

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