Southampton · England
Paella party catering in St Mary's, Southampton
Something for every guest: separate pans for meat, seafood and vegetarian or vegan guests. Paella catering for birthday parties, garden parties and private events in St Mary's.
- Anniversary celebrations
- Family reunions
- Celebrations of life
Live paella party catering in St Mary's
Paella party catering in St Mary's, made fresh on the day
The smell of paella cooking is the best party invitation. Guests gather round, glass in hand, to watch. Typical bookings include street and neighbourhood parties and garden parties and summer barbecues, with seafood paella, churros and vegetable paella.
Parties around St Mary's are often relaxed, garden-and-gazebo affairs. A paella pan fits right in. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- St Mary's (SO14, SO15, SO18)
- Area hub
- Southampton
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Why live cooking beats a buffet
If you want special but not formal, live paella is hard to beat. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
Why choose Love Paella in St Mary's
- Drinks service on request
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
How we price paella party catering
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Waiting and bar staff
- Distance and access to the venue
- The number of people
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
What we need to know
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- The venue or postcode
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just use our quote form.
Nearby places to St Mary's
What else we do in St Mary's
Planners, venues and businesses
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Events in public spaces, like parks, generally need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Parties in St Mary's: gardens, venues and local tips
St Mary's is about 1 mile south of Southampton, in Southampton. Whether your party is in the middle of St Mary's or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cover all 40 towns and villages in Southampton.
Christenings and naming days frequently start at a local church such as St Mary's Church, with a paella lunch at home or in a hall afterwards. For guests coming by train, Southampton Central station is about 0.8 miles away. St Mary's is within about 7 miles of the New Forest National Park, so a garden party here comes with a lovely backdrop. Near the coast, within about a mile, seafood paella is a natural choice, and we always plan for wind.
Wherever your party is in SO14, SO15 and SO18, we can cook for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Local streets include New Road, Ogle Road and Marsh Lane; a party at home on any of them works well with live paella. Nearby, we also cater parties in Northam (1 mile north-east), Inner Avenue (1 mile north), Peartree Green (1 mile east), Southampton (1 mile north) and Bitterne Manor (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Chartwell Green (3 miles north-east), Harefield (3 miles east), Maybush (3 miles north-west), Coxford (3 miles north-west), Lordswood (3 miles north-west) and Eling (4 miles west).
A little further out are Netley Castle (2.5 miles south-east) and Bargate Guildhall Museum (less than half a mile south-west). Not far away are Netley Common.
- Nearby schools include Inspire Enterprise Academy (less than half a mile south-east) and Woolston School (1.4 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Joiners pub (less than half a mile south)
Dishes our guests love
Churros
Fried, sugared and dipped in chocolate, a sweet finish.
Seafood paella
The seafood pan is frequently the showpiece.
Perfect for your party in St Mary's
Any occasion works, from a first birthday to a ruby wedding.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Anniversary celebrations
- Street parties and neighbourhood get-togethers
- Retirement and leaving parties
- Baby celebrations
Nearby historic houses include Southampton Tudor House and Garden (0.6 miles south-west) and Medieval Merchant's House (0.6 miles south-west). If you’re hiring a historic venue for a big birthday, check its rules on outside caterers first.
What to look for in a quote
- Staff numbers and hours
- The deadline for final numbers
- VAT, if it applies
- How bad weather is handled
Step by step
Serving is fast: we serve straight from the pan, so large groups are fed quickly. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. At midsummer, it’s light in St Mary's until about 9:25pm, which gives a garden party a long evening. In late September it’s dark by about 7:10pm; add lights for the evening.
- You tell us the date, address, guest numbers and any dietary needs.
- We suggest paellas and extras and send a quote.
- On the day, we set up and get cooking.
- Guests gather round as it cooks, nibbling tapas if you’ve booked them.
- It is served from the pan, and we clear our area afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Getting a price
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can use our quote form.
Related guides
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Dietary needs and planning tips
With a little notice, every diet is easy. We suggest:
- Keep a clear zone around the cooking area
- Have enough chairs for most guests
- Have cover ready for a shower
- Give separate numbers for children
We are set up before guests arrive, so the cooking is under way as people arrive.
Sangria sets the mood.
Common questions in St Mary's
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Mary's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
How far is St Mary's from London?
Roughly 70 miles from the centre of London.
Where do you cater?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Do you cook inside?
Usually we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Can you bring crockery?
We can. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
How soon do we need to book?
The sooner the better. Peak dates go quickly, so get in touch early.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas go out first, then the 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