Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Secret Little Garden welcomes outside caterers — we believe great food is personal, and we want you to have the food that tells your story. Whether that's your abuela's tamales, a favorite BBQ pit master, or a caterer you've worked with before, we'll make it work beautifully. Our preferred vendors (including Love You Long Time) enjoy complimentary kitchen access. Outside caterers are subject to a kitchen access fee ($500–$1,500 depending on event size) that covers use of our commercial prep kitchen, refrigeration, staging areas, and post-event cleanup coordination.

Events at Secret Little Garden carry a food & beverage minimum — a spending floor set by our preferred catering partner, Love You Long Time, that ensures your guests enjoy a meaningful culinary experience. The minimum varies by day and season: Sunday–Thursday starts at $2,500, Fridays at $5,000, off-peak Saturdays (January–March, July–August) at $7,500, peak Saturdays (April–June, September–December) at $10,000, and major holidays at $12,000. This minimum can be met through any combination of catering, bar service, and dessert. It is separate from the venue rental fee.

The F&B minimum exists because food and drink are what your guests remember most. It ensures every celebration at Secret Little Garden has a meaningful culinary experience — not just a venue with a folding table of store-bought platters. Think of it as a commitment to quality, not a restriction. And because it can be met through any combination of catering, bar, and dessert, you have complete flexibility in how you reach it.

The kitchen fee ranges from $500 to $1,500 depending on the size and complexity of your event. It covers access to our commercial prep kitchen, walk-in refrigeration, staging and plating areas, and post-event cleanup coordination. This ensures your outside caterer has everything they need to deliver an exceptional experience — and that our space is treated with care.

We always recommend starting with a conversation about our preferred catering partner, Love You Long Time, led by Chef Kristina Zhao — a James Beard Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Fellow whose menus are extraordinary. From Coastal Italian Sunset stations to Vietnamese Banh Mi bars to Oaxacan Street Market spreads, she designs food experiences that become the highlight of the evening. As a preferred vendor, Love You Long Time enjoys seamless venue coordination and complimentary kitchen access. That said, we genuinely support your choice. Some clients have cultural or family food traditions that matter deeply, and we honor that completely.