Under The Oak Cafe

I cannot say enough good things about Under The Oak. We had them cater our wedding and had our wedding guests telling us all night how amazing the food is! I’ve heard MULTIPLE guests tell me “this is the best food I’ve had in a while.” They were so amazing to work with and everything went so smoothly. Even made sure myself (the bride) and my now husband got a chance to get some of the appetizers too while taking pictures. Trust me when I say you will not regret having Under The Oak cater any special event!

I had the pleasure of working with Under the Oak when they arrived to setup and I can happily say that they were amazing. The team stepped right up and started working, helped solve some of the outlying issues we were having at the venue and produced a fantastic meal. Their balsamic glazed salmon was some of the best fish I have had in a long time and everyone around me, regardless of what was on their plate, raved about how good the food was. From the setup through the meal they were top notch. Thank you for making our lives easy as we finalized the wedding day prep!

Under the Oak Catering provided appetizers, dinner and bar service at my daughter's wedding. The food was delicious! All the guests are still bragging on how they enjoyed all the food. The service and staff were beyond amazing. The bartenders were great and even saved the groom's favorite drink to make sure he was taken care of. We would highly recommend Under the Oak. Some of our favorites are the crab cake apps and the beef short rib entree.

Thank you so much for all your help getting me to my Special Day! The food was delicious, guests were looking to have seconds. The service was impeccable, the Team was great! Guest have already been reaching out to me asking who did our catering and bar. I would definitely recommend Under the Oak Catering to anyone looking for amazing food and outstanding customer service. Thank you for being a part of our Special Day! Sincerely, Mr. & Mrs. Williams

The coordinator was so responsive and patient with our questions regarding our menu options versus price points, with substitutions. Scheduling a tasting afterwards was no problem, getting us in within a week. The food was delicious, and our waiter was professional so we knew to move ahead with hiring them. This, thankfully, carried through the whole night of our wedding. Our guests enjoyed their food, as there were no leftovers! We also hired their bartending service, which we also heard great things about. We were also given the option of providing our own alcohol, which we did. However, there were a few little things that missed the mark. Requests agreed upon in emails were not followed through, such as having labels of food on the display boards. As guests were asking me what flavors were which, I had to ask the servers to stand out there instead of me. The bartenders also missed having a beverage available that was on my printed out menu. A guest had asked for it, which triggered the team to realize it was never put out. Even though there were little things missed such as those mentioned above, I would hire them again. Nothing major went wrong or was disappointing, and I expected small things to happen throughout the night.

Under the Oak not only met but far exceeded our expectations for our wedding caterer. From start to finish, they were responsive, professional, kind, and so very accommodating. I have several food allergies, and they were able to make me/similar guests special dishes so that we could still enjoy most all the food. Lara went above and beyond helping us make sure our day went smoothly and was a delight to work with. Thank you, Under the Oak, for helping make our wedding day so unforgettable!

Our highest recommendation for an extra special culinary experience provided by Under the Oak Cafe!! Offering a terrific value and quality range of menu options, the owners are a talented young couple (chef Blake and wife, Megan of @idocakesnc) who provide farm-to-table, five-star goodness for every palette, including vegetarian (V) and gluten free (GF) items. Convenient to locals in Smithfield and Clayton and a worthy destination from the Raleigh area as well as to travelers off of I-95, your made-to-order lunch will be served by their friendly staff within six minutes and your multi-course dinner selections at a relaxed but appropriate pace. One of the many things that really set this gem of a restaurant apart is the attention to detail with each of their plates, visually delighting the eye with a colorful presentation, followed by complex flavors pleasing to the palette and nose. While Blake is highly regarded for his pickling and fermentation expertise and Megan’s incredible talents offer custom wedding cakes and other dessert delicacies, their talents abound in all other culinary arts as well. My husband and I enjoyed a Friday evening date, sampling many items elegantly presented from their menu while saving room for Megan’s divine desserts. Every single plate we tasted was delicious but if forced to choose, our favorites were the raw oysters with mignonette (with a glass of cava brut), mushroom toast with butter bean hummus and pickled radish, cucumber salad with yogurt and mint and all three of Megan’s desserts: honeysuckle panna cotta with peach ice and cashew ginger granola; chocolate cake with salted caramel ice cream and toffee; and buttermilk pie with blueberry sorbet. Wine and beer selection is small but comprehensive and just right - our bottle of velvety High Note Malbec paired well with our menu choices, offering rich blackberry and black cherry aromas. Reservations are appreciated. Super clean, modern interior with tables set with fresh flowers and candles, this cafe offers a dinner atmosphere that is just right for families, couples, and friends with safe well-lit street parking at night. Fantastic option for business lunches and travelers who crave fresh, real food and very convenient to Smithfield Courthouse as well as a quick drive from Novo Nordisk, Grifols, Caterpillar, etc.