Summer Catering in Indianapolis: Father's Day, Lake Days, and Backyard Parties

Summer fills up fast around here. Father's Day, showers, backyard parties, and the first long weekends at the lake all stack up in June. If you are hosting any of it, the food does not have to be the part that stresses you out.

We have been cooking from scratch on Illinois Street since 1979. Same kitchen, same recipes, same people who know your order. Here is how we help Butler-Tarkington and the rest of Indianapolis get through a busy June without living at the stove.

Father's Day

Dad does not need another tie. He needs a good sandwich and a chair in the shade.

A Deli Salad Tray at $13 per person brings chicken, tuna, and egg salad on croissants with chips, which is about as low-effort as a family lunch gets. If he would rather have a sit-down meal, our Beef Stroganoff and Tarkington Chicken cater by the entree with house salad and house-baked bread included. Add a Fresh Fruit tray and you are done thinking about food for the day.

Lake days and quick dinners

Lake season is here, and nobody wants to cook after a day on the water.

Our grab-and-go section keeps the cooler stocked. Quiche, quarts of Chicken Noodle or Tomato Basil soup, and frozen scones are ready when you are. Our Dinner for Two options come in bigger sizes too: Tarkington Chicken, Beef Lasagna, Turkey Tetrazzini, and Veggie Lasagna. Order a half pan or full pan ahead for pickup before you head out of town, and dinner is handled before you have even loaded the car.

This is the kind of thing our regulars in Broad Ripple and Rocky Ripple grab on a Friday afternoon on the way out. Quick, made here, no drive-through involved.

Backyard gatherings and summer cookouts

The best summer parties in Indianapolis are the casual ones. A few trays, good people, a long evening on the patio.

For those, our appetizer platters do the heavy lifting. Silver Dollar Sandwiches come at $22 per dozen, Mini Croissant Sandwiches with fruited chicken salad at $27 per dozen. Round it out with a Fresh Vegetables tray and dill dip or a Domestic Cheeses tray with crackers. The Miniature Dessert Tray closes the night with eclairs, cannolis, lemon squares, and chocolate dipped strawberries.

Hosting a shower or a wedding-weekend brunch? The same platters scale up. We cater across Indianapolis, with Meridian Kessler and the neighborhoods near our Butler-Tarkington kitchen being the easiest to reach.

How to order

Catering is simpler than people expect.

Call us at 317-253-9513 or start an order online. You can browse the full catering menu any time. Keep these in mind:

• 24 hours notice on all catering orders, 48 hours for menu changes

• 10 person minimum

• Delivery available with a $150 order minimum and a $25 delivery fee

• Disposable plates, silverware, and serving utensils available for setup

We are open Monday 7 to 3, Tuesday through Friday 7 to 5, and Saturday 7 to 2. Whether you are in Butler-Tarkington or across Indianapolis, stop in, call, or order online. We will take care of the food so you can take care of the party.

Your neighborhood scratch kitchen, feeding Indianapolis since 1979.