Small Thyme Catering

We are glad we found Barbara and Small Thyme for our wedding. We got married on July 25^th, 2015. They were flexible in working with our tastes and preferences, and the food was very good. Our guests all said they enjoyed it, and there was enough food for people to have seconds. Thank you, Barbara!

Small Thyme catered our wedding, and they were amazing! We have celiac disease, and are unable to have even a tiny amount of cross-​contamination with gluten, but Small Thyme was able to use their allergen-​free kitchen to accommodate us with a meal that was delicious AND safe! Barbara, the owner, was super responsive to questions and concerns, and on the day of the wedding, they were right on time, organized, and professional. We really relied on them to run the entire show, and they did a great job! We’d absolutely recommend Small Thyme!!!

Sad to have to give one star because the food was great, servers were awesome but the owner of the company majorly dropped the ball for my wedding and tried to say I was scattered. I told her many times via phone, in person, and Email that it’s a dry wedding i.e. NO booze as I’m sober so we’re 99% of our guests… She doesn’t pay attention to details, at the tasting we requested her beverage bar, I even sent her a screen shot from her fb page of the beverage bar I wanted. She’d respond with «you have to buy the booze and hire a bartender» wow really how many times did I say we wanted water and lemonade (which she suggested at the tasting), she also leaves after the ceremony and leaves her staff holding the bag. She didn’t have a plate of food in the room where I got ready for my husband and I to snack on after the ceremony which I had to remind her to do a lot too,. She didn’t introduce my point person to hers so I would be left alone to enjoy, nope I had to keep asking her staff when we were eating etc… She told me to fill out a time sheet so she can let us know when we were doing what. I heard that when a friend of mine asked about drinks at the wedding Barbra said someone was delivering the lemonade. I come down after pics see the empty beverage table and was embarrassed and angry, a few of my guests went and bought drinks for us!!! Barbara later said I didn’t order lemonade because I was trying to save $$$ really??? We spent close to $ 5000 for food, we aren’t about to try and save $ 100 (which we spent $ 150 on drinks btw) … What a joke… BEWARE

I am very disappointed to have to rate them so low, I used them a week ago for my wedding, I spent months communicating with Barbara Perry the owner, having to repeat myself many times on a few things, she is nice but very scattered,. I even emailed her certain things such as the beverage bar I wanted, even sending a screen shot of one from a wedding she did. I had to remind her a lot that it was a dry wedding. At the tasting my finance and I told her we wanted water and iced tea like a large self serve ‚. She said «no no we make an amazing lemonade with strawberries from our garden, so we said great lets do that!
After having to remind her multiple times that we were doing the beverage bar, day of my wedding after the ceremony I come down to the reception to NO beverages! I was horrified, my husband caught this before I did and sent a few friends to go get sodas etc for everyone. I was livid, I go to try and find Barbara and her staff tells me she’s gone! What the hell? I can’t believe she wouldn’t stick around to trouble shoot or make sure all is well before running off?!
Also she told me she’d have a plate of food for me in the room where I was getting ready for after the ceremony, well that wasn’t there either,. Also asked me to fill out a time sheet and pick a point person to talk to hers, that didn’t happen either! I was asking the staff when we were eating, when do we cut the cake, ect. My friend called her and she tried to put it on me, saying I must be scattered. Really? I’ve been planning for months I wouldn’t forget such a huge detail like beverages!
She also emailed me back in response saying there was a miscommunication, umm no there wasn’t she dropped the ball and won’t own it. She also told me she didn’t put it in the invoice, I should have caught that, that hey don’t comp beverages, !!! Said I was trying to save $ by leaving drinks out? Ridiculous! We spent $ 150 on sodas etc ourselves as if after spending $ 5000 on food we’d try to save $ 100 on lemonade?
Positives: food was great her chef is good,
Her staff was awesome and attentive. Too bad she’s a scatterbrain, and doesn’t listen.

The wedding was at our home. Being the MOG I was out of the loop a bit, but I must say, turning over my kitchen to this lovely group was a pleasure. Great food. Perfect service. I never felt the need to assist… I just enjoyed my son’s wedding. As it should be!
Babrara and her crew were organized and flawless in their presentation and the food was delicious. Highly recommend.

Stop looking for a caterer — hire Barbara and the crew at Small Thyme asap. The food is wonderful, the service is excellent, and they deliver above and beyond expectations. Barbara was a dream to work with when planning my wedding and I could not recommend her any higher.

We recently had Small Thyme Catering do a birthday party for my husband at our home and they did a wonderful job. I was impressed with the great follow through and suggestions from Barbara. She was professional with a fun side to her. I changed the menu a couple of times and Barbara had a «no problem» attitude. The day of the event her team arrived and they were absolutely fantastic. They didn’t miss a beat. Lee the chef and the team put on a truly delicious, outstanding dinner. I would hire them again in a minute for another event.

I knew Small Thyme Catering was the perfect choice for our wedding as soon as we had the tasting. I was unimpressed with a couple previous tastings, so it was such a relief to find Small Thyme. The food was fresh, vibrant and tasty. Leading up to the wedding Barbara was very responsive to all my emails and inquiries. She went above and beyond to accommodate our requests and paid attention to all the small details. On the day of the wedding, Barbara and her staff did a fantastic job. The buffet was beautifully decorated, the servers and bartenders were friendly, and they even helped set out the center pieces and move chairs. Larry is a stellar chef. The highlights were his prime rib, tender and flavorful, and he made the most amazing vegetable torts (his wife makes her own puff pastry)! Everything tasted fresh and all the dishes were balanced and delicious. I highly recommend Small Thyme. They choose to do one wedding per weekend, so they really go all out and give their undivided attention. Thank you so much Barbara and Larry, fantastic job!!!

I wrote to Barbara and inquired on a baby shower for 30 people. I saw some great photographs, especially of a lovely looking fruit tray. I asked if cost could be kept under $ 500. Barbara quickly responded that due to their labor costs they don’t serve for under $ 1,000, which was fine, because it turns out $ 33/​head is too little for the type of food we’d like to have. Additionally, instead of asking if we could talk a little more about what I had in mind, she quickly shuffled me off and said I should contact Sunrise Catering Company in Walnut Creek.
I am displeased with the customer service and how quickly I was dismissed. My circle and I will be sure to find a caterer who doesn’t mind taking the time to discuss what I have in mind. Barbara’s reaction and curtness was an authentic display of a lack of salesmanship and a lack of care for the customer. I wasn’t sure what the costs of catering entail, but I know what I want, and for 30 people, the cost would have probably come to a little over $ 75/​head.
Barbara never even gave me the chance to explore the possibilities with her, she simply dismissed me and my group.

Thank you to Barbara and Larry for making our wedding day food fantastic! We had a backyard wedding with 200 people, and we wanted someone who could cook fresh, homestyle food with an emphasis on vegetarian options. I found Small Thyme online so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when we showed up for our tasting they were instantly personal and fun and made us laugh, smile and relax! It was very clear that they know what they’re doing with wedding catering, and I didn’t worry once about their competency after that first meeting. They also managed to be reasonably priced and have a down-​home attitude in an industry plagued by theatrics and inflated costs.
They were great in following up with a site visit and consistently responded promptly to e-​mail questions. I never worried with them, and on the day of I was proven right — everything went off without a hitch with no hand-​holding on our end. The food was fresh, beautiful, and delicious — everyone loved the appetizers (caprese skewers, bell pepper and mango crostinis, mushroom crostinis, and tandoori shrimp skewers), and especially commented on the vegetable tart entrée (which were incredible at the tasting as well and one of the main reasons we chose small thyme). Our buffet looked amazing and the service was impeccable — their staff is so friendly! I second the review by Bradley below — if you’re looking for a great wedding caterer, give them a call!

Barbara and the rest of the Small Thyme crew are fantastic. We hired them for our wedding after meeting many caterers. They were by far the most warm, easy going and professional people we talked to. Barbara was very adaptable to the unique needs of our wedding and did not try to pressure us at any point. She was also full of advice throughout the planning process and really knew how to work our venue. The chefs are talented and the wait staff was friendly and on point. The big day went off without a hitch, but we knew well ahead of time that we wouldn’t have to worry one bit about our caterer. Do yourself a favor and give Barbara a call.

I first contacted Barbara in march, from the moment I spoke with her I knew she would be my wedding caterer! She was straight forward and funny! The tasting went really well, I loved everything. We signed the contract right away! I must have changed the menu three time, she never even winced. Then came my big day. Everything was so professionally executed! The bar they maned was flawless, everyone loved him! The passed appetizers were as delish as I remember them months ago!
Now on to the buffet. It was beautifully decorated to match my wedding. The food was so neatly displayed. The salad was amazing… the rolls yummy. What I really want to highlight, the scallops and prime rib. Absolutely out of this world! So very good. They even made a plate for my lactose intolerant husband! I just can not sing their praises enough. If your in the market for an amazing team with great food, look no further!

We used Small Thyme for our wedding in July and have nothing but rave reviews. Barbara, Daneen, Chef Larry, and all their staff are absolutely amazing. The food was so good — better than the other caterers we had tastings with. And, best of all, Small Thyme quoted us a much lower quote than all the other companies. We had prime rib, chicken piccata, and many yummy appetizers — all the guests loved the food. Would definitely recommend!

Small Thyme did an amazing job catering our June 30^th wedding at the Gardens at Heather Farm!
Prior to the wedding, all communication was professional and prompt. Barbara is very knowledgeable, friendly, and flexible. She worked hard to tailor our menu to fit our budget. She also referred our linen rental and day of coordinator.
We went with rosemary chicken, tri tip, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, napa salad, and fresh rolls. Everything was fresh, cooked well, flavorful, and served hot. The strawberry lemonade was a hit! The presentation was beautiful with mason jars and flowers. They used beautiful gold china for the bride and groom. The bartender we hired through small thyme was quick. We never saw a long line for the bar. He opened bottles as they were needed which was great because we were able to pass some out to the amazing staff/​servers and keep the rest.
I was most pleased with the excellent service. Small thyme staff was top notch! A server brought us ice water during our pictures (it was 103 so this was huge) and brought us appetizers before our grand entrance. They made sure we ate during our reception and checked on guests regularly. I am sooooooo happy we decided to book small thyme!!!

We came across Small Thyme (no longer located in Piedmont by the way, but in Richmond) as we were searching for a caterer who could feed our highly vegan and vegetarian crowd interspersed with some meat-​loving foodies for our September wedding. Small Thyme knocked it out the park! From our first contact with them, they were prompt in replying to our calls, emails and set-​up a tasting which did not happen with 4 of the other companies we reached out to. Once my husband and I tasted their food, we were SOLD. Fan-​freaking-​tastic. Not to mention the service of the staff, the bartenders, the helping our event coordinator with set-​up and everything from beginning to end. All through cocktail hour our guests were saying this was the BEST vegan food they had ever had.
Small Thyme is really BIG TIME in our opinion, so I suggest you give them a call if you are looking for delicious food, great service, and great staff at an affordable price… by the way, they cook meat and fish too – we just didn’t serve it at our wedding. We are planning on using them in the future for any events we may have.

Need a caterer? DON’t GO ANYWHERE ELSE! Small Thyme is the best! They went over the top to make our day wonderful! And I did not have to worry about a single thing! From the moment I met with them, I was confident that they were the ones for us. AND WE WERE RIGHT! Their entire staff was amazing. They were friendly, always made sure our glasses were filled, they made sure the groom and I had plenty to eat and were on point the entire night. And the food was DELICIOUS! Having such amazing people at your event really makes a difference. And Small Thyme’s presence did just that, it made a big difference. And we love them for that!

Thank you Small Thyme! I was planning a party for 70 people and every caterer I talked to was too stuffy and expensive. Boo! Barbara calmed me down and on VERY short notice, helped me put together a great menu that came in 30% UNDER budget. Whoohoo!
My guests loved the food and I will definitely be using Small Thyme again.

Love, love, love Small Thyme! We looked at a few different companies to do the catering for our wedding but none really met our price range or expectations as well as Small Thyme did.
They were fabulous on the day of as well, handled all the issues of the day as well. Not as well as our guests who treated our buffet like it was all you can eat when hello it was cocktail hour time but they had back up pasta salad to solve that problem :)
Barbara the co-​owner is fabulous to work with, very accommodating and sweet.
Last but not least their food is amazing! A great mix of different flavors and not the typical standards of most caterers. Personal faves: the pesto/​cheese phyllo wraps, lamb lollipops and napa salad.

Small Thyme catered my wedding this last April and I got compliments all night long!
My now husband and I are both vegetarians and wanted to have a completely vegetarian wedding but finding a caterer that had enough vegetarian options to pull together a full menu including appetizers was difficult. We made a Saturday late morning appointment with Small Thyme to taste their food. When we arrived Barbara was there to greet us with cheese and chocolate fondues, breads, strawberries, cheese platters, amazing cheesy polenta, two types of pasta, focaccia… I can’t even remember it all but we were stuffed and they sent us home with food. We hired them on the spot, loving the food and the people. Everyone loved loved loved the food that night, they were talking about it for days.
The only sad part was that we had lots of leftovers after the dinner and they took it all with them when they left.
We also wound up getting our linens through them and after dropping off a swatch of our fabric for the décor, Barbara found a napkin that matched perfectly, I mean perfectly, for us.
The only sad part was that when they left after dinner and cake, they took the table cloths with them so we were left with brown wood tables and an event still going on, but had I thought ahead at coordinating that, I’m sure I could have either worked something out or simply gotten the table cloths through the venue.
The staff were fantastic. They were friendly, they were flexible, they were hard working. They were on top of it all night long. I couldn’t thank their staff enough! I had cakes as my center pieces and when they were removed from the tables I had flowers with candles in the back to take their place and they took care of all of it for me.
They went above and beyond what I expected from our caterer leaving me feeling like I got a steal even with the couple of minor things I mentioned, both being things I simply recommend you coordinate before your event.
Thank you Small Thyme Catering!

Lots of people have been reviewing Small Thyme for its prowess as a restaurant, but what this place needs is a review of its catering service – and that’s what I’m gonna do!
When we made an appointment to try their food, they treated us like royalty. We wanted catered service for our themed wedding, and we had some recipes for Egyptian food that we sent to them beforehand. They did a masterful job with the preparation of these dishes, and we were impressed enough to choose them for the job.
When the wedding came, they were very professional and everything ran smoothly. Their servers were wonderful and were definitely one element of a very involved wedding that was not something to worry about. They did arrive quite significantly late and this caused some worry for us at the start, although going across the Bay Bridge can of course be very trying with all of that traffic. Everything was well in the end, but a phone call would have been nice though.
The food tasted really great, although I did notice that the chicken dish was rather dry. Everything was well-​prepared, however, and this is only a minor criticism.
Overall, I would recommend Small Thyme for their catering service. They are versatile, flexible, talented, and are capable of putting on one heck of a spread. They definitely know how to get the job done, and done well, in style.