10 Places Offering Impressive Holiday Platters in Greater Phoenix

The year may have been a bit of a downer, but your socially distanced holiday gathering doesn’t have to be. Give guests what they want: Platters of deliciously photogenic bites, in the form of custom charcuterie boards or trays stacked to the rim with sweet goodies.

Order ahead from these 10 local platter makers, and you’ll have your guests eating out of your hands (or, better yet, theirs).

Snackbar

At snackbar, no two boards are the same. Owner Alexa Evans, who brings a baker’s touch and an artist’s eye, takes into account dietary restrictions, allergies, likes, and dislikes and builds from there. Oh, and she loves a theme. Available in sweet and/or savory, a dessert board might have loads of fresh fruit, brownie bites, macarons, mini cupcakes, lemon curd, and caramel sauce while a meat and cheese board could come with flourishes of artisan pickles, popcorn, almonds, banana chips, and yogurt pretzels. Either way, you’ll get a playful array of colors, textures, and flavors assembled just for you. Delivery only. Order online.

Canapé & Co.

Canapé & Co. owners Taylor Gladden and Miranda Browitt love to source products from local farmers' markets and bakeries to create and style their wow-worthy charcuterie boards and grazing tables. Expect touches like local honey, locally baked treats, and farmers' market bread mixed with wedges of cheese, pinwheels of cured meats, and fanned out crackers. They also offer options like a coffee or mimosa bar to wash it all down. Delivery and pickup available. Order online or by emailing [email protected].

Süss Pastries

Süss may mean sweet in German, but holiday boxes at Süss Pastries are nostalgically American. Picture a plate of mini date sticky buns, decorated holiday cactus cookies, ooey-gooey magic bars, and mini Pop-Tarts. Owner and pastry chef Jasmin Smith, who grew up baking with her German grandmother, puts all the tastes of childhood on one plate but elevated. Take the Pop-Tarts, a buttery, flaky crust with fresh fruit filling in raspberry, prickly pear, apple caramel, cranberry mallow, and blueberry lime —  all divine. Pickup at partnered coffee shops (Kream Coffee, Corner on the Market, Reap & Sow, Driftwood Coffee, and Spencer's Place). Order online.

Voyager Bakeshop

Voyager Bakeshop owner Alex Layshock loves a baking challenge. That’s why she grinds her own almond flour for her French macarons, why she makes them with out-there add-ons like Flamin' Hot Cheetos and Lucky Charms, why she created her out outstanding vegan Stardust Cookies. It's also why she’ll customize cupcakes, cookies, brownies, blondies, Pop-Tarts, and more to make delicious magic happen. Delivery only. Order online or email [email protected] for custom orders.

Harmony Boards

Chefs Linda Hopkins and Kim Howard, co-founders of Harmony Boards and longtime collaborators, do the name justice. Each board is a perfect balance of fine cheeses, cured meats, fresh and dried fruits, assorted nuts, and olives, all finished with seasonal flowers and herb garnishes. Plus they offer all-fruit crudités, which they call their Frudités board, that are vegetarian and vegan friendly. Delivery and pickup available (use discount code PICKUPONYLY for pickup). Order online.

The Boyer Bakery

Not only are holidays a family affair at The Boyer Bakery, so is the treat making. The family-owned and operated bakery based in the west Valley, a mom-and-pop-and-their-children shop, creates custom pastry platters with homestyle cookies, scrumptious scones, mini muffins, brown sugar crumb cake, and their sinful cinnamon rolls. Trays can also be tailored just for your family. Delivery and pickup available. Order online.

MODERN | BRIE

MODERN | BRIE doesn’t just have charcuterie boards covered, as in classic, sweet, and holiday-themed platters available in various sizes. Owner and creator Cynthia Baysinger also offers charcuterie cones — hand-held single-serve snacks that combine the perfect bite of meat, cheese, crackers, nuts, fruit, or vegetable crudité, and maybe something sweet to finish it off, all in a paper cone (no assembly required). Of course, if assembly is your thing, the holiday boards come decked with extras, like custom cookies, chocolate-dipped fruits, and winter florals for extra festive flair. Delivery only. Order online.

Sonoran Picnics

One of the joys of spending the holidays in the desert is the weather. Al fresco dining is on the menu — and so is Sonoran Picnics. Founders Annie Dwight and Selah McAvoy don’t just create handcrafted charcuterie boards, they curate picnics with all the fixings. That means in addition to handcrafted brunch boards, sweet and salty snack boards, and veggie hummus boards for two or more, you get a beautifully styled picnic with place settings, pillow seating, games, and more. There are also upgrades, like a hot cocoa bar, fresh flowers, and Polaroid cameras available. Delivery, full setup, and cleanup are included. Order online or email [email protected].

The Henry

The Henry’s Holiday Dessert Board looks like Christmas on a plate. Croissant bread pudding with whiskey raisins, chocolate chip cookies, seasonal cupcakes, peanut butter, and chocolate fudge brownies, chocolate-covered strawberries, and seasonal Rice Krispies treats, all decadently delicious and dressed to impress. Brighten up your own holiday gathering or give it as a gift. Curbside pickup is available at 4455 East Camelback Road. Order online or call 602-429-8020.

Tracy Dempsey Originals

Tracy Dempsey Originals has two party-in-place platter options, both with extra made-from-scratch touches. The savory one has assorted charcuterie, veggies, dips, crackers, bread, pickles, mustard, dried fruit, nuts, and homemade pâté de champagne. The sweet one is a chef’s choice platter of small bites, including truffles, cookies, tartlets, cake bites, and homemade candies (and when it’s famed local pastry chef Tracy Dempsey doing the choosing, you know you’re in good hands). Curbside pickup is available at 1325 West University Drive in Tempe. Email [email protected] to order.