Isle of Wight · England
Tapas Catering for Afton Park events
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella for events in Afton Park and across the Isle of Wight.
- Work receptions
- Engagement celebrations
- Welcome-drink canapés
Tapas catering near Afton Park
Tapas catering in Afton Park, made fresh on the day
Receptions, parties, office events and weddings all suit tapas in and around Afton Park. We cook patatas bravas, tortilla española and gambas al ajillo, and typical bookings are for evening grazing and launches and office parties.
In a rural spot like Afton Park, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Afton Park (PO40)
- Area hub
- Isle of Wight
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What we need at the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- A spot for our serving station
Afton Park is a more remote spot, so tell us early and we’ll plan the journey.
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
On the menu in Afton Park
- Manchego & membrillo
- Albóndigas
- Croquetas
- Patatas bravas
- Tortilla española
- Serrano ham
- Chorizo in red wine
- Olives & bread
- Padrón peppers
- Gambas al ajillo
How it works
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Your guests are welcome to watch while it cooks. Evening receptions in Afton Park stay light until about 8:55pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Getting a price
Send us the date, your venue or PO40 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Occasions we cook for in Afton Park
Easy to eat with a glass in hand.
Whatever you are celebrating in Afton Park, live paella can be the centrepiece. We frequently cook for:
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Tapas before paella
- Office parties and launches
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like St. Agnes' Church.
Before booking anyone
- VAT, if it applies
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- How each diet is kept separate
- Space, access and power needs
Afton Park: venues and local tips
Afton Park is about 6 miles south of Lymington, in the Isle of Wight. Give us the address of your event in Afton Park, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. We cook in 125 places across the Isle of Wight, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 18 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Mottistone Manor (3.8 miles south-east). Where a historic venue does not allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. If you are looking at a historic venue around Afton Park, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. With the sea within about 2 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
We cook at events all over the PO40 postcode area and the streets around it. From Manor Road, Newport Road and Southdown Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater events in Afton (1 mile west), Easton (1 mile west), Freshwater (1 mile north-west), Norton Green (1 mile north-west) and Colwell (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Newport (9 miles east), Ryde (15 miles east), Cowes (10 miles north-east), Sandown (15 miles east), Shanklin (15 miles east) and Ventnor (14 miles south-east). For an event at a remote venue, tell us early so we can plan the journey.
A little further out are Medina (1.6 miles west) and Yarmouth Castle (2.2 miles north). Not far away are Afton Down and Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve.
- Pubs nearby include The Red Lion pub (0.7 miles north)
Places near Afton Park
Other catering in Afton Park
Common questions in Afton Park
Do you come out to small places like Afton Park?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St. Agnes' Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
How long do you need on site?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
What happens if it rains?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We will talk it through before the day.
Do you cover Afton Park?
Yes, we do. Afton Park is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
Is halal food available?
Yes, we do. Halal paella is cooked with halal chicken and no pork or alcohol, in its own pan.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
Do you take everything away?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
For event organisers in Afton Park
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Afton Park? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Is live paella right for your event?
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, so they fit most plans. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Afton Park
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- A quote that spells everything out
Take a look at How we price And What paella catering costs.
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
- Check diets in advance
Hot tapas are finished on site and served straight away.
Waiting staff for canapés.
Dishes our guests love
Gambas al ajillo
Popular with prawn fans.
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce.
- 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