Hampshire · England
Tapas Catering for Abshot events
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella turns food into part of your event in Abshot.
- Table tapas as a starter
- Engagement drinks
- Evening sharing boards
Book tapas catering in Abshot
How our tapas catering works in Abshot
Canapé tapas suit standing receptions; for seated meals, table tapas. Many events have both. Whether it’s canapés with welcome drinks and tapas starters, we can cook Serrano ham, patatas bravas and croquetas and more.
Near Abshot, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan.
Abshot questions
Can you cook near the sea around Abshot?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
We are having a ceremony at St John: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Do you provide serving staff?
Yes, if you want them. Canapés need staff to serve.
Do you have vegetarian tapas?
Yes. Tortilla, bravas and Manchego are popular vegetarian choices.
How many tapas per person?
Quantities depend on timing and courses. Tell us more for a suggestion.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
The process
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan at the agreed time. At midsummer, it’s light in Abshot until about 9:20pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it is dark around 7:10pm, and in December by about 4:00pm.
- Tell 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
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Ask for a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Tell us about your event in Abshot, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
Planners, venues and businesses
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
A closer look at the menu
Patatas bravas
Crisp potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce.
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Before you choose a spot
Before the day, we’ll agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Permission from the venue
- Parking near the venue
- An area to prepare hot tapas
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
- Albóndigas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
- Tortilla española
- Olives & bread
- Croquetas
Why choose tapas catering in Abshot?
They’re ideal when a full meal does not fit.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Abshot and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Engagement drinks
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Work receptions
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Abshot, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
Questions to ask before booking
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- The wet-weather plan
- Exactly what’s included in the price
What affects the price in Abshot
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- How long we are needed on site
- Travel, parking and access
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
What to tell us
To speed things up, tell us:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Which courses you have in mind
- What the venue already provides
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Places near Abshot
Also in Abshot
Diets, allergies and planning
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Make sure dishes are labelled
- Collect dietary needs
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
Hot tapas are finished on site and served straight away.
Waiting staff for canapés.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Drinks receptions around Abshot
Abshot is about 3 miles west of Fareham, in Hampshire. Wherever your event is in the PO14 area, we will come to your venue or garden. We cover all 683 towns and villages across Hampshire. We cook right across the region, from Abshot to Southampton (7 miles away).
Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Swanwick station, about 2 miles north. Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like St John. The coast is within about 3 miles, so garlic prawns are popular.
Tapas catering in PO14 is planned around your venue and timings. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Hook (1 mile west), Titchfield Common (1 mile north-east), Locks Heath (1 mile north), Warsash (1 mile north-west) and Titchfield (1 mile east). Further out, we also cater in Winchester (15 miles north), Gosport (6 miles south-east), Havant (12 miles east), Eastleigh (9 miles north), Fareham (3 miles east) and Horndean (12 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Fareham Community Hospital (1.7 miles north) and Carron Row Farm Museum (1.7 miles north-east). Not far away are Holly Hill Woodland Park.
- Nearby schools include Brookfield Community School and Language College (1.5 miles north-west)
- Nearby, you will find Jolly Farmer Public House (0.7 miles north-west)
- 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