Finding the best caterers in Tauranga starts with matching the food style to the occasion, whether that is a wedding on a Bay of Plenty orchard, a working lunch in the city or a gala dinner for hundreds. Caterers in Tauranga cover everything from office morning teas and grazing platters to canapés, shared family-style feasts and full-service wedding menus, with kitchens in Tauriko, Mount Maunganui and the city centre. Lemongrass Catering and Food Gurus are two of the names below with a long record of event and wedding work across the region.
1Lemongrass Catering
Lemongrass Catering has been cooking for weddings, corporate clients and private events across the Bay of Plenty since 2008, working from a large commercial kitchen in Tauriko. Its online ordering system suits businesses that need breakfasts, morning teas and working lunches delivered the next day, while the events team designs bespoke menus for weddings from backyard celebrations to formal venues.
Services
- Corporate catering: breakfasts, morning and afternoon teas, working lunches and conference catering
- Wedding catering: buffets, family-style dining, canapés and walk-and-fork menus
- Event catering for birthdays, milestones and private celebrations
- Sports team and film crew catering
- Platters, salads, picnic boxes and memorial or funeral catering
Highlights
- Catering in the Bay of Plenty since 2008
- Online ordering with next-day delivery for orders placed by 6pm
- Dietary meals individually packaged and clearly labelled
- Corporate credit accounts available for paying on invoice
Location & Contact
Name: Lemongrass Catering
Address: 2/135 Matakokiri Drive, Tauriko, Tauranga 3110
Phone: 07 544 5335
Website: lemongrasscatering.co.nz
2Food Gurus Contemporary Catering Company
Food Gurus is a Tauranga-based event catering company owned and operated by chef Evan Lattié and Jaryl Lattié, founded in 2007. It specialises in wedding, corporate and sports event catering for groups of five to 500 guests, with menus designed around the client, the venue and the budget, and travels to events across the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Coromandel.
Services
- Wedding catering
- Corporate event catering
- Sports event catering
- Special occasion catering for christenings, birthdays and funerals
- Special dietary menus including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free
Highlights
- Established in 2007
- Preferred caterer to Charlemagne Lodge for 12 years
- Caterer to the AIMS Games in Tauranga since 2006
- Solar-powered kitchen and fully electric delivery vehicles
- Full service including equipment and uniformed, trained staff
Location & Contact
Name: Food Gurus Contemporary Catering Company
Address: Tauranga
Phone: 0800 023 463
Website: foodgurus.co.nz
3No Biggie Food
No Biggie Food is a Mount Maunganui wedding and event caterer run by chef Jesse and Sarah, who build seasonal menus around produce from Bay of Plenty farmers and small food artisans. Its menus run from canapés and grazing tables to shared family-style dining, suiting couples and hosts who want the food to reflect the season and the character of the event.
Services
- Canapés
- Walk-and-fork menus
- Grazing tables
- Shared family-style dining and desserts
- Private chef services
Highlights
- Caters weddings and events across the North Island
- Menus built around seasonal produce from local farmers and artisans
- Head chef trained in Dunedin and cooked professionally in Sydney and Spain
Location & Contact
Name: No Biggie Food
Address: 3/60 Aviation Avenue, Mount Maunganui 3116
Phone: 020 4120 1329
Website: nobiggiefood.com
4Bay Catering
Bay Catering is the catering arm of Bay Venues, operating from Truman Lane in Mount Maunganui and serving events at Bay Venues facilities as well as out catering across the Western Bay of Plenty. Led by executive chef Anthony Lawler, it handles everything from a team meeting for ten to a gala dinner for 1500, with a full beverage service alongside tailored menus.
Services
- Corporate event catering
- Wedding catering
- Private event catering
- Full beverage service
Highlights
- Exclusive caterer for Mercury Baypark
- Capacity for gala dinners of up to 1500 guests
- Menus tailored to cultural and themed occasions
Location & Contact
Name: Bay Catering
Address: 81 Truman Lane, Mount Maunganui
Phone: 07 577 8560
Website: baycatering.co.nz
5Oscar & Otto
Oscar & Otto is a cafe and function venue on The Strand in central Tauranga with more than 20 years of catering experience in the city. Its catering menu extends what the kitchen serves in-house, covering corporate morning teas, lunches and after-five nibbles, while its sister company Hereford Kitchen handles offsite weddings, parties and funerals.
Services
- Morning and afternoon teas
- Board meeting and working lunches
- After-five nibbles and breakfasts
- Offsite wedding and party catering through Hereford Kitchen
Highlights
- More than 20 years of catering in Tauranga
- Dishes made from scratch using fresh produce suppliers
- Adjoining Oscar function venue for in-house events
Location & Contact
Name: Oscar & Otto
Address: 51 The Strand, Tauranga 3110
Phone: 07 282 7879
Website: oscarandotto.co.nz
Caterers in Tauranga at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Lemongrass Catering | Catering in the Bay of Plenty since 2008 |
| Food Gurus Contemporary Catering Company | Established in 2007 |
| No Biggie Food | Caters weddings and events across the North Island |
| Bay Catering | Exclusive caterer for Mercury Baypark |
| Oscar & Otto | More than 20 years of catering in Tauranga |
How to Choose the Right Caterer in Tauranga
- Service style: decide early between canapés, buffet, shared family-style or plated service, as not every caterer offers all of them.
- Venue facilities: if your venue has no commercial kitchen, confirm the caterer can cook and serve on site at a farm, orchard or beach location.
- Guest numbers: check the caterer regularly works at your scale, from a boardroom lunch for ten to a wedding of several hundred.
- Dietary needs: ask how vegan, gluten-free and allergy meals are prepared, packaged and labelled.
- Staff and extras: find out whether waiting staff, bar service, crockery and equipment are included in the quote or hired separately.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tauranga Caterers
How far ahead should I book a caterer in Tauranga?
For weddings, book as soon as your date and venue are confirmed, as spring and summer Saturdays fill quickly. Corporate catering is often available at short notice, with some Tauranga caterers offering next-day delivery on orders placed the previous evening.
How much does wedding catering cost in Tauranga?
Pricing depends on guest numbers, service style, staffing and the number of courses. Most caterers quote per event after discussing your menu, so ask for an itemised quote that shows food, staff, equipment hire and travel separately.
Can a caterer work at a venue with no kitchen?
Yes. Many caterers bring their own equipment and cook on site, and some specialise in backyard, farm and orchard weddings around the Bay of Plenty. Confirm power, water and vehicle access with both the caterer and the venue beforehand.
Is there a caterer near Mount Maunganui or Tauriko?
Yes. Several caterers work from commercial kitchens in Mount Maunganui and Tauriko, and others are based in central Tauranga on The Strand. Most deliver or travel across the city and the wider Western Bay of Plenty, so location mainly affects delivery and travel charges.
What food safety standards do caterers need to meet?
Food businesses in New Zealand must operate under a registered food control plan or national programme under the Food Act. You can read about the requirements on the Ministry for Primary Industries food business pages.
Do I need a licence if the caterer serves alcohol?
Selling alcohol at an event usually requires a special licence, while hosts who supply drinks free of charge generally do not. Tauranga City Council handles alcohol licensing applications locally, and details are on the council’s special licence page.
Can caterers handle dietary requirements?
Most caterers in Tauranga can prepare vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other dietary meals. Give final dietary numbers well before the event, and for severe allergies ask whether the kitchen handles allergens such as nuts, sesame, dairy or wheat.
How We Chose the Best Caterers in Tauranga
Every business in this guide was found by searching for caterers in Tauranga, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Tauranga, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.