Barbara & Company Catering

Barbara & Company catered an event for me in August 2024. I couldn't have been happier with Marina from the first email to clean up. Staff was efficient, caring and reassuring throughout. I didn't have to do anything other than answer a few questions. Food was fantastic. Everyone attending raved about the tri tip and hula chicken as well as the sides and the garlic bread. I've even received notes after the event asking about the caterer and food. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone in doubt.

We are so happy we booked Marina and her crew for our 100 person wedding at the Seymour Center in June, as we are still getting lots of compliments on how delicious the food was almost two months later! We chose to work with Marina at Barbara & Co. because 1) she offered a tasting prior to booking, 2) we were impressed with how great her food tasted, 3) her prices are very reasonable and 4) Marina was so kind and genuine in helping us plan out the details for the wedding. Right from the beginning at the tasting she offered us personalized suggestions for how to design our table setting, and later met with us at Alexis Party Rentals to pick out all the rental items. Leading up to the wedding she was prompt in answering questions and adjusting the coordination for the pick-up, setup, and returns from Alexis Party Rentals. Our venue also had strict cleaning and time restrictions regarding set-up and everything was handled for a small fee – saving a great deal of stress with having to avoid hiring an additional cleaning vendor. Everything went great the day of the wedding, and I was impressed with how professional and kind the members of her team were – as well as how wonderful it was to have food grilled on-site (the tri-tip got rave reviews!). Our wedding wouldn’t have been as wonderful without her advice and food, and I would highly recommend Barbara & Co for weddings and events.

Photos: By Katie & Morgan Hallas

Mmmm Good! We were so glad that we hired Barbara & Company to cater our big party with over 200 guests last weekend. Marina and Victor and their crew are so professional, and truly a pleasure to work with. It was a challenge to select the menu for our party only because they offer so many delicious options, but Marina was a great help in thinking it all through and everything they made was beautifully presented and delicious. They are so well-regarded in our community that I went into the party knowing we’d be completely satisfied with the service and food they provided, and we certainly were. They arrived right on time, were ready to get to work, and prepared everything to perfection. They really know how to present all of the food in a very appealing way - everything looked so attractive and professionally done. The crew was really efficient and worked throughout the six-hour party to clear plates and glasses, which were all washed up and ready to be returned to the rental company when the party concluded. Our guests continue to rave about how wonderful the food was and as the semi-frazzled host of the biggest party we’ve ever put on, it was a huge relief to know they handled everything with patience and grace! I highly recommend Barbara & Company, I’m confident you’ll be as completely satisfied as we were!

We booked Barbara & Company Catering for our wedding in May 2023 for about 100 people in downtown Santa Cruz. The owner, Marina, was nothing short of amazing. We had very little experience with weddings and wedding planning, and Marina helped point us in the right direction with so many things, beyond catering. Further, she has a lot of contacts with other vendors, and was happy to connect us.

The menu was created in collaboration. While they have a lot of suggested dishes to give you ideas, their team can make almost anything if you give them direction! She held a tasting for us which was a great opportunity to refine the details.

They also assisted with rentals, coordinating the order, pick up, setup, and return from Alexis Party Rentals in Santa Cruz. During the planning process, Marina met us at Alexis Rentals and helped us pick out our place settings, and identify the number of pieces of each that we needed.

Leading up to the event Marina was always quick to respond by email, and was available to chat on the phone whenever we needed.

The day of, our event went incredibly well. We heard nothing but good things from guests about the quality of the food and the professionalism of the service. Marina has a keen eye for details, and with so much wedding experience, is able to preempt issues and respond without guidance when necessary. Their team was also very respectful of the venue and their requirements, doing an excellent job of cleaning up.

We have nothing but love and respect for Marina and her crew! Catering weddings is hard work, but they make it look easy from the other side of the table (so to say).

I wouldn’t hesitate to book Barbara & Co. for future events, and would definitely recommend them to others for their weddings. Marina is a great partner to have on your side as you go through the planning process.

Barbara and Company not only served up amazing food (not 'normal' wedding food) at our 100-guest wedding, their staff handled all the setup, chair moving, table setting, cleanup amazingly. The DJ even asked us how we managed to get the best caterer in Santa Cruz! Also their quotes came back lower than many other caterers in the area. I highly recommend them to anyone who needs a large event catered by a well-organized team.

Words can’t express how grateful I am to have found Marina and Barbara & Co. Catering. We had the absolute best experience from tasting to walk through to the day of! Marina and her staff were the definition of professionalism, and made sure we were well take care of. When things went wrong she rallied and helped us problem solve in ways she didn’t have to. I felt all the confidence booking her and she did not fail. She personalized our menu and the food was absolutely delicious! Everyone raved about it! Book her for her amazing food but know you’re getting so much more! They were wonderful!

There are not enough words to express how incredible Marina and her team are! First and foremost, the food is spectacular. So many of my guests told me that the food was not only the best wedding food they had ever had, but one of their favorite meals. Marina was willing to get creative with our menu in multiple areas and the results were incredible! We wanted to have a cake made out of cheese for our cocktail hour and the time and effort she spent helping create the perfect display was unreal. She totally understood my idea and was just as excited to make it happen. She and her team were responsive, helpful, and overall a calming presence in the midst of wedding planning craziness! Plus, they are so kind. I felt so secure knowing that Barbara and Company was on our vendor team- if anything came up that day I knew that they would do whatever possible to make the event perfect! I can’t recommend Barbara and Company enough- it was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding!

We used Barbara & Co Catering for our October wedding at Bargetto Winery and had a GREAT experience! Marina was very easy to communicate with and accommodated our request to have all Italian food. The food was delicious and all of our guests loved it! It was a great value for the high quality food and service. Marina also helped us find a great place to get all our rentals and helped us pick them out. We'd highly recommend Barbara & Co for your wedding!

Pick this caterer above anyone else!!! Marina went above and beyond to make sure my wedding reception was perfect; making sure people were happy, had drinks, enough food, etc. Her communication before, during and after the event was awesome. I cannot speak highly enough of her and would recommend her company to anyone and everyone who would listen!!!

I am in love with the food that Barbara and Company made for our wedding. My partner and I are both vegan and Marina made us an all-vegan menu that all of our guests loved. In addition, Marina was very easy to work with and she always got back to us right away. My partner and I also really appreciated how well Barbara and Company works with Alexis Party Rental. I would definitely recommend this company to a friend!