Catering By Design
About Catering By Design
Catering By Design
The purposeful manifestation of pairing food and design in every last detail of an event. The menu, décor, and facilities are all crafted specifically for each occasion. We know that every event comes with its own unique set of circumstances, parameters, and goals, etc. As such, each event is tailored to these ends. Each menu is carefully crafted, staff personally selected, and the décor artfully executed by our in-house floral and design studio, garnish. Our team has over 34 years of professional experience and can to transform any concept or idea into a reality.
Veteran event specialists who have years of experience planning momentous events, a culinary team who plates with care and precision, and an in-house floral and design studio. We also partner with exclusive historic venues throughout Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, namely ONE North Broad, The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Michener Art Museum, and Clothier Hall. All of these aspects bring your event to life!
Services
Services
- Bartenders
- Cleanup and breakdown
- Delivery and setup
- Rental coordination - directly invoice couple
- Serving staff
Cuisines
- African
- American
- BBQ
- Cajun
- Chinese
- Eastern European
- Farm-to-table
- French
- Fusion
- Greek
- Hawaiian
- Indian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Latin American
- Mexican
- Middle Eastern
- Seafood
- Southern
- Southwestern
- Spanish
- Thai
Dietary accommodations
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Halal
- Kosher
- Nut-free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
Meal types
- Breakfast/brunch
- Buffet
- Dessert service
- Family-style meal
- Food stations
- Passed appetizers
- Seated meal
- Stationary appetizers
- Wedding cake service
Beverage services
- Bartending
- Beverage servingware rentals
- Mixers/non-alcoholic options
- Provides liquor license
Drink types
- Beer
- Coffee service
- Liquor
- Non-alcoholic
- Signature cocktails
- Wine
Extra costs
- Administrative Fee
Reviews
Write a review4.6 out of 5
9 reviews
Expensive, terrible coordinator, and frustrating
Honestly from beginning to end this was my biggest pain point for the wedding. It caused so much stress and I didn't even get the option to not have them. From the start, the menu options were never consistent. Alaina rarely could even find the "latest". She assured me, I would taste "the whole menu" at the shared tasting. That was a complete lie and I didn't get to try most of what I was interested in. I had to fight to get a partial private tasting in which they tried to charge 400 for but we didn't even get the full tasting. For months, I tried to get clarity on pricing per plate and overall cost. I NEVER got it, and they didn't send me an invoice for the meal until 3 business days before the wedding which was almost 10K higher that I expected. At the end of the day, the cost per plate was 350 but they didn't have enough apps! They didn't use the drink decor I paid for nor did they use the cocktail recipe for my signature cocktail. Then comes dessert. I have several conversations about how all desserts should be out. We even changed the floor plan to add another table. I presume I paid for that table but it wasn't there. Further, they didn't put out all the cookies. My family had to complain several times before anything was done. My aunt asked to try my wedding cake, CBD said no that I didn't want my wedding cake cut! This is WILD given the previous conversations. I would never recommend CBD. This vendor alone made wedding planning so stressful! Also, after giving 3 business days to pay the invoice, the followed up every day on the invoice. That is truly insane as it takes 3 business days to transfer money. Especially after asking for it for weeks with no invoice!
Development Associate
Catering by Design recently catered our Farm to Table Gala at Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, and we couldn't be more pleased! They were amazing, from start to finish, and people are still complimenting the food and their professionalism. I highly recommend their services!!
One Happy MOG
We hosted my son's wedding at One North Broad, where CBD is the in-house caterer. Could not have been happier: delicious, beautiful food and plenty of lovely staff to serve. CBD was very accommodating to work with throughout the process. Highly recommend.
Summer 2025 Menu
Catering by Design is the official caterer of the Michener Museum and for that, we will be forever grateful. Their meal selection, pricing, and their event specialist (Kelly, you’re the greatest) made the whole process an absolute breeze. There were a lot of things we stressed about as we planned this wedding but the food was never one of them. On the day of the wedding, I (Brandon) honestly forgot what decisions we made so it was a delicious and delightful surprise. We won’t go through every menu choice we selected individually but we must rave about a few. The seabass & white wine braised short rib were some of the best meals we’ve ever had. The posset and mousse are absolute musts - they’re phenomenal. And lastly, get the chopped rib-eye steak with fries for your late night snack. You’re welcome. All in all, 12/10 or whatever highest possible rating this review will ultimately live in. It was a restaurant quality meal at a wedding (multiple guests said so!) and I’d recommend them to everyone I know.
Response from vendor•Oct 2, 2025Hi Brandon & Alicia, Thank you so much for your kind words. It truly means the world to us when we receive reviews like yours! The Catering By Design team was thrilled to be a part of your special day at the Michener Art Museum (& yes Kelly is the best!!). Congratulations to you both once more, and we wish you a lifetime of happiness! All the Best, CBD Team
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