Carrie Dove Catering & Events

The team is very easy to work with from planning to execution the day of. Food was great. Presentation was very nice and the service was exceptional at the actual event. Highly recommend!

After a lot of research and meeting with several catering companies we chose carrie dove to cater for our wedding at san francisco city hall. They went above and beyond to make our day special and absolutely beautiful! Amanda was so helpful and a delight to work with! The food was spectacular. I would pay to have the food we had anytime! There is not one bad thing I can say about this company or its employees. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a caterer.
We also rented tables, linens, chairs, plates, glasses, silverwear, and everything else besides flowers, dj, cake, desserts, and lighting. Everything was beautiful! They also worked with us to find the items we wanted at a price that was within our budget. Everything they were in charge of at the wedding went perfectly!
I will post photos on Unilocal as san francisco city hall. check them out if you want to see what a beautiful job they did at the wedding!

I used Carrie Dove for my 60^th birthday party… and it was wonderful. Amanda was the best!!!
My guests are still talking about the wonderful food and how beautiful the room was. With candles the setting was cozy and warm. There are no words for how good the food was, from the mac and cheese to the peach cobbler… yummmmmm!
Everyone should use Carrie Dove for any event. The staff is great and Amanda can plan a party…

While I didn’t end up using Carrie Dove because they were out of my price range, I absolutely would have otherwise. I interacted with Adam via email and he was always quick to respond, helpful, and just incredibly nice and professional. When I realized they were out of my budget he didn’t make me feel like I had wasted his time at all and even recommended another caterer to me. If you can afford them, you’ll get amazing service!

I’ve worked with Carrie Dove Catering for a number of my company events. We recently worked with them on a 400 person event, and they did a GREAT job. We had a bit of tight budget for this one, but they were able to pull it off within budget, and perfectly. They helped us find a great venue, and took care of everything from start to finish — all the other vendors, floral, etc… Highly recommend them!

We had many compliments are our food and really enjoyed the day. My mother has breast cancer and can’t eat any soy products because of this. Other caterers had difficulty understanding this meant ANY soy, but Carrie Dove was very helpful and put it in the contract just to make sure I wouldn’t worry about it. They even made seitan for the first time so that my mother and the vegetarian guests could all enjoy the food. We had pulled pork sandwiches, bbq seitan ribs, the most amazing green beans, mac and cheese, and a great fresh salad with avocado, grilled corn, heirloom tomatoes, and mozzarella with apple cider vinegar. It was perfect for our southern themed wedding and very yummy. The passed appetizers were also amazing and plated beautifully. They were all easy to work with. One of them even spotted that our venue had forgotten to order napkins and intervened to make sure we had them! Would recommend them to anyone.

My wife and I used Carrie Dove for our wedding a few weeks ago and were EXTREMELY happy with how things worked out. We had a crowd of about 170 for our cocktail hour and reception and everyone talked about how fantastic the food was.
Here are the top reasons you should hire Carrie Dove for your next event (these are just the top, there are too many to list!)
–The Food: Above all else, you choose a caterer for the quality of the food — Carrie Dove’s food was amazing. Guest were raving about the dinner and literally swarmed the servers for some of the appetizers during the cocktail hour
–The Menu: Carrie Dove had so many terrific and unique selections. In choosing a caterer we saw so many of the boring standards– salmon, filet mignon, chicken — with Carrie Dove we got prime rib and herb crusted sea bass for our main course and some incredible appetizers. From the steak tartare to the seared ahi tuna skewers, it was all good. They had these create chicken and waffles skewers (with bacon maple syrup) that were such a hit people were waiting by the door of the kitchen for the next batch to come out
–The Service: We worked with Kit, who was a pleasure to work with. She was responsive, accessible and flexible, willing to adapt the plan to fit exactly what we wanted for the event
Going Above and Beyond: The staff was nice enough to let us store a bunch of stuff we needed for the wedding a couple days beforehand at their offices. They even delivered a ton of stuff too and helped coordinate everything with the rental company. They even coordinated having the same chairs we used at our ceremony packed up and transported to be used at the reception site, just so we could save some money
–The Value: For what we got, the price was pretty great. All-​in-​all, well worth it
If you have an event where you want a quality caterer with amazing food, great menu choices, top customer service and a solid value, choose Carrie Dove

I can’t recommend them enough.
Food — YUM! I was concerned that the tasting (cooking for 2) and the wedding (cooking for 100) would be different, but the food was amazing every time. Everyone kept complimenting the food throughout the night.
Logistics — Kit and her team showed up to our Sunday evening wedding and made sure everything went smoothly. I was one happy bride. Everyone that had food restrictions were taken care of with no mistakes. Kit was super communicative and responsive to all my last minute requests and questions.
We had such an amazing time at the wedding. Carrie Dove comes HIGHLY recommended in our book.

Adam, Amanda and the team recently did my daughters Bat Mitzvah luncheon and knocked it out of the park. Every detail from planning, service to execution was flawless, the food was excellent all on a reasonable budget.
Amazing customer service and boy did they deliver on their promises and soooo much more. Exceeded expectations!
Can’t say enough good about them! Thanks so much Carrie Dove!

Kit and her team were amazing!!! We had our wedding in San Francisco in a venue that only provided the tables and chairs. They took care of everything else! Kit was very calming when we had people drop out at the last minute and I started to panic.
My husband is vegan and they were able to give us so many delicious vegan options for dinner that we had had trouble choosing. They were very accommodating to our dietary needs and it was very reassuring. We had looked at other caterers and their food was boring and one-​dimensional (everything tasted like sesame oil), but Carrie Dove gave us so many options! The vegan ravioli was a hit!

We used CDC for our November 2014 wedding at the Brazilian Room.
Several people I know had used and recommended Carrie Dove, which to me just speaks to their amazingness.
They were so easy to work with throughout the whole planning period and the wedding day went off without a hitch.
The food was fantastic [I had several guests comment it was the best wedding food they have ever had] and the service was fantastic [my dad was most impressed that they never let his wine glass go empty :) ]
At the Brazilian Room, pre-​approved caterers handle all set up and take down. I was a little worried about needing to explain how I wanted all extra décor details to be set up – but as soon as I walked in to the venue it was very clear I was working with pros. They set up everything and the room looks spectacular. It was clear they knew exactly what they were doing and didn’t need me telling them every little detail to carry out exactly the look and décor set up I wanted.
They let us drop off all wine and décor a week before the event and held onto it until we were back in town after our honeymoon. I have to say, it was such a blessing to not have to worry, or make our friends and family worry about set-​up or take down. It meant everyone got to relax and fully enjoy the day while Carrie Dove handled it all.

I had the privilege of working with Carrie Dove Catering this past July. I’ve worked with hundreds of caterers and I have to say Carrie Dove is officially my favorite catering company in the Bay Area. The food and staff are amazing! They provide excellent hospitality and I can’t wait to work with them again.

We used Carrie Dove for our October 2014 wedding in the Presidio. Because we were planning our San Francisco wedding from Europe, much of our communication was through email and both Amanda and Adam were prompt and professional. Adam easily answered all of our questions/​concerns, gave us tons of options for what we could do for our cocktail hour and reception, and was conscious of our budget.
We met Adam for our tasting in Emeryville, where we tried a couple of appetizers, a salad, and three entrees of our choice. When we first started this process, we were a little skeptical of «wedding food» but knew that we HAD to have amazing food at our wedding. Adam and Amanda definitely eased our worries and our wedding could not have been more perfect! Most of the dishes we tried, we ended up having at the wedding and they were absolutely as good the day of the wedding as they were during the tasting (if not better)! We also had some a handful of requests for items that weren’t on the original options that Adam suggested.
— We wanted dumplings from a specific restaurant in San Francisco and they had no problem cooking and serving them.
— We really wanted Beef Wellington as an entrée choice and they were more than happy to accommodate. It turned out beautifully (which it easily could have gone the other way, as it isn’t an «easy» dish to make, especially in large quantities)!
— We also wanted an oyster bar and a cheese table (both with very specific oysters and cheeses) and Adam and Amanda made it happen! The oyster bar was perfect. The guy shucking the oysters knew his stuff and was super friendly. They also made Oysters Rockefeller, in addition to having the raw oysters. Even our photographer said she has never seen such a great oyster bar at any of the hundreds of events she has done!
— For our late-​night snack, we wanted In-​N-​Out Burgers and Amanda and her team took care of the whole process!
I must have exchanged hundreds of emails with Amanda and she was ALWAYS prompt in responding, helpful with her answers/​suggestions, and accommodating with any changes. We met with Amanda and her assistant Victoria at the reception venue a month before the wedding to make sure we were all on the same page. She brought the China, linens, glassware, silverware, etc. that we wanted to see so we wouldn’t have to make an extra trip to their office in Emeryville and so we could see them in the actual venue.
Another bonus was that we were able to buy our own alcohol, which was significantly cheaper than us having to pay per person/​per drink. Carrie Dove provided all of the mixers/​non-​alcoholic drinks. We were able to have the alcohol delivered to their Emeryville office and dropped off all of the other stuff (escort cards, menu cards, champagne flutes, cake knives, etc) the week of the wedding so we didn’t have to worry about it getting to the venue.
Two weeks before the wedding, we had an issue with another vendor that ultimately ended up with us needing Carrie Dove’s team to arrive a few hours earlier to set up and us renting the chairs/​tables from the venue rather than through Carrie Dove. Amanda was quick to respond with solutions to the problem and flexible with all of our changes. The changes were always seamless and we really appreciated that Amanda was so calm and did not add to our stress. I can’t give Amanda enough compliments for all of the hard work she put into our wedding!!!
The day of the wedding, everything went smoothly. Everything in the venue looked absolutely amazing and the food blew us away (both in taste, presentation and portion size)!! We got countless compliments from our guests that it was an amazing meal. Amanda had every little detail covered, whether it was the table settings, escort cards, cake stand or the great servers/​chefs/​bartenders. When we completely underestimated the vodka-​drinking-​abilities of our guests, Amanda even sent someone to go buy more vodka half an hour into our cocktail reception!
We could not have asked for more from Carrie Dove and they were a HUGE part of why our wedding turned out exactly how we had hoped it would. They definitely went above and beyond our expectations!!! I would not hesitate for a second to recommend Carrie Dove for any of your catering needs!!!

Carrie Dove is amazing, and so is Julie Myers, our outstanding Carrie Dove coordinator. Stop your search for a caterer now because Carrie Dove is all you need!
When we were looking for a caterer for our brunch wedding, we wanted excellent food (of course!) but also a company who would use their vast experience as party planners to help make our wedding unforgettable. Carrie Dove came through in EVERY way. The initial tasting was sublime. I couldn’t stop thinking about the food in the six intervening months – it was that good! And it was just as good on the Day Of! Our coordinator, Julie listened carefully, and used her experience and vast knowledge to help make our vision into a reality – without breaking the bank. The day of our wedding went off without a hitch. Julie (and all the Carrie Dove staff) seemed to be everywhere at once, helping things run smoothly.
We are so grateful to Carrie Dove for making our big day so wonderful. Our guests are still talking about the food, and we will always remember the friendly, professional service that made the day relaxing and fun. It doesn’t get any better than Carrie Dove!

The Carrie Dove crew and Amanda just catered our wedding. They did an amazing job. We talked with a handful of caterers, and the others’ responses were always «sure, but that’s extra». Amanda was always saying yes, no problem, and we factored that in. We were probably one of their «most affordable» weddings they do, but they followed up on every detail, got back to us within a day, and never gave us any pressure to upgrade. The knowledge of our venue was impressive and got down to the level of where the power outlets were when we started talking about having a band outside.
The food turned out great, and we got many compliments on how good the food was. I would not hesitate to talk with Carrie Dove.

My wife and I were very happy with Carrie Dove. Here are the highlights:
*Really easy to work with. We were pretty hands on with the menu, and they were very accommodating of our idiosyncratic requests. We also worked with other vendors, and Carrie Dove willingly coordinated with them. No pressure, no hassle. Really easy.
*Professional. I spoke to a few caterers by phone who didn’t seem quite earnest enough for the occasion. I appreciate the food industry’s edginess when I go out for a dinner in a trendy restaurant, bar, etc. But when you’re trying to plan a meal for 100 people you need someone who is earnest and reliable. Carrie Dove understood that.
*Just the right amount of trendy. No cliches being lobbed around (*farm-​to-​table” was not said), but at the same time the menu was seasonal, local, fresh, etc.
*Guests were very happy. Several guests approached me to tell me the food was great. Seemed genuinely happy. My wife and I were happy, too. Meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes were all very popular.
*Gratuity included. When they quote you a price, the gratuity is included. And even with the gratuity, Carrie Dove was much more reasonably priced than others we looked at, with no noticeable difference in quality. Not every caterer does that, so pay attention if you’re shopping around.
*Free tastings. This is a small point, but it set a good tone: no tasting fees. We went twice, and were offered more, to get the menu right.
We also had one other experience with Carrie Dove, at a friend’s wedding. Carrie Dove did a great job there, too.
I’d sum Carrie Dove up as a no-​gimmicks, reliable, professional, flexible, reasonably priced, etc. caterer that makes really good food.
Incidentally, for those planning a wedding in San Francisco: look in to Oakland vendors. They tend to be less expensive, and every bit as good (if not better).

Your guests will effuse with compliments on the food at your wedding, along with the stellar service that Carrie Dove provides.
I was never worried about anything that Carrie Dove was going to take care of. They truly went above and beyond for us. They picked up our wedding cakes the day before, free of charge and without any fuss or feeling that they were put out by it. Our signature cocktails were replicated to the recipe and even had the correct garnishes — all we had to provide was the hard alcohol.
A special note about Julie who was our point of contact. She ran the show so professionally and we couldn’t have been more pleased. Julie set up our dessert table, and even looked on my Pinterest board to see my style to replicate it.
Thank you Julie, Kit, and all of Carrie Dove!

My husband Emilio and I were married in August 2013, but were unable to have any family with us since all of our family live out of state or internationally. Therefore, we decided to plan a vow renewal for this coming May since many family members plan to be in the Bay Area anyway for Emilio’s grad school graduation. We new it would be a complicated and expensive process of booking venues, caterers, music, flowers, etc… Nevertheless, we saved up money and were prepared to tap into our savings if need be, but were adamant we could pull this off on our own accord.
In beginning our process, with respect to caterers, we soon learned that many caterers prefer that we submit an «event proposal» form or email to initiate contact, and Carrie Dove was no different. Given our absolute zero experience with hosting any large-​scale event (holiday meals at our home aside), a proposal without even meeting or talking to a human being about what was realistic in terms of cost and amenities seemed awfully premature, but we went along and shot out our blind «proposal» to various catering companies. Not surprisingly, many came back with their realistic counter proposals, which each came out to be more than three times our «proposed» budget, which was sobering, but fine (just meant we would have to tap into the savings more than anticipated).
However, none of the companies we reached out to handled themselves nearly as unprofessionally as Carrie Dove and their representative, Victoria. Here is a verbatim quote from the email response she sent my Husband:
«We would love to help, but unfortunately, I’m sure that we won’t be able to meet your budget requirements of $ —— for a —- person wedding. Events similar to yours usually start in the range of about $ 90/​person, and go up from there.»
«We’re definitely not one of the most inexpensive caterers around, so I’m sure that you will be able to find someone that can meet your budget requirements and put on a nice event.»
Although we were able to contract a lovely catering service (Schumann’s Four Seasons Catering out of Mountain View) whom has been eager and willing to educate us on catering a large-​scale event — and I am sure Carrie Dove throws a decent event –their business practice is unprofessional and frankly, offensive. I am sure Victoria is a busy woman, but instead of taking the time to educate two uninformed potential clients, she chose to rudely and presumptuously assume we couldn’t afford her services and so therefore were not worth her time. We ultimately may not have brought Victoria the commission of her dreams, but I can assure Ms. Victoria that we were more than capable of affording her services, but we are more than happy we took our business elsewhere.

It’s so rare that anyone writes good reviews so it’s very nice to be able to write a glowing one.
Carrie Dove catered an event at the venue I manage the evening of Nov. 23^rd. I’m pleased to say they were efficient, courteous, and highly professional. Seeing as I was not attending as a guest I can’t speak to the food except to say that it looked wonderful and smelled great.
I rarely review vendors that come through here but I was impressed with Carrie Dove, I’d highly recommend them.

We did not go with them for our wedding, but I am still a fan and would recommend them to others for special events.
Adam handled all of our email correspondence, and he was extremely patient and helpful. Kit met us at their facility in Emeryville for the actual tasting. Everything was brought out by the actual chef and was delicious and beautifully presented.
I’m not kidding when I say it was a tough decision. Engaged folk, give them a call!