Blackstone Caterers

One of our highest priorities for our wedding was outstanding food, and Blackstone Caterers exceeded our expectations. Their attention to detail, expertise, creativity and flexibility are unmatched. Working with Karen immediately put us at ease. The food was amazing and every guest we talked to that night had a comment about it. Their service is attentive and gracious, paying special attention to us at the bride and groom. It’s truly invaluable to be able to trust in your vendors and Blackstone is just that, you won’t have to worry about a thing and your guests will truly be impressed. Wedding: Newport, RI / 10-20-12

Danielle Costa and the entire team at Blackstone Caterers ensured that our wedding went off without a hitch and that our menu was personal and delicious. From our preliminary planning conversations, to the day of the event, we could not have been happier with our decision to work with Blackstone.

A few things that I found especially wonderful...

* Blackstone works with many local farms and food purveyors. This was very important to me and made the menu all the more delicious and unique.

* The servers were incredibly professional and made sure that my husband and I enjoyed the hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and dinner. They regularly checked in on us to see if we needed anything. They went above and beyond to make sure that we enjoyed our special day.

* Signature Cocktails: Blackstone were happy to work with us on offering his and hers cocktails. We selected the Bees Knees and the Sazerac. Both were prepared perfecty!

* The food was delicious and so well prepared.

We are very happy we went with Blackstone! They worked with us on budget, menu, etc. and, most importantly, our guests LOVED the food! The contracts and items were simple and straightforward, although still detailed and comprehensive (just what you need!) The food and staff really made the party. Everyone is still raving about how good the food was. The presentation was absolutely lovely. I took a couple partial stars off because we had a couple little problems that left us feeling a little uneasy after the wedding (a couple things weren't as we had hoped, but I didn't make a fuss out of it because at that point I was on cloud 9 and didn't let anything bother me!) but all in all, we are very happy with Blackstone, especially when compared with the competition. They did a wonderful job and I would highly recommend! Also, packages include an event coordinator which is a definite bonus! :)

Blackstone was amazing we couldn't have asked for anything better.
Leading up to our wedding we worked with Danielle. Danielle was so easy to work with and she answered any and every question we had about our wedding day. She made us feel comfortable and she was always available especially during the few weeks before the wedding.
When we found out she would not be available on our wedding day we were nervous but once we met Deb we knew we were in good hands. Deb was so attentive and very professional throughout the entire day; she even remedied our crisis of missing flowers.
Blackstone delivered more than we could have imagined and we would definitely recommend them for any future...

We loved working with Karen Tungett at Blackstone’s! First, out of the four caterers we scheduled tastings with in the Newport/Bristol area, Blackstone’s was definitely the best in terms of both food quality and presentation. Our tastings at Blackstone’s were such a highlight of the wedding planning process.
Secondly, Karen was a dream to work with. There are vendors who make you a little bit nervous, and others who put you completely at ease. Karen was definitely the latter. In all our interactions, she was always full of enthusiasm, energy, and helpful tips. She also went above and beyond to help us with our many requests and make everything we wanted work with our budget. We were also floored by how incredibly responsive Karen was, despite her busy calendar -- she often replied to our emails late at night and on her days off. About the actual event -- it was a huge success! Our guests especially raved about the lamb chop hor d’oeuvres, the ice-cream sundae station, and the extremely friendly (and good-looking, haha) bartenders.

We shopped around a bit before settling on Blackstone. Danielle at Blackstone is a total professional. From start to finish she made sure she understood our vision, and made everything possible that she could. She literally never once said no to any request or suggestion I made, and if she wasn't able to do something, always had a stellar plan b. So, the service, and the professionalism, above and beyond, A plus. NOW- the food. I am sure we have all been to weddings and the food is a total after thought. Not with Blackstone. The food was literally 5 star. I had people left and right telling me how phenomenal the food was. And several people are still talking about it months later. I think it's rare that you walk away from a wedding, raving about the food, but if you hire Blackstone, that will surely happen. The other awesome thing about BC is they are totally local, seasonal, and on trend. Expect unique options, and interesting flavor mash-ups. BC has been around awhile, as well, so Danielle was able to suggest other vendors to work with. Once I had my team in place, Danielle totally worked one on one with various vendors, which I found to be hugely helpful. We loved every second of working with Danielle and the BC team and would def hire them again in a heart beat!

What can I say? There’s a reason they’re known as one of the top two caterers in RI. They did my sister’s wedding and we didn’t even talk to any other caterers. Yes, they’re pricey, but nothing is worse than bad food at a wedding.

Did an amazing job on my wedding! Will work with you to create what you want and have in mind!

Could not have asked for more!
There were several caterers that we reached out to for our wedding this past July in Newport, RI. However, none of them responded so quickly and were so eager to help, as Blackstone. Specifically, Danielle at Blackstone, was an absolute saint to work with. She helped manage several of our vendors and was always quick to respond to communications with suggestions and new ideas. Even a few days prior to the wedding in the height of their busy season, she did a through walk through of the house with us. Knowing that Blackstone was our vendor made us so comfortable and gave us a peace of mind the day of the wedding! I would HIGHLY recommend them!

From our very first meeting, Blackstone Caterers helped to make my dream wedding become a reality. My fiance and I weren't sure we could even afford this top-notch caterer, but we gave them our budget and they worked with us to give us whatever we wanted but at a price that would work for us. We picked everything from appetizers to dessert and even if it was a request that wasn't on their original menu they made it work and they made it delicious! I received endless emphatic complements throughout the evening about how amazing the food was, and we are still hearing the same thing weeks after the wedding. And the service was impeccable. If guests went to the restroom their napkin was folded on the table by the time they returned. The servers doted on my husband and I since we were running around talking to guests. They were so kind and concerned that we had enough to eat and drink and that we constantly had everything we wanted. And I absolutely cannot say enough about our personal event planner, Karen Riley. From the moment we met with her she was everything you would want a vendor to be. She always got back to me right away, even hours before the ceremony with last minute questions! She is kind, warm, energetic, flexible and gets the job done perfectly with a smile on her face. The quality of food and service is simply unbeatable.

Blackstone was a PLEASURE to work with. The food was EXCELLENT and we were complemented on the FOOD and signature drinks more than once. We served scallops and chicken, the scallops were WONDERFUL, and perfectly prepared and all of the aps were delicious. Our signature drink was a GRAPEFRUIT BASIL MARTINI as suggested by our catering contact Karen (she's wonderful and VERY easy to work with) and it was AMAZING! I can't thank Blackstone enough for the wonderful job they did :D

The food was the best I've ever had!! We got so many compliments on the food and service and the portions were fabulous. Danielle was great to work with and the night of the wedding, staff went out of their way to check with me and my husband if there was anything we needed as far as food, drink, whatever. When the bar was closing, the bartender knew the drinks he and I were getting all night and left them for us - small detail that went a long way. I would use Blackstone again in a heartbeat for any catering event. Danielle helped everything come together, excellent service and absolutely amazing food! You won't go wrong with them!

I'm so happy I went with Blackstone Catering. We worked with Danielle as our rep, and she was wonderful, always responding very quickly to my questions. They were extremely flexible, and able to accommodate all of our requests. The staff was friendly and helpful during our event, and we were honestly shocked at the amazing job they did cleaning up afterwards. They really went above and beyond the call of duty.

And of course, the food was wonderful. Everything tasted fantastic and the presentation was gorgeous. I would absolutely hire Blackstone...

We can't say enough about Blackstone. They were the BEST!!!! Just yesterday we were at a friend's home and they were still raving about the food at our wedding a month ago. We met with three caterers before choosing Blackstone. They were the only ones that gave us a full tasting on our first meeting. No charge or questions asked. We were from our town, four hours away, so to have to go back and forth to do a further tasting made it tough with our work schedule. Blackstone said yes to anything we wanted and made it within our budget. The presentation, food and staff were amazing. Danielle and her team went above and beyond. We love them!!! Thank you for making our day.

Ana & Tom

I was 100% amazed by Blackstone and Karen. We had a cocktail style reception, and served heavy apps. We had plenty of food, and people could not stop raving about how great it was. People are still calling us to talk about how great the food was. Everything came out hot and delicious (and they were cooking in a tent in december!!!). We had short plate entrees, and every single steak was cooked to perfection. I was completely amazed every time I tasted something. From the moment we met with them at the tasting, they were it for us. I had figured they would be far too pricey for us, but they actually were in line with other caterers and the quality of food and service far exceeded other caterers. Every concern I had, Karen addressed and handled quickly and efficiently. We did all of our rentals through them, which was great because we had one less vendor to handle. Karen handled the timeline for the day, and really acted like a day of coordinator, which was soooo helpful and amazing. I would use Blackstone again and again, and would recommend them to anyone who wants the highest quality food at their event.

Danielle at Blackstone was so great to work with. They were great from start to finish. They had plenty of staff and the food was excellent.

Blackstone, and in particular Karen, was absolutely amazing! I can't begin to say enough about how fantastic everything was. I knew the food would be excellent & it was. But, it was all the intangibles in the wedding planning process that really made me so thankful we had chosen Blackstone.

I hate to seem negative about a vendor with so many 5 star reviews, but I feel like brides deserve an honest representation of our scenario with Blackstone.
We were impressed with the exquisite food Blackstone served at our tasting appointment and enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with Karen, our exclusive contact at Blackstone, during the months of planning my at-home wedding. Karen was responsive, enthusiastic, and most accommodating with the unique issues encountered when hosting a wedding at home. Communication deteriorated a bit in the weeks before the wedding-with us and between Blackstone and the equipment vendors - understandable to a degree in that both vendors were in the height of their season and very busy. We were assured that all logistics issues were resolved, and we felt comfortable that Karen had our event well under control. When Karen and her assistant visited my parents' home for final review a few weeks before the wedding, Karen told us that she would not be able to stay the entire day at our event, but she would be managing our wedding through the cocktail and dining services. While disappointed, we were assured that Karen would be there during this critical time and all would be perfect. We were satisfied.
On the morning of my wedding, we were horrified to learn, upon Blackstone’s arrival, that Karen would not be coming at all! (Her associate, a delightful young woman, whom we had met just once and had no further communication with, apologetically explained that Karen was contractually committed to attend another wedding- perhaps the wedding on October 8 reviewed very favorably on this site.)
As promised, Blackstone delivered excellent food. We expected no less from a caterer in this league. However, so many things went wrong – the bar and raw bar were still being set up as guests were arriving (ice was being delivered during guests’ arrival); some wait staff were less than cordial to some guests; guests, including my mother, when they asked for cocktail napkins were told by Blackstone that we had run out of napkins (we had furnished custom monogrammed paper products – in abundance- boxes of which were found on the dessert table the day after); several vendors received no meals, (the band, despite carefully arranging their meal time well in advance, were served late, disrupting scheduled events); the exquisite Blackstone macarons that we had Blackstone package as favors for departing guests were not available until after most guests had departed – leaving us with dozens and dozens of left-over favors, etc. These deficiencies were minor. But, when we hired Blackstone, we expected excellence – in attention to food, service and details. Their service fell far short of our expectations.
The most egregious complaint is the discourteous and unprofessional change in management, with no notice to us at all, despite near constant communication between us. This created unnecessary stress and anxiety and clearly many of the details, so painstakingly planned and reviewed with Karen, were simply missed.
Upon voicing our complaints to Blackstone, (not all are listed here), the owner, to his credit, immediately called and offered apologies and amends. Unfortunately, no amends are possible in a wedding day scenario. There simply is no “do-over”.
We expected excellent food from Blackstone- they delivered excellent food. However, when entertaining on such a special day, service, trust and confidence in management and professionalism are equally critical. This is what Blackstone promised. Blackstone, despite their excellent reputation, delivered their “B” team to our wedding and it was not what we expected or bargained for.
Clearly, Blackstone’s “A” team attended the other wedding reviewed here. A company in the league of Blackstone should not have anything but “A” teams.
CAVEAT: Be sure to contractually require Blackstone’s “A” team if you want the excellence and exquisite experience you expect, and pay for, on your wedding day.

Fabulous food! I highly recommend the raw bar at your cocktail hour! I've been to a lot of fancy weddings, with mediocre food. Blackstone does a great job and the food is great! My priorities in planning my wedding were to have great food, great music and a fabulous photographer. The food at our wedding was wonderful and beautifully presented. Most of our guests are NYC foodies. They all approved! It was a bit disappointing because the day of coordinator we had been working with got sick and was not able to be there on the day of our wedding. But she must have taken very good notes, because the woman who filled in did an excellent job.
I suggest you go in for a tasting. We were able to meet the chef and choose a menu we loved!

all I can say is WOW!! My husband and I could not have been happier than we were with the food at our wedding! Everything was AWESOME...and we are still getting compliments on it! People loved the food! Not only was the food great, but they were wonderful to work with. We checked out a few caterers in the area, and Blackstone was the only one willing to really work with us to give us exactly what we wanted within our budget. They were so pleasant and helpful, responded immediately to any emails/phone calls, and really worked with us to make our day exactly what we wanted. They even reached out to our tent company, linens company, and wedding planner to make sure everyone was on the same page which saved me a lot of work. Our wedding was in my parents backyard, so I anticipated the catering being a bit difficult (since they worked out of a makeshift kitchen) and they pulled it off without a problem! I can 100% guarantee satisfaction if you use them...they are the best!

The minute we met Karen and sampled the food for our tasting we knew that Blackstone Caterers was going to be a hit at our wedding! Karen made menu suggestions that were all outstanding, and reflective of our favorite things. She was flexible and accommodating in every way possible. The food was so delicious and everyone is still raving about it! Not only did it taste amazing but the presentation was beautiful and you can tell everything was put together with care. The dessert stations and bars looked great as well. They even attempted to make up a signature drink for me based on a few ingredients I asked them to try together, and it came out perfectly delicious! Karen and the staff at Blackstone executed an amazing event with what seemed liked such ease, the service was right on point! There was always someone right there asking what we needed, not only for the bride and groom, but this was something I heard from guest as well. The moment we sat down they brought my husband and I a platter of every hors’dureves that were passed to guest including items from the raw bar to be sure we had everything. This included a variety of desserts later as well even though we had a station for this. Throughout the entire process Karen was easy to work with, and extremely helpful when I had to get some of my items to my reception (chargers, menus, napkins, and dinner wine, etc..).
Karen and the rest of the staff at Blackstone caterers are a group of professionals that are thoughtful, caring, and energetic. Even the chef came out during our tasting to explain every dish and to tell us where the food came from. The great thing about Blackstone is that everything comes from local farms and waters, which ensures the freshest and best taste!
I would Highly Recommend Blackstone Catering for your wedding, or next big event! I certainly will use them again!

Many, Many guests said that it was THE BEST wedding food they have ever had. So many options to choose from, they worked totally within out budget, and met with us a couple of times when need be. Danielle was our point person and she was very pleasant and prompt. No extra fee to cut cake or any inflated catering costs along those lines - can not say enough great things!

I cannot say enough about Blackstone and Karen Conley . They were amazing. 5 Star all the way! The food and service was incredible. It was a chilly night so Karen had a few surprises that blew us away. They surprised us by serving hot apple cider while they were waiting for the ceremony and she had Pashmina’s for all the ladies who were cold. There was always a staff member nearby bring us Hors d'oeuvres while we were taking pictures and even making sure I had a shawl or something to warm me up. The food was tremendous! They even packed up all the extras left over from the table and managed to locate the toasting glasses which had been left who knows where. They took amazing care us all night. Cannot say enough about them!!

Blackstone Caterers is an amazing company. The food was unforgettable, the service was professional and accommidating, they let you create your own menu,and the price was right. Mary Beth was so helpful in answering all our questions and working with our budget.

We only tasted food from one caterer which was Blackstone and we were blown away. I can still remember everything about the meal. Everything was absolutely incredible.

I highly recommend Blackstone especially for any green brides and grooms. All of their food is local which is great for the economy and environment. I also like the menu is seasonal to higlight the freshest ingredients.

Unfortunately we had to cancel our big wedding and elope but there was never any other choice for us. I know our guests would have raved!!!

Great food, great service! Very impressed by how wonderful our food was on our wedding day.

Excellent! Nothing bad to say about the caterer. Every detail was attended to and they presented excellent food and service at our wedding. People were extremely nice to deal with. Also a great value for your money!

SUPER attentive, EXCELLENT food, impressive overall. What I loved best was that the bride and groom recieved one on one service - we could not have been happier. We felt EXTREMELY well taken care of!

We were amazed at the quality of service from the serving staff at our wedding...they tracked us down all over the grounds where we were taking photos to make sure our wedding party didn't miss any appetizers! They were so friendly and advised us at every turn through the evening with details like when and where to cut our cake (adjusting to our guests every changing needs!) Our guests were raving about every dish...everything was simply delicious!

I can't say enough about Blackstone Caterers. My Newport RI wedding was amazing and I got so many compliments about the food. Blackstone was so helpful and so willing to do what it was that I wanted. On the wedding day they were so gracious and I recommend them, hands down!

Blackstone catered our wedding at Rosecliff and our brunch the following day. They did an absolutely amazing job. While Marybeth was our main point person (and absolutely an all star) every person we worked with was at the top of their game and professional. They were willing to work within our budget and their food is unbelievable. I highly recommend Blackstone to any Bride and Groom.

Food was excellent and service was good. The buffet took a bit of time to be restocked. At times, the sales person was delayed in responding.

Off the bat let me say I STILL RECOMMEND Blackstone Caterers. The food at Blackstone is amazing....the service of the catering staff is AMAZING. I believe whole heartedly in the company policies of delivering LOCAL, ORGANICALLY GROWN & HARVESTED FOOD whenever possible. That is not an exception to the way they do things it is their POLICY. Very admirable! The chefs are very good and the waitstaff and bartenders are fabulous.

We were not ecstatic about our contact through the process. She was a little inconsistent and unreliable but she is just ONE of the army that will make up your experience. And odds are you won't have the same woman working with you so please, do consider Blackstone.

TIPS & ADVICE:

1. Remember, Blackstone is not cheap and they will try to make money on your wedding.....NEGOTIATE and stick to your guns....they say they will work within every budget and they will....but if you don't hold them to it....your budget will go over! Remember your contact is a SALES PERSON....


2. Take advantage of their stations....we had 4 stations rather than a sit down meal and the result was that our wedding didn't keep people stuck at their tables...rather they moved around throughout the night from station to station. This made the party more fun and wasted less time on serving, etc. Our stations also allowed us to offer our guests a red meat, chicken, fish, and plenty of vegetarian options.

4. Be realistic about your catering budget. If you are having over 100 people its going to cost you....period. The catering budget will be your biggest item most likely.... Have your wedding on a weekday like we did (Thursday) they will give you a discount!

Danielle was our coordinator and was amazing. The service was flawless and the food was amazing. She was willing to work with us to make all our requests a reality within our budget. WOW. I didn't realize a caterer for an event with that many details could be executed flawlessly!

We had a wonderful experience with Blackstone. Our event manager, Danielle was fantastic. She listened to all of our ideas and incorporated them into the menu. She also responded to all of our questions (and there were many) quickly and thoroughly. She made the process very enjoyable. On top of that the food was absolutely beautiful and delicious. The waitstaff was so attentive and made everyone feel cared for. We recommend them without reservations.

Blackstone was an excellent choice for us. They have many food options and the sales coordinator we worked with (Danielle) was excellent. They are very responsive and make sure everything is tailored to your needs. The only thing is, it's one of the most expensive caterers in the area so if you're looking to be thrifty, you may want to look elsewhere.

Blackstone was a wonderful caterer with delicious food. My only problem was that it is one of the more expensive ones in the area. If you do decide to spend a lot of money, go with Blackstone!

Everyone loved the food! It was beautifully presented and tasted delicious. They are highly recommended!!!

Incredible service, professional staff and yummy food!

Blackstone Caterers is one of the best in the business. Always detail oriented, always focused on perfect presentation with an amazing flair. Responsive, cooperative, creative and fun to work with, Linden Place rates Blackstone at the top of our catering list!

Always creative, professional, and experienced, Blackstone never fails to deliver delicious cuisine and amazing events time after time.

Blackstone Caterers provided the food for a wedding we shot in November of 2012. Everyone was happy and filled with the yumminess. We even got to eat the great food for our vendor meals and I can personally attest to the fact that it made two photographers very happy.

It is such a pleasure to work with Blackstone Caterers. Every detail is worked out and they are always so organized. And of course, the food is delicious!