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Best Event & Wedding Caterers in Christchurch

We assessed 36 event & wedding caterers in Christchurch and ranked the top 5 on their public review record: rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The 10 listed below hold 1,024 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 30 August 2026. How we rank →

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Before you hire

Every caterer must operate under a Food Control Plan or National Programme registered under the Food Act 2014, and the Ministry for Primary Industries public register lets you check a business by name before you book. Ask for a per-head price that states what it includes (staff, crockery, travel) and what it does not, and confirm whether the caterer holds an on-licence endorsed for catering or you need a special licence from the council for alcohol. There is no statutory cooling-off period for a booking, so get the final-numbers deadline and cancellation terms in writing.

Top 5 Event & Wedding Caterers in Christchurch

The top 5 event & wedding caterers in Christchurch are #1 Chef Astig, #2 Larcomb Vineyard, #3 Rollicious Vietnamese Streetfood & Catering, #4 Victoria Food Service, and #5 Country Feasts, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you book.

  • 1

    Chef Astig EuroAsian Cuisine

    ↑ 1
    ★ 4.8 261 reviews Top5 Score 168
    5★ 229 4★ 22 3★ 3 2★ 2 1★ 5

    Chef Astig coordinates catering for birthday parties, gender reveals, and office events with full Filipino spreads that guests consistently clear to the last serving. When something falls short, the team addresses it on the spot, including adjusting the menu to fit a client's budget before the event day.

    location_on 8/55 Epsom Road, 8/4 Obriens Road, Sockburn, Christchurch

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 2

    Larcomb Vineyard

    ↑ 1
    ★ 4.8 216 reviews Top5 Score 166
    5★ 181 4★ 25 3★ 6 1★ 4

    Larcomb Vineyard runs wedding ceremonies in the vines, cocktail hours on the lawn, and receptions in the barn as a single coordinated experience from first viewing through to the last dance. Planning support from Gabi and the team means couples arrive on the day with backup weather plans already in place, a customised menu worked out with Tom, and a dedicated on-the-day coordinator who handles anything that comes up without fuss.

    location_on 307 Larcombs Road, Rolleston

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 3

    Rollicious Vietnamese Streetfood & Catering

    ↑ 1
    ★ 4.8 144 reviews Top5 Score 161 +1
    5★ 133 4★ 7 1★ 4

    Rollicious brings its food truck to local markets, night markets, and outdoor events, serving banh mi and noodle salads that draw repeat visits within the same evening. Their pork banh mi and crispy noodle salad with grilled pork have been called out by event-goers as standout dishes, with fresh pickled vegetables and crusty bread that hold up well in a street setting.

    location_on 270 Saint Asaph Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 4

    Victoria Food Service Catering Co

    ↑ 1
    ★ 4.8 120 reviews Top5 Score 158 +1
    5★ 108 4★ 8 3★ 1 1★ 3

    Victoria Food Service coordinates catering for birthday parties, workplace functions, and large formal events, covering delivered spreads, grazing tables, and on-site bar and food service. Becks and the team field last-minute changes, shifting dates, and evolving dietary requirements without friction, and multiple clients note the food landed compliments from guests who knew their food.

    location_on 42 Leeds Street, Phillipstown, Christchurch

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 5

    Country Feasts

    ↑ 3
    ★ 4.9 54 reviews Top5 Score 150
    5★ 50 4★ 3 1★ 1

    Country Feasts delivers full wedding catering across canapés, buffet mains, grazing tables, and bar service, with multiple couples noting so much food remained they fed guests again the next day. Planning contacts like Kathy and Sarah are quick to respond and work through dietary requirements, menu customisation, and off-site logistics well before the event day.

    location_on 4 Freyberg Road, Burnham

    map Map Is this your business?

Before you book an event and wedding caterer in Christchurch

Drawn from 567 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.

What does event or wedding catering typically cost per head in New Zealand? expand_more

Canapé-only receptions sit at roughly $60 to $100 per head, while buffet catering runs $80 to $130 and plated sit-down meals range from $120 to $250 per head. Grazing tables and food truck options tend to come in lower at $50 to $90 per person, though food trucks often add a minimum spend or travel fee of $200 to $600 on top. Staff, equipment hire, and GST are frequently quoted separately from the food price, so always ask for a fully inclusive figure before comparing caterers. A base quote often excludes crockery, glassware, furniture hire, corkage or BYO fees, cake cutting, and GST where the quote is ex-GST.

How do I check that a caterer is registered under the Food Act, and who holds the licence for alcohol? expand_more

Under the Food Act 2014, every commercial caterer must operate under a registered Food Control Plan or National Programme, and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) maintains a public register of businesses operating under either, which you can search by business name before you pay a deposit. Some caterers register their plan with their local council rather than MPI directly, so if a search returns no result, ask the caterer for their registration number and verify it with the relevant council. For alcohol service at your event, the caterer needs an on-licence endorsed for catering, or you as the host must apply to the local District Licensing Committee for a special licence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, with applications lodged at least 20 working days before the event. Your booking contract is also covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act and the Fair Trading Act, so any verbal promises about menus, staffing levels, or inclusions should be confirmed in writing before you sign.

How do I know a caterer can deliver the agreed menu on the day? expand_more

Reviews that stand out positively mention a named team leader on the day, food arriving hot and at temperature, and portions that matched or exceeded the confirmed headcount, with one caterer even sending guests home with labelled leftovers after a 103-person wedding. Ask for a tasting before the menu and per-head price are locked, and confirm the final-headcount deadline so the invoice can be reconciled to actual numbers rather than an estimate made months earlier. Caterers who had worked a venue before, or who asked about kitchen access and setup logistics in advance, drew consistent praise for seamless service, while those unfamiliar with a site were more likely to cause delays that flowed through to food temperature and timing.

What are the warning signs of a caterer you should not book? expand_more
  • –Food arriving late or at the wrong temperature is a red flag, and one reviewer noted receiving lukewarm soup after a 20-minute wait and an incorrect order.
  • –Portions falling short of the confirmed headcount leaves guests hungry, and one group booking review described paying $50 per head for what the same venue sold to walk-ins for $27.
  • –Fewer floor staff than quoted causes service to stall, with reviewers at separate events having to request table clearing and fetch their own water.
  • –Dietary and allergen instructions being ignored mid-service, such as refrigerating a clearly labelled cake against written instructions, points to a breakdown in briefing between front and back of house.
  • –A manager who responds to complaints with defensiveness rather than problem-solving suggests the caterer will not make things right when something goes wrong on your event day.
  • –Slow or absent communication once a deposit is paid, including promised follow-up vouchers that never arrived months later, signals the level of responsiveness you can expect when you need changes closer to the event.
What should you ask before booking a caterer? expand_more
  • –Ask for a fully itemised quote that breaks out food per head, staff costs, travel or delivery fees, crockery and glassware, cake cutting, and GST so you can compare quotes like for like.
  • –Confirm the minimum guest numbers, the final-headcount deadline, and how the invoice is reconciled if numbers change close to the event.
  • –Ask whether a tasting is included, when the menu locks, and what happens if a specific dish or ingredient becomes unavailable before the day.
  • –Ask exactly how dietary and allergen requirements are recorded, communicated to kitchen staff, and identified on the day for guests who need them.
  • –Confirm whether the caterer holds an on-licence endorsed for catering or whether you as the host need to apply to the local District Licensing Committee for a special licence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.
  • –Ask who leads the team on the day, how many staff attend for your guest numbers, and whether they have catered at your venue before so they know the kitchen layout and access arrangements.
  • –Get the deposit amount, the payment schedule, and the full cancellation scale in writing before you sign anything.

Event & Wedding Caterers ranked 6 to 10 in Christchurch

They scored below the top 5 on the same public review record.

  • 6

    Verve Real Food Catering

    ↑ 3
    ★ 4.9 53 reviews Top5 Score 149
    5★ 51 4★ 1 1★ 1

    Verve Real Food Catering builds wedding menus around what couples actually want, including fully gluten-free spreads, custom desserts like South African Malva pudding, and requested recipes from the couple's own traditions. Nicky leads the planning process from the first conversation through to the day itself, working through buffet, plated, canapé, and grazing board formats so the format fits the event rather than the other way around.

    location_on 651 Pound Road, Yaldhurst, Christchurch

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 7

    Catering By Nikki

    ★ 4.7 55 reviews Top5 Score 147
    5★ 46 4★ 6 1★ 3

    Catering by Nikki delivers canapes, party spreads, and post-funeral gatherings to groups from small offices through to 200 guests, with food arriving on time and presented to a standard that draws unsolicited compliments from attendees. Their handling of dietary requirements across vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free options is a repeated point of praise, with each dietary order plated separately rather than as an afterthought.

    location_on 37 Moorhouse Avenue, Addington, Christchurch

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 8

    The Nourish Food Company

    ↑ 2
    ★ 4.9 42 reviews Top5 Score 146 +1
    5★ 40 3★ 1 1★ 1

    Nourish Food Company builds event spreads around grazing tables, big salads, warm mains, canapes, and celebration cakes, with dietary options across vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and keto covered without guests feeling like an afterthought. Keri handles events from intimate family gatherings through to weddings of 150, and guests at multiple events have kept talking about the food for days afterwards.

    location_on 3A Settlers Crescent, Ferrymead, Christchurch

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 9

    Crisp & Vale

    ★ 4.9 38 reviews Top5 Score 145
    5★ 36 4★ 1 1★ 1

    Crisp & Vale caters marquee weddings, private birthday lunches, and corporate functions, arriving with food, crockery, and serving staff, then clearing everything away at the end. Hannah led the planning on wedding bookings, working through dietary requirements and menu variety well before the day, and when one client accidentally booked the wrong date, the team arrived and had food on the table within fifteen minutes.

    location_on Crisp & Vale 105 Orbell Street, Sydenham, Christchurch

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 10

    Cater & Co.

    ★ 4.8 41 reviews Top5 Score 144
    5★ 37 4★ 2 1★ 2

    Cater & Co delivers canapes, morning teas, working lunches, and surprise wedding parties, with food arriving on time, labelled by dish, and presented to a standard that draws compliments from guests. Their team, including Simone, fields last-minute changes to numbers and requests without dropping the quality of what lands on the table.

    location_on 501 Tuam Street, Phillipstown, Christchurch

    map Map Is this your business?

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About this ranking

How are the top event & wedding caterers in Christchurch chosen? expand_more

We build this page from Google Maps results for event & wedding caterers in Christchurch. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out. See how we rank for the full method.

How often are rankings updated? expand_more

Every category and city is recrawled on a rolling cycle, about every two months. This page was last checked on 30 August 2026.

Can a business pay to appear in this list? expand_more

No. Top 5 and Also Recommended positions are merit-only and cannot be purchased. Verifying a business is free. A subscription adds a website link on the card, a public profile page, and competitor and ranking history in the owner's dashboard, none of which affects ranking position. See what a subscription includes.

Why isn't my business listed? expand_more

We build this page from Google Maps results for event & wedding caterers in Christchurch. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. At the last update, the smallest review count among the 10 businesses listed here was 38. Check where you rank or read how rankings work.