The Local gave us an incredible experience from start to finish. After having eaten at their restaurant multiple times (including for our first date), my husband & I knew we wanted to have them as our caterer, and they exceeded our expectations.

From the very beginning, they were consistently prompt in their communication and flexible with what we wanted in our contract. The food packages they offer are generous for the price with endless options to customize everything to our liking. The quality and portion sizes at the actual event were exceptional - exactly like in our tasting - and we are still getting compliments on our food months afterwards. We also were able to provide our own alcohol (except wine, as per our venue's rule) that they used for bartending purposes, which helped with cost. Their staff even helped set up desserts we purchased from other companies.

I also really appreciated their contracting services through MS Rentals, which was included in our price. When we first started planning, we hadn't even considered where to find linens and flatware, but luckily we didn't have to. The MS Rentals team helped us piece together our table settings with little more than a color palette to start with, and they were more than accommodating with any changes we decided to make before the event.

Cost is a big part of catering, so I can't emphasize enough how mindful of our budget The Local was throughout the planning process. It's easy to get nickel-and-dime-d when deciding on vendors, but we had the complete opposite experience with them. The contract they provide is very clear about the cost of each item and kept up to date, there are no hidden fees, and they even provided helpful suggestions for various items based on our guest count that ultimately decreased the final bill (which they didn't have to do).

All in all, this company provided excellent catering & dinner service for our event while supporting us throughout the entire planning process. We feel extremely valued and satisfied as clients and can't wait to go eat at The Local again soon!

We worked primarily with Helen as our catering coordinator, and she was amazing every step of the way. She was very knowledgeable about our venue, having catered there many times before, which contributed to our reception going over so well. She was super friendly and easy to work with. She worked very well with our day-of coordinator, and her team was very well-prepared, competent, and professional throughout the night.

Outside of just Helen, the rest of the catering staff was all very friendly and hard-working. They were constantly asking if we had everything we wanted, and did a great job of packing some food up for us to take with at the end of the night. Even early-on in the process when we were still getting estimates for the catering from multiple places, we were impressed by how thorough The Local was with their cost breakdowns. It was very helpful for us to see what costs were going where, since we really had no experience in this realm beforehand.

Additionally, the whole catering team was very helpful when it came to accommodating our guests with dietary issues. Cheese crumbles came on the side of the salad for those who didn't like cheese, and vegan plates were specifically prepared for the couple of vegan guests that we had in attendance.

Aside from all of the excellent service that I've mentioned, the food was absolutely delicious. Everything that we decided on during our tasting with the Local tasted just as good the night of the wedding. The guests loved it as well - we received multiple comments during the night and after about how good the food was.

I've got to stop somewhere, but I cannot say enough good things about Helen, the rest of the catering team, and The Local. Would definitely recommend them to anybody! We will definitely be stopping back by their restaurant for dinner the next time we are in Charlottesville!

We are so glad we used The Local as our caterer for our wedding! We are also glad that we got to work with Helen exclusively. She guided us through the most stressful part of the wedding – the catering. We were a long-distance couple and she was so accommodating. She helped us create an excellent menu that our guests loved. We also had some specific guest dietary restrictions that she helped us navigate and execute. She was an excellent communicator throughout the entire process.

Our wedding day food was absolutely excellent. Each dish was beautifully presented and packed with flavor. The service was impeccable. The day of catering team was incredibly professional, attentive, and friendly, ensuring that everything ran smoothly and that our guests were well taken care of. They were able to quickly pivot when we needed to move our ceremony indoors as well.

We couldn’t have asked for a better catering experience. If you’re looking for a caterer who delivers exquisite food, exceptional service, and a truly memorable dining experience, The Local is the way to go.