Blue Plate Catering

Catering services pricing

Food starts at $50 per person and bar services at $25 per person.

Minimum spend

$5,000 total

About Blue Plate Catering

David Porto

Owner / Director of Events

WI Bride Magazine - Best Caterer 2020 and 2017 Best of Madison - 2005-2020 Blue Plate Catering has been locally owned and operated since 1992. For nearly 30 years, we have grown into a staple of the Madison community. We love catering all events large or small. Our event planners are capable of designing and coordinating your complete event of any size. Blue Plate Catering can meet your catering needs at ANY location, including your private homes, barns, or any facility that allows outside caterers.

Just like when you go back home to Grandma’s house, there’s just something better about homemade food. We agree! With our team of highly-trained chefs, we ensure our food is fresh, delicious and has that feeling of farm-to-table home cooking. With this in mind, we make every effort possible to purchase locally-grown meat and dairy from local coops and organizations right in the Heartland. With over 100 years in the food and catering industry combined, our management staff know what it takes to deliver the best quality food and event planning services possible.

Best of Zola 2024
Best of Zola 2023

Services

Services

  • Bartenders
  • Cleanup and breakdown
  • Consultations and tastings - for a fee
  • Delivery and setup
  • Rental coordination - does not invoice couple
  • Serving staff

Cuisines

  • Farm-to-table

Dietary accommodations

  • Dairy-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Kosher
  • Nut-free
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

Meal types

  • Buffet
  • Dessert service
  • Family-style meal
  • Food stations
  • Passed appetizers
  • Seated meal
  • Stationary appetizers

Beverage services

  • Bartending
  • Beverage servingware rentals
  • Mixers/non-alcoholic options

Extra costs

  • Bartender services
  • Consultation / Tasting
  • Liquor License
  • Rentals - beverage ware
  • Rentals - dining ware
  • Rentals - linens
  • Service Fee
  • Travel Fee
  • Wedding Cake & Dessert Service

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 4.9

4.9 out of 5

10 reviews

  • AZ

    Amanda Z.

    Rating: 5
    •Jul 1, 2026

    6/27/26 Wedding

    Choosing Blue Plate Catering was one of the easiest decisions we made for our wedding. From our first conversation, they were thorough and concise in their communication, making the whole planning process feel smooth and straightforward. The food tasting was a breeze, and we knew right away that we'd found our caterer. On our wedding day, the quality of the food was stellar and every dish tasted as delicious as we remembered. The team executed everything with professionalism and consistency, and our guests couldn't stop talking about the meal. We'd recommend Blue Plate Catering to any couple looking for a caterer who truly delivers.

  • KS

    Kammy S.

    Rating: 5
    •Jun 1, 2026

    Mrs.

    Blue Plate Catering was organized and responsive, answering all our questions with care and making us feel heard throughout the planning process. On the wedding day, their service was excellent—the staff moved seamlessly through the event, keeping everything on track and making sure our guests felt taken care of. The food was delicious, and we still hear people raving about the chimichurri. Blue Plate went the extra mile to make sure our day was special, and their thoughtful approach made all the difference. We highly recommend!

    David Porto•Jun 4, 2026

    Kammy and Vincent, Your wedding was beautiful! There is a special je ne sais quoi that surrounds Blue Plate's chimichurri, and we're elated to hear that it lived up to its reputation. Congratulations, and we wish you the best first married summer ever 💙

  • ET

    Emily T.

    Rating: 5
    •Sep 11, 2025

    Delicious!

    We were very happy with Blue Plate Catering and Gary for our wedding! Gary was incredibly helpful in helping us decide what we wanted and was very patient with me when I changed my mind a few times. We ended up going with a taco buffet which was something less traditional but still delicious and fun! We also had butlered appetizers which were delicious as well. We even had some saved for us at the head table since we were busy mingling the whole cocktail hour which was very thoughtful. Highly recommend Blue Plate Catering for a stress free, yummy dinner choice :)

    David Porto•Sep 11, 2025

    Emily, It was a joy to help create an unforgettable experience for you and your guests. Tacos are always a good idea, and it's so wonderful to hear that stress was nonexistent on such an important day. From the entire team, congratulations, and thanks for inviting Blue Plate along for the ride!!

  • BJ

    Bradley J.

    Rating: 5
    •Mar 22, 2024

    Johnston Wedding - The Tinsmith

    We could not be more impressed. We had SO many guests tell us that our taco bar was the best food they have had at a wedding in a long time. There was something for everyone, gluten-free, vegetarian, and meat lovers, Blue Plate allowed our buffet to have all the options. We had so much to offer I forgot to grab meat for the top of my nachos so I had to go back, haha. Amazing staff communication leading up to the event and during the event they were incredible, and dinner and dessert went so smoothly. We wanted an ice cream bar and they were so accommodating they let us drop off the ice cream the week of kept it frozen and brought it to the wedding all packaged so nicely! Highly recommend Blue Plate to everyone who asks!

  • JR

    Jessica R.

    Rating: 5
    •Mar 16, 2024

    So delicious and easy to work with

    The whole process from start to finish- tasting, picking meals, the actual wedding with our platted dinner was so easy and wonderful. Ashley answered all our questions and the day of the staff checked in with us multiple times to make sure we were enjoying everything- it seemed so personalized- I appreciated the time they took.

If the event is outside the Madison metro area, we do charge for mileage and travel time.
We do not have a minimum for weddings.
Yes, we offer tastings for $25 per person (up to 6 guests). If you sign a contract with us beforehand, we can waive this fee.
We want you to feel comfortable with the event and our services. After an initial meeting and a tasting, most planning is typically done by phone or email.
Each year is unique, and certain dates do sell out more quickly than others. For weddings in the first half of the year, we recommend booking by September. However, we do also plan weddings on shorter notice, so please reach out to see if your date is available!
We primarily service the Madison metro area, but frequently travel up to 90 minutes for events.
We have fully customizable menus and numerous staff with dietary restrictions (gluten, dairy, shellfish). We know firsthand the importance of proving tasty, safe meals for all guests, and are happy to make modifications.
We offer cake cutting free of charge.
We have licensed bartenders on staff and would love to make your planning process easier with fewer vendors.
Plated, buffet, family style, and stations. We will partner with you to bring your vision to life!

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