Stop Searching. Start Choosing.
Top5.nz

Best Event & Wedding Caterers in Tauranga

We assessed 24 event & wedding caterers in Tauranga 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 483 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 30 August 2026. How we rank →

lightbulb

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 Tauranga

The top 5 event & wedding caterers in Tauranga are #1 No Biggie Food, #2 Blank Canvas Catering, #3 Sicula, #4 Kex Catering, and #5 Lemongrass Catering, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you book.

  • 1

    No Biggie Food

    ↑ 3
    ★ 5.0 71 reviews Top5 Score 156
    5★ 71

    No Biggie Food coordinates wedding catering across formats including canapés, walk-and-fork, and family shared plates, with a pre-wedding tasting lunch that lets couples finalise their menu with confidence. Sarah leads planning and communication from first contact through to the day, while Jesse and the on-site team execute service so smoothly that couples report not having to think about catering once the reception starts.

    location_on 60C Aviation Avenue, Mount Maunganui

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 2

    Blank Canvas Catering

    ↑ 3
    ★ 5.0 69 reviews Top5 Score 155
    5★ 69

    Blank Canvas Catering runs wedding and event catering across formats including canapés, family-style dinner, walk-and-fork, and late-night snacks, with Kylie leading planning from first contact through to the day itself. A pre-wedding tasting evening lets couples try dishes, lock in their menu, and meet the team well before the reception, so nothing feels uncertain on the day.

    location_on 58 Te Puna Road, Te Puna

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 3

    Sicula- Italian Food

    ↑ 4
    ★ 4.8 69 reviews Top5 Score 152 +2
    5★ 64 4★ 1 3★ 1 1★ 3

    Sicula brings authentic Sicilian wood-fired pizza and street food including arancini and lasagna to outdoor events and markets, drawing repeat visitors and strong word of mouth. Owner Ivana, originally from southern Sicily, crafts dough and toppings that reviewers single out as the best Italian food they have eaten in New Zealand, including at large-scale field day events where the team handled high volume without a drop in quality.

    location_on 408 Cameron Road, Tauranga

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 4

    Kex Catering

    ↑ 2
    ★ 5.0 47 reviews Top5 Score 150
    5★ 47

    Kex Catering produces grazing tables, wedding cakes, and corporate event spreads that guests keep talking about long after the occasion. Amy and her team are noted for turning around quotes quickly, accommodating multiple dietary requirements without making affected guests feel like an afterthought, and arriving on time with food that looks as good as it tastes.

    location_on Unit 2/22 Hull Road, Mount Maunganui

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 5

    Lemongrass Catering Company Ltd

    ↑ 4
    ★ 4.9 47 reviews Top5 Score 149
    5★ 44 4★ 3

    Lemongrass Catering covers wedding receptions end to end, from cocktail hour canapés through family-style dinners and buffets, with a pre-wedding tasting session that lets couples lock in dishes before the day. Tammie and Belinda lead planning from first enquiry through to service, and guests at multiple weddings have sought out the couple afterwards to ask who catered.

    location_on 2/135 Matakokiri Drive, Tauriko, Tauranga

    map Map Is this your business?

Before you book an event and wedding caterer in Tauranga

Drawn from 642 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 run $60 to $100 per head, buffet catering sits between $80 and $130, plated or set-menu meals range from $120 to $250, and grazing tables or food trucks come in at $50 to $90 per person. Food trucks often add a minimum spend or a travel fee of $200 to $600 on top, so factor that in early. Per-head quotes from most caterers exclude staffing, equipment hire, crockery, glassware, corkage, cake cutting, and GST where the quote is ex-GST. Ask each caterer for a fully inclusive quote so you are comparing the same total cost, not just the food price.

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

Every caterer who cooks and serves food at events must operate under a registered Food Control Plan or National Programme as required by the Food Act 2014, registered either with their local council or the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). MPI maintains a public register of food businesses you can search by name to confirm a current registration before you pay a deposit. For alcohol service, the caterer needs an on-licence endorsed for catering, or you as the host must apply to your local District Licensing Committee for a special licence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, at least 20 working days before the event. The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Fair Trading Act 1986 also cover the booking contract itself, so any material misrepresentation about what is included gives you grounds to pursue a remedy.

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

A pre-booking tasting is the strongest signal of reliability: multiple reviews across several Tauranga caterers specifically credit the tasting session with helping couples lock in their menu with confidence and flag any changes before the price was fixed. Confirm the final headcount deadline in writing and check that the invoice reconciles to that confirmed number, since one set of reviews flagged portion shortfalls and food taken away rather than packaged as leftovers when the headcount arrangements were not clearly agreed. Ask how many staff will attend and who leads the team on the day, because reviews show that a named, experienced event manager on site is what keeps food arriving hot, at the right time, and in the right quantities.

What are the warning signs of a caterer you should not book? expand_more
  • –Dinner arriving more than 30 minutes late with no proactive update to the host, as noted in at least one wedding review where oven issues caused significant delays.
  • –Portions running short mid-service, with staff telling guests to limit themselves to one item at a buffet despite the agreed headcount being confirmed.
  • –Menu items swapped on the day without prior notice, even when the reason given later was quality control.
  • –No tasting offered before the menu and per-head price are locked, leaving you with no way to verify what you are actually buying.
  • –Slow or no replies once a deposit is paid, which several reviews identified as a red flag that operational standards may slip closer to the event.
  • –A final invoice carrying charges for staff, travel, or equipment that were never itemised in the original quote.
What should you ask before booking a caterer? expand_more
  • –What does the per-head price include and exclude: staff, crockery, glassware, travel, GST, corkage, and cake cutting?
  • –What are the minimum guest numbers, when is the final headcount due, and how is the invoice reconciled to that confirmed number?
  • –Is a tasting included, when does it happen, and what is the deadline for locking the menu and any dietary substitutions?
  • –How are dietary requirements and allergen requests handled, and is there a separate preparation area for high-risk allergens such as gluten?
  • –Does the caterer hold an on-licence endorsed for catering, or do you need to apply to the District Licensing Committee for a special licence?
  • –Who leads the team on the day, how many staff attend, and have they previously catered at your venue and worked with its kitchen layout and access?

Event & Wedding Caterers ranked 6 to 10 in Tauranga

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

  • 6

    Three Forks

    ↑ 4
    ★ 4.9 44 reviews Top5 Score 148
    5★ 42 3★ 2

    Three Forks brings complete mobile kitchen setups, bar staff, canapes, grazing tables, and banquet or buffet service to weddings across a wide range of venues including rural farms, hilltops, and backyard settings. Pre-wedding tastings let couples confirm their menu in advance, and Scott and Kerri are noted for keeping communication clear from first enquiry through to the day itself.

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 7

    Salvatore's woodfire pizzas Catering Company

    ★ 5.0 37 reviews Top5 Score 147
    5★ 37

    Salvatore's Woodfire Pizzas brings authentic wood-fired sourdough pizza, including Roman and Neapolitan crust options and half-and-half combinations, to events where guests want something memorable and informal. Bruno is noted for reading the crowd, recommending flavours based on individual preferences, and making every guest feel like a regular rather than a number.

    location_on 4 Johnston Place, Welcome Bay, Tauranga

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 8

    Taste & Talent

    ★ 4.9 41 reviews Top5 Score 147
    5★ 39 4★ 1 2★ 1

    Taste & Talent covers weddings end to end, including canapés, buffet and plated dinners, bar management, decor setup and pack-down, and glassware hire, so couples can source most of what they need from one team. Renee is noted across many weddings for responding quickly to high volumes of planning questions and staying hands-on through the day itself, from setting tables to calming nerves before the ceremony.

    location_on 96A Newton Street, Mount Maunganui

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 9

    Hidden Truffle Catering Ltd

    ★ 5.0 29 reviews Top5 Score 144
    5★ 29

    Hidden Truffle delivers wedding catering across grazing tables, canapés, family-style dinners, and buffets, operating entirely from a mobile truck so venue kitchen limitations are not a factor. Dan is noted across multiple weddings for accommodating last-minute menu additions, handling every dietary requirement without reducing quality, and stepping in at short notice when another caterer cancelled.

    location_on 31 Peter Burke Way, Pyes Pa, Tauranga

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 10

    The Big Smoke BBQ Co

    ★ 5.0 29 reviews Top5 Score 144
    5★ 29

    Big Smoke BBQ Co produces wedding and event catering anchored in smoked meats, grazing tables, and canapés, trekking to remote venues and stepping in at short notice when other caterers fall through. Pre-event tasting sessions, where couples bring family to sample the full menu, mean nothing about the food is left to chance before the day itself.

    location_on 466a Matapihi Road, Matapihi, Tauranga

    map Map Is this your business?

Related Tauranga rankings

celebration Wedding Venues festival Event Hire photo_camera Wedding Photographers All Tauranga rankings arrow_forward

About this ranking

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

We build this page from Google Maps results for event & wedding caterers in Tauranga. 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 Tauranga. 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 29. Check where you rank or read how rankings work.