Common Roots Catering

I cannot say enough good things about Common Roots Catering. Daria is my go-​to gal, and she puts together a killer menu to fit any budget. The delivery staff is prompt, courteous, and professional. Everyone from concept to execution brings their A-​Game to the table. You won’t be disappointed if you order from Common Roots.

I hired Common Roots to cater an all-​staff celebration. We ordered a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and salads. They were a great fit as we were able to accommodate to paleo, vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-​free. They provided all the labels necessary and put all the sauces on the side for all the dietary restrictions. They also provided compost bags to make it a waste-​free event.
I had to increase the head count by 40 people the morning of our event and they were very accommodating and incredibly responsive. I look forward to using them again for a future event.

We hired Common Roots because we liked the concept of farm to table. We had the tasting and everything tasted wonderful! We were really excited to have Common Roots cater our wedding.
But, as our wedding date approached, things started changing. Suddenly, we needed to pay a lot more for things that we had already requested to be included in the quote — such as table side wine pouring, cake cutting, and helping pass out champagne for a champagne toast. All of these things were things that we had told Common Roots that we wanted to be included from the beginning. When they originally quoted us, they included a certain number of staff. The quote didn’t state what the staff would be doing. But, we falsely assumed that the staff would be doing the things that we requested from the beginning. But, as the date approached, more staff were added by Common Roots — which greatly increased the cost of our catering! When I asked about why staff were being added late in the game, I was told that it was because I wanted table side wine pouring and cake cutting. I inquired as to why this would increase costs for me when I had already asked that this be included in the quote. I was told that it was because they wanted to uphold a certain standard of service. Um… ok…but why didn’t you want me to know how much that service was going to cost me at the beginning!!! Plus, they had it set up that there was at least one server per table — for a buffet style wedding. That seems excessive! Especially given the fact that my water was never refilled and I didn’t see the staff doing much of anything most of the night.
As the bride and groom, we also never were able to even try the appetizers on the day of the wedding because no one came to us and offered us anything.
They also never put the gravy on our homestyle chicken so the chicken was dried out and gross.
The staff also cost us a ridiculous amount of money because they broke a lot of the dishes and glasses that we had rented.
Overall, we were very disappointed and ended up paying a lot more than we had originally anticipated.

We had Common Roots cater our intimate backyard wedding party and everything went perfectly. Sarah Mertz, the catering manager, was a joy to work with. She’s professional, responsive, and help us planned the details we hadn’t thought of. She also provided excellent recommendation and she has great problem solving skills. The catering team and chef had great energy as well; which was very important to us for our important day. Our guests also commented on how professional and pleasant the Common Roots folks were as well.
The food was excellent. None of that dried boring wedding food. Excellent appetizers during cocktail hours. They were also accomodating with less than minimum required order for our vegetarian friends. The vegetarian hor d’ouevres were a bit hit. Sliders, trout, grass fed beef, tart, all excellent. Service was professional and non-​rushed. They have a great mission with regards to locally sources as much as possible, organic, and peace coffee and teas. Thanks Common Roots. We’d recommend them without hesitation.

Within one year, I’ve used Common Roots Catering twice, and both were for events at the Weisman Art Museum (WAM) on the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis.
I worked with Rachel J., Assistant Director, and she is helpful, friendly, and provides some fantastic options tailored for the events. There are several reasons why I give them five stars.
1. Out-​of-​the-​box menu. If you are tired of your typical box lunch for your business meetings or parties, Common Roots Catering has wonderful options. Last November we had a sit-​down meal, and everyone raved from the appetizers to the desserts. Yesterday we had a business offsite and I need to have lunch brought in, so we had a nice variety of soup, salad, hummus wrap and sandwiches. Just give them an idea of what you want, and let them plan the menu. You can’t go wrong.
2. Friendly staff. I’ve already mentioned that working with Rachel is a treat. In November we had a bar, and the staff really interacted well with our employees. David was there coordinating the event and yesterday I was able to work with him again. He knew this was for business, so he was very conscientious about making as little noise as possible clearing up the dishes. He even left us extra water for our meeting.
3. Ease of Service. Here’s the best part. Common Roots Catering has catered so many events at the WAM, they know the routine. They work well with the WAM staff and the events go off without a hitch. Everything runs smoothly and as the planner of these events, it means I keep my head and my job. They take the worry away so you can actually enjoy the event as well.
You do need to flexible on a few things. Common Roots Catering only uses local and organic ingredients, so menu items change based on availability and season. You won’t find the big name soft drink suppliers on the menu, so your groups will have to deal with it and opt for other choices (that’s what I told my groups).
Pricing is a little bit more than other places, but because of all of the above, it is so worth it. You get what you pay for. I totally received great service, excellent food and piece of mind. That, in my book, makes using Common Roots Catering totally worth it.
Check them out for your next function!