Food is more than just something you serve at an event. It is a reflection of culture, family, and love. Every recipe carries a story. Every bite connects people across generations. Saint Patrick Palace, a true Airbnb wedding venue, where food is never just a detail—it is a highlight of the celebration. Thanks to our open vendor policy, couples and families have the freedom to bring in the caterers, food trucks, or chefs who best capture their story.
This flexibility matters even more in South Florida, where diversity thrives. The region is a melting pot of Caribbean, Latin American, and Asian influences. Walk down any street in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach, and you’ll find flavors from across the globe. During weddings, this diversity shines through food. Guests are treated not only to familiar favorites but also to exciting new dishes that reflect the couple’s heritage.
At Saint Patrick Palace, we’ve hosted events that showcase everything from slow-roasted Cuban pork to Brazilian churrasco, Puerto Rican mofongo bowls, and Japanese sushi rolling stations. With food as varied and vibrant as the community itself, every celebration becomes one of a kind. Let’s explore seven incredible cuisines that have made their mark on weddings at the estate.
Caribbean Cuisine
Cuban
Cuban cuisine is known for its bold yet balanced flavors, where garlic, citrus, and spices mingle in harmony. Every dish feels like a celebration of heritage. Meats are often marinated overnight in mojo, a tangy blend of sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, and cumin. This slow infusion ensures every bite is both tender and flavorful. Guests often delight in Cuban classics like ropa vieja—shredded beef simmered in tomato sauce with peppers and onions, lechón asado—whole roast pork cooked until the skin is crisp, and yuca con mojo—which pairs starchy cassava with the signature garlic-citrus dressing.
Cuban cooking emphasizes community and abundance. Pots of black beans and rice (moros y cristianos) often anchor the table, accompanied by fried plantains or tostones. At one wedding, a local Cuban caterer set up a lechón carving station, turning the meal into both dinner and entertainment. The golden-brown pork crackled as it was sliced, and the aroma of citrus and garlic drew guests in from across the lawn. Paired with tropical cocktails like mojitos or Cuba Libres, the food created an atmosphere that was vibrant, warm, and unmistakably Cuban.
Caribbean rice, stewed chicken, and fried plantains served at a South Florida Airbnb wedding with open vendor policy.
Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican food is hearty, comforting, and deeply tied to family traditions. Its flavors are layered with the island’s signature seasoning bases—sofrito (a fragrant mix of onions, peppers, garlic, and cilantro), adobo, and sazón. These ingredients form the foundation for countless dishes, giving each plate depth and richness. Popular favorites include mofongo (mashed plantains with garlic and pork cracklings), arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), and pernil (slow-roasted marinated pork shoulder). Each dish tells a story of cultural blending, influenced by Spanish, African, and Indigenous Taíno traditions.
The cooking style embraces fried plantains, savory stews, and celebratory rice dishes. Even simple side plates feel like comfort food. A Puerto Rican food caterer brought this tradition to life by serving customizable mofongo bowls at Saint Patrick Palace during a beautiful quinceañera. Guests chose fillings like shrimp in garlic sauce, tender chicken, or slow-cooked pork, watching as the plantains were mashed and built into hearty bowls before their eyes. The interactive setup not only offered authentic Puerto Rican flavor but also gave guests the chance to experience the dish’s preparation firsthand. The result was a meal that felt festive, personal, and uniquely tied to the island’s culinary spirit.
Dominican Republic
Dominican cuisine is vibrant and versatile. It showcases generous portions and rich, comforting flavors. Popular staples include la bandera, a plate of rice, beans, and meat that mirrors the colors of the national flag. Another favorite is mangú, mashed plantains often topped with sautéed onions. Guests also enjoy pollo guisado, a tomato-based braised chicken dish. Dominican flavors lean on garlic, oregano, and bell peppers. The result is a profile that feels hearty and familiar.
Cooking traditions often center on stewing and frying. Meals are designed to bring people together. At one celebration, a Dominican caterer prepared a family-style feast. Platters of rice, beans, and roasted chicken stretched across banquet tables. Guests helped themselves and passed dishes around, just like at Sunday dinner. The communal energy, paired with bright fruit juices and rum cocktails, turned the meal into a joyful reflection of Dominican hospitality.
South American Cuisine
Brazilian
Brazilian food is festive, colorful, and full of variety. The cuisine often highlights meat, beans, and tropical fruits. Signature dishes include feijoada, a rich black bean stew with pork, pão de queijo, small cheese breads that melt in your mouth, and the famous churrasco, Brazilian-style barbecue.
Cooking emphasizes fire and community. The rodízio tradition, where servers carve endless cuts of beef, chicken, and sausage tableside, is an event in itself. One of our favorite wedding planners at Saint Patrick Palace organized a Brazilian steakhouse caterer to recreate the churrasco experience outdoors, with skewers of sizzling meats roasted over open flames. Guests cheered as the servers moved from table to table, carving portions fresh onto plates. The scene, paired with caipirinhas and samba music, felt like a true Brazilian carnival.
Colombian
Colombian cuisine is as diverse as its geography. It offers flavors from the mountains, coasts, and jungles. Common seasonings include cumin, garlic, and cilantro. Corn, beans, and plantains anchor most meals. Signature dishes include arepas, versatile corn cakes served plain or stuffed. Another favorite is bandeja paisa, a hearty platter with beans, rice, beef, sausage, fried egg, and plantains. Guests also enjoy ajiaco, a rich chicken and potato soup flavored with herbs.
Cooking traditions emphasize variety and abundance. The goal is to ensure every guest finds something they love. A popular Colombian vendor set up an arepa bar on our travertine patio at Saint Patrick Palace. Guests chose fillings like cheese, shredded beef, and avocado. They watched their arepas toasted to perfection. The smell of grilled corn and melted cheese filled the air. Bright juices like maracuyá (passionfruit) and lulo completed the experience. The setup was authentic and interactive. It encouraged guests to explore Colombian flavors at their own pace.
East Asian Cuisine
Colorful sushi rolls at a South Florida Airbnb wedding with Asian fusion catering and open vendor policy.
Chinese
Chinese cuisine offers endless variety and is deeply woven into the culinary culture of South Florida. Restaurants from Miami to Fort Lauderdale highlight everything from delicate Cantonese dim sum to fiery Sichuan stir-fries, ensuring flavors for every palate. The dishes balance sweet, salty, sour, and spicy in a way that feels both comforting and exciting. Staples like dumplings, fried rice, Peking duck, lo mein, and mapo tofu are instantly recognizable and have become favorites across cultures, making them popular even beyond Chinese communities.
Cooking techniques are diverse and designed to bring out natural flavors: stir-frying for quick, fresh dishes; steaming for light dumplings and buns; braising for rich, slow-cooked meats; and deep-frying for crunchy bites. A recent celebration featured a Chinese restaurant in Davie, FL that catered a banquet-style dinner featuring platters of noodles, dumplings, and crispy duck. The shared serving style encouraged conversation and community, echoing the essence of Chinese dining, where meals are meant to be experienced together.
Red and gold accents paired beautifully with the food, symbolizing good fortune and joy. Guests not only enjoyed the flavors but also appreciated the cultural symbolism tied to dishes like long noodles for longevity and dumplings for prosperity. With such broad appeal and cultural meaning, Chinese cuisine remains a popular choice for weddings and events, and it often becomes the foundation for creative Asian fusion menus that blend seamlessly with Japanese influences.
Japanese
Japanese cuisine is elegant, precise, and globally admired, making it a natural favorite at South Florida events. The flavors are clean and balanced, with staples like soy, miso, seaweed, rice, and fresh fish forming the base. Signature dishes such as sushi, sashimi, tempura, teriyaki, and ramen are not only popular at weddings but also widely enjoyed at local restaurants and food halls. The artistry and attention to detail in Japanese food make it as visually stunning as it is delicious.
The cooking style emphasizes freshness, seasonality, and presentation. Minimalism is celebrated, where every ingredient is thoughtfully chosen to let its natural flavor shine. At one wedding, a Japanese sushi chef in Sunrise, FL, created a live rolling station, preparing hand rolls and sashimi right in front of guests. The precise knife skills and vibrant ingredients—tuna, salmon, avocado, cucumber—turned dinner into both a meal and a performance. Guests were captivated, lining up not just for food but for the experience of watching it prepared.
Japanese cuisine also lends itself to fusion with Chinese influences, which is especially popular in South Florida’s dining scene. Dishes like ramen with Chinese-inspired broths, sushi rolls featuring stir-fried elements, or bao buns with Japanese fillings showcase how well these two traditions complement each other. For weddings, this means couples can blend elegance with comfort, creating menus that feel both refined and approachable. With its versatility and universal popularity, Japanese cuisine remains a top request for couples who want food that impresses while honoring cultural artistry.
DIY Home Cooking
DIY home-cooked dishes served at a South Florida Airbnb wedding with open vendor policy and family recipes.
Not every couple wants to rely solely on vendors. Many choose to celebrate their heritage by cooking family recipes in the estate’s chef’s kitchen. From grandma’s arroz con pollo to a secret miso soup recipe, these dishes carry more than flavor—they carry family history.
DIY cooking transforms meal prep into part of the event itself. Relatives gather in the kitchen, laughter fills the air, and recipes are passed from one generation to the next. Guests don’t just taste the food; they feel the love and tradition that went into making it. At Saint Patrick Palace, these moments make celebrations even more intimate and meaningful.
Celebrating Flavor Without Limits
At Saint Patrick Palace, food is never an afterthought. It is part of the story. Our open vendor policy allows couples to honor their culture, surprise their guests, and design menus that reflect who they are. Whether it’s a Cuban roast pork station, a Brazilian churrasco, a Chinese dim sum spread, or sushi prepared live before your eyes, the options are endless. Add in the freedom to cook family recipes, and every celebration becomes one of a kind. That is why an Airbnb wedding at Saint Patrick Palace is about more than a venue. It’s about flavors, freedom, and the memories created around the table.