Yum! (Photo by Christy Tyler Photography.)
I was very surprised to learn, as I researched this subject, that there are only a few caterers doing business in the city of Evanston. That’s not to say that you can’t find a caterer here, because any of them will come to Evanston, but, for some reason, almost no one has set up shop in town to do catering. I do know of a few, but the funny thing, for me, is that I’ve never worked with any of them. I think I’ll have to work on that! Here are the ones I know about.
The first one I heard of is Feast & Imbibe. They have a space in northwest Evanston, and it looks as if they are on the verge of opening up a venue there, too. I like the vibe they give off. It feels very Evanstonian.
There is also The Caterist, which I’ve also heard good things about. It’s kind of amazing that I’ve never crossed paths with them, since they work at a lot of venues where I’ve worked regularly.
And then there is a catering company that is entirely new to me. I knew that Foodstuffs has a store selling gourmet groceries on Central St. in Evanston. It has been there a long time (30 years, according to their website), and I’ve been by there many times. What I didn’t know is that they also have a catering division, Foodstuffs Events & Catering, that offers full-service catering. Who knew? Now we all do.
In addition, we have a plethora of good bakeries in Evanston. My neighbor, Tracy Sampson, runs Yum Squared Bakery. From everything I’ve heard about her, this is a bakery worth considering. I love the fact that she uses organic ingredients when possible and offers both vegan and dairy-free options. And her Instagram is slathered in photos of beautiful cookies, cakes, and cupcakes.
Another option for lovely-looking cookies is Primadonna Custom Cookies, a small-batch baker in town. (Link is to Instagram. I couldn’t find a website.)
And, of course, I can’t overlook the old stalwarts of the Evanston bakery scene. Bennison’s Bakery has been on Davis St. in downtown Evanston since 1938! They are a solid, old-fashioned bakery of the best kind. The lines are always out the door on Saturday mornings. And Tag’s Bakery has been on Central St. since 1937. (This one was my hangout after school when I was in middle school.)
Again, I am only scratching the surface of bakeries. There are small and specialty bakeries all over town. Everyone has their favorite. We’re lucky to live in a city that has so many resources and so many talented people who have decided to set up shop here. One things is for sure: Evanston eats well!
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