Greater London · England
Live paella catering in Coombe, Greater London
Paella for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Live paella catering, cooked fresh in giant pans at your event for events in Coombe.
- Fairs, fêtes and festivals
- Weddings and evening receptions
- Birthday celebrations
Planning an event in Coombe?
How our paella catering works in Coombe
A couple of different pans covers everyone: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. Each is cooked separately, so diets are easy to manage. We are often asked to cater festivals, fairs and school events and summer garden parties, with paella Valenciana, mixed paella and vegan paella.
Around Coombe, most London events we’re asked about are in gardens, courtyards and hired venues. The thing to plan is parking and unloading, so let us know about parking permits or a driveway. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
- Location
- Coombe (CR0, CR2, CR9)
- Region
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Pick a mix of paellas to cover every diet
- Tell us how many children are coming
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We arrive in good time, set up, cook and serve, and stay in touch with your venue about timings.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further.
Planning live paella in Coombe
Coombe is about 1 mile east of Croydon, in Greater London. Whether your event is in the middle of Coombe or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cover all 764 towns and villages in Greater London. You can also see our page for London, about 9 miles away.
For guests coming by train, South Croydon station is about 1 mile away. If you are celebrating after a service at a church like Church Hall United Reformed Church Of St Paul, live paella at a garden or venue nearby works well.
We cater events across CR0, CR2 and CR9. We can cater an event on streets such as Oaks Road, Coombe Road and Coombe Lane. If your venue is just outside Coombe, we also cover Croydon (1 mile west), Addiscombe (1 mile north), South Croydon (1 mile south-west), Shirley Oaks (1 mile north-east) and Shirley (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover London (9 miles north), City of Westminster (11 miles north), Marylebone (11 miles north), Kensington (11 miles north-west), St Pancras (11 miles north) and Shoreditch (11 miles north).
A little further out are Addiscombe (1.3 miles north) and National Psychosis Unit (2.1 miles north-east). The countryside around Coombe includes Bramley Bank and Duppas Hill.
- Nearby schools include Royal Russell School (within half a mile south) and St Peter's Primary School (0.9 miles south-west)
- Pubs nearby include Coombe Lodge pub (within half a mile south-west)
Nearby places to Coombe
What else we do in Coombe
What affects the price in Coombe
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How many staff you need
- The number of people
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Larger events typically cost less per head, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Details that help
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- Anything your venue supplies
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- Expected numbers
- The date and rough timings
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can fill in our quote form.
Live paella or other catering?
Next to a hog roast or barbecue, live paella is easier for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests, thanks to separate pans. Service from the pan keeps queues moving. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before booking.
What you get with us
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- We cover Coombe and the whole of Greater London
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Take a look at How we price Or What paella catering costs.
Step by step
We work to your timings. If things run behind, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is still served fresh. Planning an evening event in Coombe? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; after dark, the cooking and serving areas need good lighting.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and any dietary needs.
- You get a suggested menu and an itemised quote.
- On the day we arrive in good time, set up and start the stock.
- The paella cooks in front of your guests, with tapas first if you’ve chosen them.
- We serve it hot from the pan and clear our area when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Give us a contact for the day
Get a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, use our quote form.
Read more
For planners, venues and organisers
Events in public spaces, like parks, typically need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
About the dishes
Black rice
Squid ink rice is bold and savoury.
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron, cooked in its own pan.
Perfect for your event in Coombe
There is no kitchen needed, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Naming days and family parties
- Summer garden parties
- Weddings, from canapés to evening food
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Coombe Wood School, can book us as a food stall.
What your quote should include
- Who provides the crockery
- Whether travel is included
- What the price includes, item by item
- The venue requirements
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
Coombe is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
What we offer
- Vegetable paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Mixed paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
Coombe questions
What about parking in Coombe?
London parking needs planning: let us know about permits or off-street space. We’ll work around it.
Can you cook in Addington Hills?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so get in touch early.
Does paella work for big events?
It is ideal. Big pans feed a lot of people, and service from the pan is quick.
What areas do you cover?
We cater across London and the South East, Greater London included. Find your area.
Which paellas do you recommend?
Two or three is usual: a mixed or chicken paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. See the sample menu.
Do you come to Coombe?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Coombe and across Greater London. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff