Portsmouth · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Baffins, Portsmouth
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Baffins. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Evening sharing boards
- Engagement drinks
- Tapas and paella menus
Book tapas catering in Baffins
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- A spot for our serving station
- A suitable spot to finish hot tapas
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Serrano ham
- Croquetas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Padrón peppers
- Chorizo in red wine
- Tortilla española
How our tapas catering works in Baffins
We finish hot tapas on site, so they’re served at their best. On the menu are padrón peppers, albóndigas and Manchego with membrillo, and we’re often booked for drinks reception canapés and engagement drinks.
Around Baffins, tapas suit garden parties and village-hall celebrations. The paella is served straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and a queue moves quickly.
- Where
- Baffins (PO3, PO4, PO2)
- Region
- Portsmouth
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Baffins: your questions answered
Could we have live paella in Alexandra Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Is tapas catering available separately?
Absolutely, for receptions, parties and evening food.
Will there be enough food?
Pans are sized to your numbers and other courses. Tell us what else is being served. See how much paella per person.
How long does the paella take?
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.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
Do you cook inside?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
How many tapas per person?
Quantities depend on timing and courses. Give us the details for a suggestion.
How the day works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. Evening receptions in Baffins stay light until about 8:55pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- You tell us the date, venue, numbers and how you’d like the tapas served.
- We put together a tapas selection and a quote.
- On the day, we set up and prepare the hot tapas there.
- We serve canapés with drinks or set table tapas down to share.
- Afterwards, our equipment is cleared away.
Getting ready for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Give us a contact for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
How to get a price
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can use our quote form.
Read more
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
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.
Planning for every diet
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
Dishes are labelled for diets and allergens.
Crockery and serving dishes.
Planning a tapas spread in Baffins
Baffins is about 1 mile east of Portsmouth, in Portsmouth. From the centre of Baffins to the outskirts, tapas catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cater in 19 places in Portsmouth, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Baffins to Southampton (about 17 miles away).
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Cuthbert. Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Fratton station, about 1 mile south-west. With the sea within about 3 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
Tapas catering in PO3, PO4 and PO2 is planned around your venue and timings. Whether your event is on Byron Road, James Road and Dover Road or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the pans to you. Baffins is on the A288, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Other places close to Baffins for tapas catering include Copnor (1 mile north-west), Kingston (1 mile south-west), Fratton (1 mile south-west), Portsmouth (1 mile west) and North End (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Wymering (3 miles north), Paulsgrove (3 miles north-west), Drayton (3 miles north) and Farlington (3 miles north).
A little further out are Southsea Castle (2.4 miles south-west) and Southsea (2.3 miles south-west). The countryside around Baffins includes Portsdown Hill and Milton Locks.
- Local schools include Miltoncross Academy (0.5 miles south) and St Edmund's Catholic School (1.4 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you will find The Baffins pub (under half a mile north)
Also in Baffins
Prices and what affects them
These are the factors that matter most:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Guest numbers
- The paellas you choose
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Getting an accurate quote
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Anything your venue supplies
- The venue or postcode
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote and a suggested menu.
For event organisers in Baffins
Events in public spaces, like parks, generally need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Occasions we cook for in Baffins
They make a perfect starter before paella.
In Baffins and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Office parties and launches
- Engagement parties
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Tapas and paella menus
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Baffins, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
Questions to ask before booking
- How long the team stays
- Space, access and power needs
- The deadline for final numbers
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
The menu, dish by dish
Croquetas
Crisp outside, creamy inside, often with ham or mushroom.
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
- 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