Canapé catering in Pretoria

Welcome bites or the main meal?

Before a meal, canapés give guests something to enjoy while they arrive and settle in. The selection should complement what follows, rather than become a second dinner.

As the main food, a more substantial savoury-and-sweet selection lets guests eat while they mingle. The balance and sequence matter, especially when a reception runs across a usual mealtime. If your evening also needs a seated dinner or wider service, explore event and reception catering.

A taste of the selection

• Hot bites: gochujang chicken lollipops or lamb koftas with chimichurri. Browse chicken and poultry canapés and beef and lamb bites.
• Cold options: smoked salmon blinis with dill cream cheese and roe, or a sushi selection. Explore fish and seafood canapés.
• Vegetarian choices: truffled mushroom arancini, spinach and feta pinwheels or crispy tofu bao buns with rainbow slaw. See vegetarian canapé ideas.
• Something sweet: milk tart profiteroles, mini pavlovas or dark chocolate tartlets with hazelnut crémeux. Browse sweet canapés and mini desserts.

These are starting points from the current menu. We discuss availability and dietary requirements before agreeing your selection.

Planning a standing reception

Tell us the guest count, venue, start time and duration, whether another meal is planned, and whether you would like food passed through the room. Access, space for serving and the timing of hot dishes belong in that conversation too.

Vegetarian, vegan, halaal-friendly and gluten-free requirements are discussed when planning the menu. Please share allergies early; halaal-friendly is not a claim of certified halaal preparation.

Pricing & service arrangements

A few welcome bites and a substantial canapé meal are different briefs. Reception length, guest numbers, the balance of dishes and how food will be served shape your quotation. The costs guide describes a substantial savoury-and-sweet selection, not a fixed number of pieces.

Included equipment. Crockery, cutlery, chafing dishes, table dressings and displays are included in the total price.

Quoted separately. Service staff, drinks and travel are quoted separately where needed.

Delivery, venue access and serving times are agreed during planning. Setup and cleanup are confirmed according to the scope of your event.

See substantial canapé starting prices

Plan your canapé menu

General feedback from an event organiser

This is the food that will get you saying "Oh My (Mai)"! Not only will they take you on a culinary journey across the world, but you can trust the quality and expertise of the professional team. From Cape to Cairo, from the Eastern spices to the Western flavours, they are very creative, will listen to your ideas and turn them into reality. They don't just "make" food, Oh Mai catering curates your culinary experiences by displaying food as a work of art. I have had the privilege of seeing how diverse they are in catering for a wide range of audiences and how they tailor each event to meet the client needs and go over and above the scope. As an event manager, you cannot be everywhere at once and it helps when you know that there is a trusted team that cares about your event and guests just as much as you do. I am absolutely booking them again.

Mpho · Google review, shared verbatim. Read our reviews on Google

Questions before you book

Can canapés replace a seated meal?

Yes, a substantial selection can be planned as the main food for a cocktail-style event. Tell us whether another meal will be served, how long guests will be there and the intended serving times so we can recommend a suitable balance.

How many pieces should we plan per person?

We recommend a selection around your guest count, reception duration and whether canapés are welcome bites or the main meal. Ask us to confirm quantities for your event rather than choosing from a fixed pieces-per-person rule.

Can food be passed around the room?

Service staff can be arranged to pass canapés through the room. We discuss the venue layout, serving sequence and staffing you need during planning; service staff are quoted separately where needed.