Party Platters in Valparaiso
Not every gathering needs a full catering setup. Sometimes the occasion just calls for trays of food that can be picked up, dropped off, or served buffet-style without staff, rentals, or a formal event plan. Several Valpo Dining member restaurants offer party-platter and grab-and-go options built for exactly that: office lunches, tailgates, family get-togethers, and last-minute gatherings where the food should be easy to order and easy to serve. Below are the local options that specifically offer this kind of casual, order-ahead format.
McGowan & Sons
McGowan & Sons offers party trays to go as part of its catering menu, making it a straightforward option for an office lunch or casual gathering that just needs food dropped off. Per McGowan & Sons’ website, trays can be ordered alongside appetizers and small plates, so a group can mix a few tray options into one order without needing a full sit-down event.
Martinis in Valpo
Martinis’ scratch kitchen gives party-platter orders more variety than a typical to-go menu, spanning Italian, Greek, seafood and other dishes. For groups that want something beyond standard appetizer trays, Martinis can build a platter order around its existing menu strengths, making it a fit for an office gathering or casual family event that wants restaurant-quality food without full-service catering.
Don Quijote
Don Quijote’s tapas format works naturally as a platter order — small, shareable Spanish dishes that were built to be served family-style in the first place. A group ordering tapas platters gets built-in variety without needing separate entrées per person, which makes it a practical option for a casual gathering that wants food guests can pick at rather than a plated meal.
El Salto
El Salto’s catering menu includes a la carte items — tamales, flautas, quesadillas, mini burritos, guacamole and queso — that are built for exactly this kind of order. Per El Salto’s website, these can be ordered without the servers, warmers or full setup that come with its larger catering packages, making them a simple option for a taco-and-dip spread at an office or family gathering.
Radius
Radius’ menu mixes American comfort food with Greek specialties, giving platter orders a wider range than a single-cuisine option — burgers, pretzel sticks, gyros and more can all come from one order. That variety makes it a fit for mixed-preference groups like an office lunch where not everyone wants the same thing.
Veleros
Veleros’ Mexican menu translates well to shareable platters, from lobster tacos to fajita spreads built for a table. Its downtown Valparaiso location and family-style serving options make it a straightforward pick for a group that wants Mexican food without ordering everyone’s meal separately.
Maple + Bacon
Maple + Bacon specializes in breakfast and brunch, so it’s the platter option for a morning meeting or daytime event rather than a dinner gathering. Its menu covers pancakes, egg dishes and coffee service that can be ordered as a group tray instead of individual plates.
