Business Details
32 Years
experience
Fresh Homemade Catering in DC Metro Area
Allspice Catering has been dedicated to delivering exceptional hospitality and homemade dishes since its founding in April 1994. Originally known as Spice of Life, our business has maintained a steadfast commitment to fresh, flavorful cuisine despite changes in name and ownership. Since March 2013, we've embraced the opportunity to continue this legacy while infusing our menus with global culinary influences. Our story is built upon a rich heritage of culinary tradition spanning over 120 combined years across multiple generations and continents. From Rich's family background with Cape Cod's Bonnie Doone Restaurant to Gus's upbringing in Spain and Argentina's vibrant food scenes, our expertise runs deep.Our team combines this extensive experience with a passion for creating fresh, internationally inspired menus that cater to every occasion. We take pride in treating customers like family while providing hassle-free service that simplifies event planning. Whether catering intimate gatherings or large-scale events for thousands, we maintain our core commitment to quality, service, and authentic homemade food. Our family-and-friends-run business continues to serve the DMV community from our Virginia headquarters while upholding the values passed down through generations of culinary professionals.
Services
Corporate catering
Wedding catering
Social gatherings
Delivery service
Argentine menu
Custom menus
Event rentals
Staffing services
Beverage service
Details
- Year established: 1994
Highlights and features
- We offer full-service catering for events of all sizes, from 5 to 5,000 guests.
- Our team combines over 120 years of culinary heritage with modern event solutions.
- We specialize in short-notice wedding catering without compromising quality or service.
- Our homemade-style cooking uses fresh ingredients with global culinary influences.
- We handle every detail including rentals, staffing, and custom menu creation.
Services
Corporate Catering
We provide professional catering solutions for corporate events of all sizes, from small meetings to large conferences. Our fresh, homemade-style meals meet the demands of busy professionals while maintaining exceptional quality. With experience serving major events like the US Navy's Pentagon holiday party for 1,200+ guests, we deliver reliable service that meets tight deadlines and budgets without compromising flavor.
Wedding Catering
Our wedding catering specializes in creating memorable dining experiences with shorter planning timelines. We work closely with couples to design beautiful menus that reflect their personal style while maintaining our signature homemade quality. From intimate celebrations to grand receptions, our experienced team ensures flawless execution so you can focus on enjoying your special day without catering stress.
Social Gatherings
We cater all types of social celebrations including birthdays, baby showers, retirements, and family reunions. Our thoughtfully prepared menus are designed for sharing, with a warm and unpretentious approach that matches the homemade quality of our food. Our team handles all details from setup to cleanup, allowing you to fully enjoy your event while we take care of your guests' needs.
Argentine Menu
Our Argentine menu features traditional dishes like milanesas, offering a taste of Argentina's rich culinary heritage. This specialized menu provides family-style meals and office lunch options that bring authentic Latin flavors to your table. As Milanga Place, we've perfected these traditional recipes to deliver an exciting culinary experience that combines cultural authenticity with our commitment to fresh, homemade preparation.
Delivery Service
We offer convenient delivery and pickup options for all our catering services, including our popular Argentine menu. Orders placed by 2 PM receive next-day service to ensure maximum freshness and quality. Our delivery system maintains the same high standards as our event catering, bringing our homemade-style meals directly to your office or home with reliable timing and professional service.
People
Gus Ramos
Operations
Gus brings extensive hospitality experience from his family's restaurant background in Spain and Argentina. He transitioned from healthcare leadership to catering operations, combining strategic management with culinary passion. His diverse career includes marketing roles at Burger King Argentina and leadership in post-acute care organizations.
Rich Vizard
Sales
Rich grew up in his family's restaurant business and has over 24 years of catering industry experience. He previously managed catering operations for the Army National Guard and served as Regional Catering Manager for Au Bon Pain. He purchased Allspice Catering in 2013, returning to his culinary roots after time in the financial sector.
Questions
What areas do you cater to?
We provide catering services throughout the Washington DC metropolitan area, including Northern Virginia and Maryland.
Can you accommodate last-minute events?
Yes, we specialize in short-notice catering for weddings and events with limited planning time.
Do you offer custom menu options?
We create custom menus tailored to your event's needs and preferences while maintaining our homemade quality.
What types of events do you cater?
We cater all event types including corporate functions, weddings, social gatherings, and special celebrations.
Do you provide event staffing and rentals?
Yes, we offer complete event solutions including food service staff and rental equipment for your event.
What is your ordering deadline for next-day service?
Orders must be placed by 2 PM for next-day delivery or pickup to ensure freshness and quality.
Reviews (6)
Amy Eckrote
Jan 13, 2022
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We had an event catered and everything was prepared COVID safe and the food was delicious! It got great reviews on our participants evaluation forms. Rich was easy, kind and efficient to work with! Will use again!
M. M.
Dec 01, 2021
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I had a pre-thanksgiving professional dinner and was communicating with another caterer who was taking forever in getting things finalized so a week before the event I decided it wasn't working and started looking for another caterer last minute. Allspice came up on the list and I called them and Richard was very quick in responding and literally what was taking me weeks with the other caterer took me a few hours to finalize and process with Allspice. I needed halal Turkey and he even managed to call up a Muslim farm and arrange that too. In fact, the menu listing was more creative and larger than
Jill Cockerham
Aug 29, 2021
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Great experience and delicious food. Website had very easy online ordering system and I was able to get a delicious catered brunch delivered quickly. Very responsive too, id highly recommend!
Kristin Kunkle
Apr 30, 2021
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We never ordered for catering but have ordered the family meals several times. There is so much food for the price, you'll feel like you're not in Arlington (since everything is usually so expensive in Arlington). You will definitely have leftovers. All the food we have ordered has been delicious and the owner is so kind, helpful and accommodating.
Ben Heller
Dec 23, 2020
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We got the beef tips with rosemary potatoes family style meal. It was great! Our family of two adults and kids 8 and 6 ate it for 2 nights and still had some left over. Very enjoyable experience.
Dave S.
Feb 26, 2020
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Allspice catered a party for us, and we could not have been more pleased. Their website is transparent about the options and pricing, their communication was prompt and helpful, the delivery was on time, the price was good, and most importantly, the food was delicious. We honestly are trying to find excuses to order from them again.
