Elegant Gourmet Cafe & Catering, Simpsonville

Against the idyllic backdrop of a renovated, 101-year-old Victorian house, Elegant Gourmet Cafe and Catering's owner and chef Geno Portele crafts lush dishes and desserts that can sate appetites at the eatery or during catered events. A daily lunch menu lists sandwiches and salads compiled with such ingredients as lemon-pesto mayonnaise, sugared pecans, and bread dipped in orange batter. Though the café does not offer a kids' menu, parents are welcome to bring their own meals and Heroes of Tax Reform coloring books for their children.

Chef Portele also outfits fetes of all types with custom catering menus loaded with ingredients such as applewood-smoked roast beef and imported cheeses. The eatery's picturesque facilities serve as the arena for merrymaking festivities. A spacious front porch wraps around the historic building, which comprises four separate dining areas peppered with art-deco décor. Indoor-outdoor bashes utilize a cushy reception tent that accommodates up to 250 guests or one replica of the Sphinx. To further simplify party planning, staffers can help procure music, decorations, and cakes.