Caribbean & Seafood Catering in Wilmington, NC: Islandz & Under the Sea
When Your Event Needs to Taste Like an Island
Wilmington sits right on the Atlantic. The beaches are minutes away. Your backyard might have a water view. And yet most catering in the area tastes landlocked — the same Continental menu everywhere you go.
What if your event could taste like where you live?
At Castle Gardens ILM, Chef Dex brings her Bahamian heritage into every kitchen. That means Caribbean catering in Wilmington doesn't feel like a novelty. It feels like home — if home happens to be somewhere warm with bold spices and flavors that make you think of salt water and island breezes.
Islandz: Caribbean Flavors, Elevated Service
Jerk chicken. Curry chicken. Curry goat. Fried fish. Oxtails. These aren't casual options you throw in for fun. These are the centerpiece proteins of Caribbean cuisine — the flavors that define the islands.
The Islandz menu starts with the foundation: white rice. Macaroni pie — think mac and cheese but richer, creamier, the way it's made in the Caribbean. Corn. Crab salad. A 24-inch charcuterie board that brings island flair with Caribbean cheeses, tropical fruits, and cured meats.
You choose two sides from rice and peas, potato salad, cabbage, coleslaw, corn, cornbread, or fried plantains. You choose two proteins from jerk chicken, curry chicken, curry goat (add $5), shrimp, fried fish (add $5), or oxtails (add $5). Plus your choice of dip: queso, beef, or spinach.
Everything is finished with a mini dessert bar and fresh florals in your color scheme.
Islandz starts at $3,200 for 25 guests.
What makes this work: Caribbean food is bold and confident. It doesn't apologize. Your guests either love it or they learn to love it — and most fall into the first category once they taste what real Caribbean catering tastes like.
Under the Sea: Seafood for People Who Actually Like Seafood
If your event is near the water, on the water, or you simply love the ocean, Under the Sea is your menu.
Succulent shrimp. Fresh oysters. Crab legs. Seared scallops. This isn't seafood as a side option. This is seafood as the star.
The menu includes corn, coleslaw, and string beans as your foundation. Crab salad and crab bites for variety. A 24-inch charcuterie board with smoked salmon, creamy cheeses, cured meats, and tropical fruits.
You choose two sides from mashed potatoes, cheddar biscuits, broccoli, asparagus, collard greens, garden salad, cornbread, hush puppies, white rice, or soup. You choose two proteins from salmon, shrimp, crab dip with pita bread, grilled parmesan oysters (add $5), scallops (add $5), clams (add $5), crab legs (add $5), fried fish (add $5), or Cajun seafood broil (add $5).
This is the only menu that starts at $3,500 for 25 guests — because seafood costs what it costs, and we never cut corners on quality.
What makes this work: Seafood done right is an event in itself. Your guests will taste the difference between fresh, quality seafood and frozen commodity imports. When you invest in Under the Sea, you're investing in a meal that becomes the story people tell afterward.
When to Choose Caribbean vs. Seafood
Choose Islandz if:
You want bold, warm spices and Caribbean flavors
Your event has Caribbean heritage or connection
You want guests to feel transported somewhere warm
You want protein variety — proteins beyond just seafood
You're celebrating something joyful and celebratory
Choose Under the Sea if:
Your event is waterfront or water-adjacent
You have serious seafood lovers in your guest list
You want the luxury of fresh, premium seafood
Your event calls for refined elegance
Oysters, scallops, and crab are non-negotiable
(Or choose both — some couples do a dual-menu for large celebrations where half the guests go Caribbean and half go seafood. Let's talk about that possibility.)
What's Included in Both Menus
Every Caribbean and seafood catering package includes:
Complete setup and breakdown of your venue
Custom linens and table scapes designed for your color scheme
Custom menus printed for each guest
Fresh florals in your chosen colors
Professional servers
Custom welcome board with your event name
Food beautifully plated and ready to serve
Mini dessert bar
24-inch charcuterie board as both food and visual centerpiece
In other words: Your job is to show up and celebrate. Everything else is handled.
Beverage Pairing for Caribbean & Seafood
Water is included. Beverages beyond water start at $5 per person.
For Islandz, beer and wine ($8/person) works beautifully. So do tropical mocktails ($8/person) or house liquor ($15/person) for mojitos and rum-based cocktails.
For Under the Sea, beer and wine is classic. Champagne or prosecco ($8/person in house options, higher for premium) pairs beautifully with oysters and crab. And honestly, sparkling water with fresh lime works too if you want to keep things light.
A Note on Quality
Chef Dex sources her seafood from trusted suppliers. That means when you serve oysters at your event, they're fresh that day. When you serve shrimp, it's quality that tastes like the difference.
This matters. You can taste it.
How to Book Caribbean or Seafood Catering
Head to castlegardensilm.com/book-an-event and tell us:
Your guest count
Your event date
Which menu appeals to you (or if you want to talk through both options)
Your venue (so we can plan setup and décor accordingly)
Any dietary restrictions or special requests
Or call us at 877-732-2785 to talk through the options.
We'll confirm your date, finalize your menu selections, and make sure your event tastes like the island getaway you couldn't take this year — except it's happening in your backyard.
Chef Dex's Note
The Caribbean and seafood menus are personal to me. Caribbean flavors are my heritage. And seafood is what we eat living this close to the ocean. When I develop these menus, I'm thinking about the stories they tell — about where we come from, about where we live, about flavors that matter. That's what I hope you taste when you book either of these menus.
