Greater London · England
Paella Catering for Royal Docks events
Looking for paella catering in Royal Docks? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Garden get-togethers
- Retirement celebrations
Paella catering in Royal Docks
About our paella catering in Royal Docks
Keep it simple, or go all out: paella on its own, or with canapés, table tapas, desserts and sangria. We’ll suggest what suits your event. We cook black rice, chicken and chorizo paella and vegan paella, and we’re often booked for leaving dos and retirements and anniversary celebrations.
In a London neighbourhood like Royal Docks, the cooking spot is usually a back garden, a courtyard or a venue’s terrace. Parking and loading are the main things to plan, so tell us about permits, bays or a driveway when you ask for a quote. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Area
- Royal Docks (E16, E6)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Is live paella right for your event?
Barbecues cook in batches, so food comes off in waves. Paella is cooked as one big dish and served together. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why book with us
- Drinks service on request
- We cover Royal Docks and the whole of Greater London
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Read How we price Or What paella catering costs.
What we need at the venue
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
As a London location, Royal Docks is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
Popular choices
- Mixed paella
- Paella Valenciana
- Seafood paella
- Vegan paella
- Vegetable paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Black rice (arroz negro)
Should I cook it myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
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.
Royal Docks: venues, travel and local tips
Royal Docks is about 1 mile south-east of Canning Town, in Greater London. Across the E16 area, we can cook for your guests. We cook in all 764 towns and villages in Greater London. Our nearest city page is London, about 6 miles away.
Historic houses near Royal Docks include Queen's House (2.7 miles south-west) and Eastbury Manor House (3.1 miles north-east). Historic venues frequently limit cooking, so ask early if you’re booking one. If you are organising a summer fair for a school like Calverton Primary School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser.
Paella catering in E16 and E6 is planned around your venue. Whether your event is on Drew Road, Leyes Road and Camel Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Royal Docks sits on or near the A1020, which makes travel to your event easy. For events just outside Royal Docks, we cover Custom House (1 mile west), Silvertown (1 mile south-west), North Woolwich (1 mile south-east), West Silvertown (1 mile west) and Canning Town (1 mile north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (6 miles west), City of Westminster (8 miles west), Marylebone (8 miles west), Kensington (11 miles west), St Pancras (7 miles west) and Shoreditch (5 miles west).
Nearby you’ll also find Greenwich Castle (2.8 miles south-west) and Gallions Reach Shopping Park (1.6 miles east). Open spaces near Royal Docks include Gilbert's Pit.
- Nearby schools include Royal Docks Academy (within half a mile north-west) and The Royal Docks Community School (under half a mile north-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Connaught Tavern (under half a mile north-west)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include East Ham (1.9 miles north)
Common questions in Royal Docks
Can you cook in Beckton District Park?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
What’s the nearest station to Royal Docks for guests?
The closest is Custom House station, roughly 0.7 miles away.
Do you cook inside?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Do you do starters?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
What seafood can we have?
Tell us your preferences and we will suggest seafood options to suit your menu and budget. Premium options are available.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. See how much paella per person.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We’ll agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Planners, venues and businesses
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Nearby places to Royal Docks
What else we do in Royal Docks
Dietary needs and planning tips
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Ask about diets and allergies on your invitation or RSVP
- Count adults and children separately
- Choose two or three paellas so every guest has a choice
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
You shouldn’t have to worry about the food on the day. We set up, cook and serve, and keep in touch with you or your venue about timings.
Tapas or canapés make a good start as the rice cooks.
The menu, dish by dish
Vegetable and vegan paella
A vegetable paella is not an afterthought: artichokes, beans, peppers and saffron.
Mixed paella
Mixed paella brings meat and seafood together, and it is often the first pan to empty.
Step by step
When the rice goes in, it is left alone. That is how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Planning an evening event in Royal Docks? Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May, 9:20pm at midsummer and 7:05pm in late September; once it is dark, we need light to cook and serve by.
- Start with the date, the place and the numbers.
- We come back with paellas to suit your guests, plus any extras.
- Closer to the day, we confirm timings and the cooking spot.
- We set up, cook from scratch and keep an eye on your timings.
- Guests are served from the pan, and our area is cleared afterwards.
How to prepare
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Getting a price
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Planning help
What affects the price in Royal Docks
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Whether you need crockery
- Parking and unloading
- How many courses
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Details that help
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- The courses you’d like
- The address or venue name
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The date and rough timings
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
- 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