Delivery
Yes
Serendipity Catering in Ithaca
Categories
Location on the map
Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York, US
Service options
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Phone: +1 607-273-2145
Site: http://www.serendipitycatering.biz/
Site: http://www.serendipitycatering.biz/
Opening hours
- Monday:9AM–5PM
- Tuesday:9AM–5PM
- Wednesday:9AM–5PM
- Thursday:9AM–5PM
- Friday:9AM–5PM
- Saturday:Closed
- Sunday:Closed
Comments (42)
Serendipity is an amazing catering company. They helped with all aspects of the wedding. From the initial prep phase, to the linen choices, to the layout and setup of the venue and finally to the outstanding food , they were perfect!! They asked questions that we didnt even know we had. They always has helpful suggestions and kept us focused. From beginning to end, they were outstanding!!! We could not have asked for anything better. Stephanie, Andrew and everyone else - THANK YOU!!!
Serendipity is fantastic. They catered our 50th anniversary party a few years ago, and it was sensational. Not only was the food amazing, including an ice cream sundae bar that all the kids adored, but Stephanie actually brought a dress form so that I could display my wedding gown. The catering was not inexpensive but the quality was exceptional, and Stephanie and staff were wonderfully attentive to every detail--and also contributed to the generally convivial atmosphere. Since then Ive worked with Serendipity on several events for the Hangar Theatre. It was a pleasure--food was terrific, and there was enormous attention to aesthetics as well as to tastes. (I should mention that Serendipity is a major sponsor for the Hangar, a nonprofit treasure--this speaks to Stephanies deep commitment to the local community.) Ive also now attended a number of occasions where I was not an organizer but Serendipity was catering. Some examples: a beautiful wedding with nice signs for those with culinary restrictions, a couple of exceptional receptions at Kroch Library, and, most recently, opening night at the Hangar Theatres production of Red--beautiful deep red roses and tulips on serving tables and elsewhere set the theme for lovely food. I recommend them unreservedly.
Serendipity was a truly wonderful caterer for our wedding at the Fontainebleau Inn! Not only were the buffet and cake HUGE hits (I cant tell you how many people told me they usually dont like wedding cake but went back for a second slice of ours!), but Serendipity went above and beyond in providing beautiful linens and a sharply designed cards showing the seating chart. They were very attentive and sensitive to what we wanted, and after a few quick and efficient consultations, made sure we didnt have to worry about anything related to the food, the cake, and the table decorations on the day of the wedding. In addition, the staff from the owner Stephanie on down are warm and fun to work with and are there to guide you through the wedding planning process. Their deep experience in working with the Fontainebleau also came in handy as the set up and take down process was efficient and stress-free. We could not recommend Serendipity highly enough!
We hired Serendipity to cater our wedding based on numerous stellar recommendations, and I could not have been happier with the results -- they did a phenomenal job. Personally, I loved the food, and I had many guests reach out afterwards to compliment on the appetizers, dinner and dessert. They did a beautiful job in presenting the entire dining area - the tables and food presentation were beautiful. And they were very helpful in working within our budget to create a beautiful evening that exceeded all of my expectations. And lastly, all of the staff is incredibly friendly and fun to work with -- from the office staff to the servers, we felt in good hands.
Serendipity recently catered a donor VIP event for our new hospital in Corning. From the first conversation I had on the phone with them, I knew we had picked the right people for the job. They were willing to work with us on our budget and ever changing RSVP list, as well as provide options and solutions for every concern that came up along the way. Presentation was important to the leadership at our new hospital, and Serendipity delivered! The food was fantastic and the staff worked tirelessly to make sure that our guests were taken care of the entire evening. I plan to use Serendipity again very soon and I would highly recommend them!
We were very glad when our RFP process concluded that Serendipity should be our Cornell Reunion caterer for seven events-four receptions and three dinners! We know them through their high quality catering of local Ithaca events and their cooperation with community nonprofits. Every reception and dinner was ready on schedule to our appreciative guests. Some of our venues were new and others familiar, but in all cases, the setups were beautiful and the food delicious. If there were concerns about available food and drink, none of our guests communicated them to us so we believe they were as pleased as we were as the Reunion Committee. We enjoyed our planning meetings, too, and the ability to plan for different menus over three evenings. Thanks to Stephanie and all of her team for their excellent service and for how we all worked toward lofty goals!
We had a wonderful experience with Serendipity for our wedding. The food was great, and we did not have a wedding planner so having Stephanie and Andrew available to help coordinate the many moving parts along with the venue owners was very useful. I was not aware of any glitches the day of the wedding, which is exactly what I wanted on my wedding day - I didnt have to worry about a thing or check in on anyone, I could trust that they were doing everything that needed to be done. There were a couple of instances of emails that were not answered promptly or that required a second follow-up email before receiving a response in the weeks leading up to the wedding, but overall they were very professional and the experience was positive. I would recommend using Serendipity for your wedding.
Many thanks to Serendipity for the superb job they did catering our wedding. The food was incredible (hint: the beef was out of this world!). They thought of every possible detail, from the appetizers to the dessert. They even made special kids meals for the children! I had them bake the wedding cakes. The cakes were beautiful and delicious. Equally important was the upbeat demeanor of the wait staff. They were happy and positive and seemed to be enjoying what they were doing. They served and cleared quietly and efficiently. Serendipity was a delight to work with. Anyone who is lucky enough to have them cater their event will be delighted, too! Thanks, Serendipity. Martha Levine
We had an amazing experience with Serendipity who catered our wedding! They were extremely responsive and helpful throughout the entire process and on the big day, they were nearly invisible, taking care of everything behind the scenes. Everything looks beautiful and the staff was fantastic. The food was INCREDIBLE- everyone was raving about it. Thanks Serendipity!
This is THE team to call if you need a caterer for any occasion! Their delicious, healthy, and beautifully presented meals exceed expectations and create happy smiles and memories. I love Serendipitys creativity, responsiveness, and exceptional quality that make any occasion a special event!
Serendipity Catering is simply amazing. I have used them repeatedly for many events over the years. Some of the events have been in odd locations or with unique themes and every time Serendipity has been flexible and helped create a wonderful experience. The food is fantastic and the staff are incredibly helpful. From big to small every experience has been fantastic. I would not hesitate to hire them for your special event.
We had an emergency situation. 2 months before Cornell Graduation there were no restaurants with reservations available to accommodate us, a party of 15. Serendipity was clearly fully booked with catering engagements but Andrew said he would see if he could manage to squeeze us in.I have worked with caterers in Boston and New York that are highly esteemed. Serendipity pulled off a beautiful event with incredible wait staff, excellent food, an extraordinary bar...we have many mixologists in our crowd, and a perfectly executed set up. Rentals arrived well before set-up. We returned from Graduation to a beautifully arranged table setting, bar set-up, food stations and smiling faces. Appetizers were excellent and plentiful, entrees were fresh and served at the proper temperature and the pastry chef created a tower cake that everyone agreed had a wow factor.Clean up and removal was quick and unimposing as we continued to enjoy the last of the libations. We were thrilled and felt fortunate that Andrew agreed to coordinate and orchestrate the perfect celebration on short notice during the busiest time of the year in Ithaca.Cudos to the entire staff for your professionalism and the comfort zone you created for our guests.
Serendipity Catering provided food and rental help for my Wedding in August 2013 and I couldnt have been a happier bride. Their employees were friendly and professional but more importantly willing to help me with any little problem I was having from color issues to bathroom rentals. I really couldnt have asked for more! The day of the Wedding went very smoothly for us and the food was fantastic. We had a beautiful cake and appetizer/dinner with plenty of options for all our guests tastes. They also set everything up for us on the day of the Wedding which was a huge relief. I highly recommend them to anyone planning an event or Wedding in the area. My only complaint was that I couldnt find Stephanie or Emily after the Wedding to give them a hug to thank them for helping to make my night so special.
Serendipity catered my wedding reception for 70 people, and their service was absolutely top-notch in every way. First, they managed to accommodate us after our other caterer cancelled two-weeks out. Second, they were great at communicating about the details ahead of the event, even on this compressed timeline. They accommodated our dietary restrictions beautifully and were very clear about pricing, etc. Third, the quality of the food was just phenomenal. Our crowd was a picky one with high expectations and they still showered us with compliments on the food. Finally, the service was perfect. Food appeared and dirty dishes disappeared magically; attentive yet unobtrusive. Highly recommended!
Serendipidity was Great! They may not have been the cheapest option, but considering we were planning our wedding in Ithaca, NY from Charleston, SC at a venue that did not have an on site kitchen or catering service (North Point Pavilion in Taughannock State Park) I am SO glad we went with a full service caterer. I will say there were a few things about communication that made me feel they werent quite used to working with clients from out of state. Sometimes they asked the same questions multiple times or didnt answer a question leaving me wondering if they saw my question and nervous if details we talked about were being recorded somewhere. It was a little nerve racking planning from so far away, and I probably was a bit annoying asking them the same questions many times due to my own nerves, but when we finally met with them face to face just a week before our wedding I felt confident that they had it all under control. And on the day of they did a great job. The food was DELICIOUS and they made set up and take down nice and smooth. We leaned on them heavily to act kind of as our day of coordinator as well, coordinating between other rental vendors and things, and it all worked out!
Serendipity Catering is the best. Not only are they are fully professional and produce the highest quality, they are great to work with every time. Serendipity just catered the Hangar Theatres opening night receptions and everything was perfect. They even created signs for all of the food using our logos and creatively tying the food in with our seasons plays. Thanks to Stephanie and Kate and the whole crew at Serendipity!
We hired Serendipity for our non-profits launch party. We met with Stephanie and Kate in advance, who made great suggestions and thought of creative ideas to fit our theme that we had never even thought of! The planning between our first meeting and the event was through occasional emails, phone calls, and one more in person. On the day of the event, they simply blew me away! Our guests were raving about the food, there was plenty for everyone, and they had enough staff to keep passed hors doeuvres within reach at all times. They even had serving platters customized for our theme! One final note, we used meat from local farms (part of our project) and Serendipity complemented it with other local ingredients and great cooperation on working with our special interests. I know from experience that not all caters will do this.
Weve been using Serendipity consistently for many years for work-related events several times a year. They are very thorough and help with everything from tent rentals to food and beverage. They work with us to find a menu that fits our budget and various dietary requests. They have even provided kid-friendly foods at adult events when we know that kids will be present. We always get rave reviews from guests on the quality and uniqueness of food. The staff is always professional and polite. They consistently do a beautiful job on set up and a thorough clean up. We always look forward to events catered by them!
My wife Melissa and I had were extremely demanding of the Serendipity team, and the team at Serendipity bent over backwards to make our vision for our wedding a reality, down to the details surrounding rentals, exotic menu items, budget, etc. The staff they sent (both the night of the wedding and the subsequent brunch) were all extremely friendly, and went well beyond the expected (for example, our barn wedding went until 5 in the morning, and we hadnt exactly cleaned up by the time the staff showed up at 9 for brunch. They jumped right in, helped us clean and get set up before the guests showed up). Oh yes, and the food (which included several special requests including a raw kale salad and apple pies) was exceptional!
Serendipity impressed me from our first conversation and it only got better from there. During the planning process it was clear they were experienced and detail oriented. They provided a highly itemized spreadsheet with every item needed for our event and who was responsible for providing them.When they showed up the day of the event it was like an army was invading - in a good way. I simply showed them the areas for the back of house, reception bar and dinner and the team immediately set to work. It was clear they had done this many times before. They teamwork was impressive and inspiring. Even our CEO relaxed because he could see we were in good hands.Being highly organized and coordinated is great, but the real payoff came when dinner was served. The food was delicious. This was an annual event and some of the guests who had attended previous years commented that it was the best dinner yet.I look forward to the next opportunity to work with Serendipity.
Serendipity was our main caterer for our 35th Cornell reunion, which included Thursday night reception/dinner at Human Ecology Commons; Friday reception at Founders Terrace, along with dinner in Barton Hall; Saturday tailgate reception at Tanner Terrace, along with dinner in a tent on Schoellkopf field.Every menu was better than the next with Saturday night being the more diverse menu with a variety of delicious tailgate sliders, open bar for one hour and for dinner a choice of local greens, beef sirloin, pasta station, chicken, meatballs, vegetables, baked potato station and Purity ice cream.The quality of the food and service were outstanding. The additional to detail was perfect. The venue looked wonderful and inviting each and every time. Everything was served with a smile and her staff is wonderful and accommodating. I highly recommend Serendipity for any catering need. Stephanie is wonderful to work with.....very busy with graduation weekend and a wedding, so a little hard to get the final details pinned down, but it all worked out.
Serendipity catered my small retirement dinner party. They communicated promptly with many back and forth emails to finalize menu and services. They were willing to do as much or as little as I wanted. They arrived promptly at my house in plenty of time to set up, bringing absolutely everything that was needed, in beautiful serving dishes. All of my guests raved about the food. One of my guests was from Germany and she said the spaeztle with mushroom stroganoff was better than any she has ever had in Germany. They came the next day exactly on time and quickly packed up and took away all of their dishes etc. I would highly recommend them!
I ordered the Peanut Satay Chicken bowl for delivery, and while it was delicious, it definitely wasnt worth $16. Id say its worth around $9. Noodles were good but the actual peanut satay chicken was just grilled costco-quality chicken breast with store-bought peanut sauce thrown on top. I get that places need to make money in hard times during this pandemic, but also they shouldnt charge obscene amounts of money for food that isnt worth the price. Yes, its a collegetown with a lot of rich college students using their parents money, but with those prices it only caters solely to that demographic. It also exploits the hard earned money of potential newly-weds on their big day, considering this place also caters to weddings and large events. This place should at least get local ingredients, because only then would I consider buying a bowl like this one. Also my bowl ended up looking nothing like the photo they posted.
I love these guys. They are great and I use them year in and year out (for 5+ years now). Excellent attention to detail: they even created menu cards to match the theme of our event! Quick and efficient to work with, I personally prefer email and they always respond within 24hrs.Food Quality:The food quality is outstanding, cant be beat. Its the only caterer Ill order crème puffs from because they are always at the peak of freshness and never soggy. The breads, croissants, etc are always fresh, the fruit never bruised. The grilled veggies (grilled carrots will be your new favorite veggie), cheese and charcuterie are exceptional, chicken salad sandwiches are a perennial favorite, as is the pasta salad. Food is always exactly as described, the condiments, bread, etc are always exactly as described (they never substitute).Presentation/PreparednessThey bring extra utensils, plates, cups, napkins and linens to be on the safe side. They skirt the tables, provide appropriate center pieces, and bring garbage can covers! YES, garbage can covers so that large plastic cans are covered in sleek black stretchy covers. (I love this). The food presentation is great, tiered plates & presentation, 4 sided buffets, etc. They will match the linen colors to your theme upon request.They are predictable and that is why I use them every year, several times per year. As an events manager, I want predictable, I want things exactly as expected. They are also great at working within my budget creating high-quality, high-end menus while remaining price conscious.I absolutely recommend them without hesitation for any corporate or personal special event.
I recently hired Serendipity for a special family gathering, and they were wonderful! I was able to relax and enjoy the company of my dear cousins, and eat delicious food, and there was nothing to clean up afterwards. The staff was darling, discrete and highly efficient and they displayed the food beautifully! Thank you!!
I have worked with Serendipity Catering for many events over the years (large and small) and they have consistently delivered wonderful service: delicious food, attention to presentation and detail, and the staff is lovely to work with. Theyve always gone out of their way to work around any constraints I may present; they are flexible and yet always dependable.
Very disappointing. We attended and paid for a case club party at a finger lakes winery catered by Serendipity Catering. The set up: cheese and charcuterie, then a 4 station pairing menu, then dessert. The cheese and charcuterie ran out quickly, they brought out some more crackers. At 6, the stations opened. We went to one, brought the food to the table and though tasty, was at best lukewarm. Next station, had to stand an wait for food to be refilled, at least 10 minutes. Tasty, lukewarm. Next station, one of the 2 items being served was empty and not refilled and the station next to that was empty and not refilled. The first station we had gone to was actually closed down. It is now 6:20. The stations opened at 6. I asked the catering staff and they said they called and more food was coming. The caterer is a good 45 minutes away. An hour or so later more food came, pizza from a local restaurant and pasta salad and cupcakes from Wegmans. I would never use this caterer, recommend this caterer or go to another event with this caterer.
Serendipity catering is the topped ranked catering business in the Ithaca area. An excellent choice to cater your special event, wedding, business event, etc. Very professional staff offer friendly service!
I reached out to Serendipity back in May for a quote for my wedding next year and have gotten the runaround from them ever since. I was promised a quote within a week of me reaching out to them and failed to receive so much as a call back until I sent an e-mail a MONTH later asking what the deal was. I then spoke with Andrew to get a better idea of my wedding needs and was told that they would get back to me within two weeks. I heard nothing from anyone for another month. When I reached out to them, I was put back in touch with Stephanie who e-mailed me saying that they had been waiting on my details this entire time (very untrue since they already had the details). Again, I was told I would receive the quote by the following Monday. That was two weeks ago. I guess I am a glutton for punishment because I just called over there today to see what the hold up was and Stephanie answered. She promptly apologized and put me on hold to find my file. Within a minute, I was hung up on.I cannot imagine dealing with these people during one of the most important days of my life and am so grateful that they showed their lack of professionalism before I put money down for a deposit.
I have DJd many upscale weddings where Serendipity was caterer. From my extensive firsthand EATING experience, I must say they are TOPS !!!!!!
Rude service, meh food. don’t bother if you’re trying for anything special, they aren’t it.
Superb!!!!!!!!!
Total reviews rating 4.5
42 Reviews for Serendipity Catering 2023:
Review №1
2022-07-08Serendipity did an amazing job catering my wedding! The food was absolutely delicious and every single staff member was kind and helpful. We couldn’t believe the beautiful cake they made for us - it looked exactly like the photo we sent in! They take care of every single detail.
Review №2
2022-03-26Serendipity catered our June 2021 wedding at the Ithaca Farmers Market and provided all tables/chairs/plates/etc.We had an incredibly positive experience working with their team. Even though COVID presented so many challenges and uncertainties while planning our big day, the teams professionalism, experience catering many large events and their knowledge of our venue provided us so much peace of mind, especially as we planned our wedding 100% remotely.Prior to our wedding day, they were easy to get in touch with, knew every question to ask us and proactively did so. They took all of our thoughts into consideration while making good suggestions to make our vision even better.On our wedding day, they arrived well ahead of time to set up, followed the plan we discussed so the evening flowed seamlessly and the food and drinks were great! They cleaned up afterwards and truly made the experience so easy.Both my husband and I would highly recommend Serendipity!
Review №3
2020-05-04Serendipity catered our wedding (~50 people) in fall of 2019 and they did a fabulous job. They worked with us despite a short planning horizon and the event being held at an outdoor venue with no kitchen. They were so organized and professional in the planning and execution stages, with exceptional attention to detail. They listened to our input and were flexible and supportive. Their team is amazing and can handle any challenge! In addition to running an efficient business, Serendipitys product is AMAZING. Many of our wedding guests were foodies from out of town and raved about the main course and dessert. A number of people told us that Serendipitys wedding cake (vanilla white cake with strawberries) was the best they ever had. I cant recommend them more highly.
Review №4
2018-10-17We cant not thank Alex and Stephanie and their team at Serendipity enough for a beautiful reception for our wedding in August 2018 at the Fontainebleau inn in Alpine , NY. Since the very beginning, Alex and Stephanie were very professional and assisted us in planning the menu and the decoration of the reception. They were also fun to work with. We liked them so much that we also had them cater our rehearsal dinner!On our wedding day, we didnt have to worry about anything. The Serendipity team was so professional. They took great care of the details. Our guests were so impressed at how beautiful the place was and how delicious the foods were. Its been over 2 months since our wedding and we still hear from our guests how much they like the foods at out wedding!!!!
Review №5
2022-07-06I cannot fully describe how awful our experience was with serendipity, but I will try so that hopefully others can avoid this business at all costs!Tldr: Very hard to contact and work with for months before giving us a quote 2x other quotes wed gotten. By that point we were locked in and then she drops us as client with
Review №6
2021-09-21The team at Serendipity is amazing! They were so easy to work with, were very quick to respond and were flexible to our needs. We picked up a family meal for 8 people to bring with us for a weekend away in the Finger Lakes for our moms 70th Birthday. Serendipity called us that evening when they realized they had forgotten to give us one of the trays. One of their team members drove an hour each way to drop it off to us. Most places would have just credited the meal back. The food was absolutely delicious and the entire family loved the meal! I would highly recommend Serendipity and I am excited to work with them again in the future :)
Review №7
2018-04-22Serendipity Catering is amazing! They catered a surprise birthday event for me yesterday, serving over 100 people. From the first proposal and menu, right up to accessibility after the event, working with them has been seamless. I had complete trust in the process given the frequent communication before the event. And, they accommodated readjustments along the way. THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS! We enjoyed a high-end lunch of several homemade dips (hummus, caramelized onion), mini buttery croissants filled with chicken curry salad, baguette with fresh mozzarell with tomato and pesto, and pulled pork with fresh rolls, a spicy Carolina bbq sauce, and slaw. Some guests had already experienced Serendipity Catering at other events around town and raved about them. Others made sure to ask who catered because they were so impressed with the meal on their plates. Presentation was very appealing. And, their cakes---outrageous. So good. We had a three tier chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and fudge, as well as a LARGE single round of vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting layered with raspberry puree. All food and dessert portions were very generous. We were pleased to have leftovers to enjoy at home in the coming days. Serendipity Catering is priced more than fairly, reflecting both quantity and quality of product, staffing, and overall experience. We will absolutely hire Serendipity Catering for our future events.
Review №8
2019-12-16We used Serendipity for our wedding caterer and could not have been happier with them. They were so helpful and accommodating. The experience was very personal and completely customizable. We always looked forward to our meetings with them and they were extremely responsive. The food was delicious and we got so many compliments. They took care of EVERYTHING. They ordered our rentals for us, coordinated an ice cream bar, and did the set up and clean up. They went out of their way to visit the venue (an hour away from them) and communicate with the venue owner directly. We were so impressed with them and would not hesitate to use them again. Absolutely recommend!
Review №9
2015-02-25My department at Cornell uses the services of Serendipity very frequently and almost always for our major events. We know when we contract with Serendipity everything is taken care of and we will not have any bad surprises. Any concerns we have are always taken care of expediently and pleasantly. The food is always more than enough for the number we contract for and delicious. The variety of food choices is amazing and Stephanie and her event coordinators are always willing to work with us to get just the right menu to make all of our event guests happy, even the pickiest of eaters. Regardless of the event, Stephanie always goes out of her way to make the decor lovely...even a cracked concrete floored contemporary glass box can is made to look cozy, warm and festive. Some have said that Serendipity is expensive...but we have found that their prices are comparable to many of the other local catering services most of which do not match the quality of the service, food, or atmosphere provided by Serendipity. If I ever am looking for a caterer for a personal event, I will definitely contact Stephanie and Serendipity.
Review №10
2018-11-12We hired Serendipity to cater our wedding and couldnt have been happier, start to finish. Planning for food/drinks was super easy and we even hired other vendors based on their excellent suggestions. They were also incredibly accommodating, setting up our decorations and providing everything else we needed for the reception. They were super responsive and seemed to have all the answers to questions before we even asked them. I would highly recommend them to anyone in need of event catering.