Greater London · England
Paella Catering for Dalston events
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Dalston. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Leaving dos and retirements
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Anniversaries and engagement parties
Paella catering in Dalston
Paella catering for your event in Dalston
We cook every paella from scratch on the day, starting with a slow sofrito of onion, garlic, peppers and tomato, followed by stock, saffron and rice. We cook black rice, vegan paella and vegetable paella, and typical bookings are for family celebrations and christenings and anniversary celebrations.
In Dalston, events range from terrace gardens to hired halls. Let us know where we can stop to unload and about any steps. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it is ready.
- Where
- Dalston (E8, N1, N16)
- County
- Greater London
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Common questions in Dalston
Can you cater a reception after a service at Holy Trinity Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Which station should guests use for Dalston?
Dalston Junction station, in Dalston itself.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Do you do vegan paella?
Of course. We cook vegetarian and vegan paellas in their own pans.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, including Greater London. See all areas.
What equipment do you bring?
Pans, burners and ingredients all come with us. You provide a suitable spot and access.
Step by step
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. In Dalston, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening events are normally served in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting where we cook.
- Send us your date, numbers and venue.
- We plan a menu that covers every diet.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- The paella cooks as guests gather round.
- We serve hot from the pan and clear our cooking area.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Give us a contact for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
Getting a price
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
Related guides
DIY paella versus live catering
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
The vegetable pan is a dish in its own right: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid in a rich fish stock, finished with lemon wedges. It’s generally the most photographed pan.
Towns and villages near Dalston
Also in Dalston
Paella catering around Dalston
Dalston is about 1 mile north-east of Hoxton, in Greater London. Anywhere in E8, we will come to your venue or garden. We cater in 764 places in Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages.
Parks such as Haggerston Park typically need the owner’s permission for cooking, so ask before you plan a party there. Historic houses near Dalston include Sutton House (0.9 miles east) and Mansion House (2.4 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on caterers and cooking early.
Here we cover the E8, N1 and N16 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. Whether your event is on Glebe Road, Forest Road and Boleyn Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. You will find Dalston on the A107 and A1207, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. We also cook at events in Kingsland (1 mile west), De Beauvoir Town (1 mile west), Hackney Central (1 mile east), London Fields (1 mile south-east) and Shacklewell (1 mile north). Further out, we also cater in London (3 miles south), City of Westminster (4 miles south-west), Marylebone (4 miles south-west), Kensington (6 miles south-west), Walthamstow (4 miles north-east) and Hampstead (5 miles west).
Other landmarks nearby include German Hospital (within half a mile north-east) and Montfichet's Tower (2.6 miles south-west). The countryside around Dalston includes Gillespie Park and Ludgate Hill.
- Schools near Dalston include The Petchey Academy (0.5 miles north) and Kingsland Secondary School (0.5 miles north)
- Pubs nearby include The Duke Of Richmond Public House (less than half a mile south)
- Other local spots include Hackney (0.7 miles east) and Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives (1.9 miles south)
Why choose paella catering in Dalston?
It needs no kitchen, so it is at home in gardens, fields and marquees where plated meals are hard.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Garden get-togethers
- Festivals, fairs and school events
- Company summer parties
- Christenings and family gatherings
School fairs and fundraisers, for a school such as Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, can book us as a food stall.
Comparing caterers
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Who provides the crockery
- Allergen information for each dish
What paella catering costs
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Travel, parking and access
- The paellas you choose
- How many guests are eating
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
What to tell us
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- The date and time of the event
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Where the event is
- Which courses you have in mind
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Live paella or other catering?
Food trucks and street-food vans serve one portion at a time. A big pan serves many guests fast, which suits weddings and parties where everyone eats together. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
What you get with us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- A clear, itemised quote
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
Take a look at Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Make sure most guests can sit to eat
- Collect dietary needs with your RSVPs
- Let us know about other food at the event
- Send allergies to us in writing
Once the rice is in, it needs about 20 minutes, so we time it carefully. If plans change, tell us and we’ll adjust.
Bread, salad and lemon wedges make the meal go further and suit guests who are not big rice eaters.
Planning the cooking area
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- Outdoor space or a ventilated gazebo
Dalston is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
Popular choices
- Black rice (arroz negro)
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Mixed paella
- Vegan paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Vegetable paella
- 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