Surrey · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Abbotswood, Surrey
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella makes the food a highlight of your event in Abbotswood.
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Tapas with a paella main course
Tapas catering near Abbotswood
Who books tapas catering in Abbotswood?
Big or small, tapas work.
In Abbotswood and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Drinks reception canapés
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Sharing tapas starters
- Office parties and launches
Historic buildings near Abbotswood frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue.
Comparing caterers
- Who provides the crockery
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- The deadline for final numbers
Tapas catering for your event in Abbotswood
Many classic tapas are naturally vegetarian, such as tortilla, bravas and padrón peppers, and several can be made gluten-free. On the menu are albóndigas, tortilla española and gambas al ajillo, and we’re often booked for anniversary parties and engagement celebrations.
Around Abbotswood, tapas suit garden parties and village-hall celebrations. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
Planners, venues and businesses
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Planning for every diet
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Add sangria or cava
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Include staff for canapés
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
Hot tapas are finished on site and served right away.
Crockery and serving dishes.
What we need at the venue
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- Permission from the venue
- A suitable spot to finish hot tapas
- A spot for our serving station
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
What we offer
- Croquetas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Serrano ham
- Padrón peppers
- Manchego & membrillo
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
- Tortilla española
Planning a tapas spread in Abbotswood
Abbotswood is about 1 mile south-east of Guildford, in Surrey. Anywhere in GU1, we can bring the pans to you. Abbotswood is one of 395 towns and villages in Surrey where we cook.
After a ceremony at a church such as Christ Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Parks such as Stoke Park have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Abbotswood, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
For tapas catering in GU1, we plan around your venue and timings. Streets in the area include York Road, Stoke Road and Maori Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Main roads around Abbotswood include the A246 and A3100, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. If your venue is just outside Abbotswood, we also cover Guildford (1 mile north-west), Burpham (1 mile north-east), Bellfields (1 mile north-west), Merrow (1 mile east) and East Shalford (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Woking (5 miles north), Camberley (10 miles north-west), Epsom (14 miles north-east), Farnham (10 miles west), Ewell (15 miles north-east) and Egham (13 miles north).
A little further out are St. Luke’s Hospital (less than half a mile south) and Guildford Castle (0.7 miles south-west). Open spaces near Abbotswood include Silent Pool and Pewley Down.
- Nearby schools include Guildford High School (within half a mile north-west) and Holy Trinity (0.5 miles south)
- Local pubs include The Rats Castle pub (within half a mile south-west)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Abbotswood: your questions answered
Can you cook in Stoke Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
How far is Abbotswood from London?
About 27 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you cook tapas on site?
Yes, hot dishes are finished at the venue.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
When do you arrive?
That depends on your menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
Should we have more than one paella?
Two or three covers most guests. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Do you have vegetarian tapas?
Plenty are vegetarian, such as tortilla, bravas and padrón peppers. We label each dish.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria, yes, plus bar staff for your own drinks.
What’s in the pans
Manchego & membrillo
A simple, classic pairing.
Croquetas
Creamy croquettes with a crisp coat, often with ham or mushroom.
Towns and villages near Abbotswood
What else we do in Abbotswood
How it works
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. When service is finished, we pack down. A summer drinks reception in Abbotswood has daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it is dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:55pm.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
How to prepare
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Read more
Live paella or other catering?
For food that gets people mingling, tapas are hard to beat. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Abbotswood
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
- 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