West Berkshire · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Ball Hill, West Berkshire
Love Paella cooks Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella across Ball Hill and West Berkshire, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Birthday drinks
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Evening sharing boards
Book tapas catering in Ball Hill
Tapas catering in Ball Hill, cooked live
We finish hot tapas on site, so they arrive hot. We’re often asked to cater table tapas as a starter and engagement parties, with tortilla española, Serrano ham and padrón peppers.
Near Ball Hill, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once it is ready.
- Where
- Ball Hill (RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- Space on each table
- Permission from the venue
- Space to finish hot dishes
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Menu ideas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Padrón peppers
- Serrano ham
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Manchego & membrillo
- Olives & bread
- Croquetas
- Patatas bravas
- Tortilla española
For event organisers in Ball Hill
If you are organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Venues frequently 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 will work to it.
Is live paella right for your event?
If you want food that encourages guests to mingle, tapas are hard to beat. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
Why book with us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- We cover Ball Hill and the whole of West Berkshire
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Real theatre, not just catering
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
- Travel, parking and access
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- Expected numbers
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Anything your venue supplies
- The venue or postcode
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Check diets in advance
Canapés go round with the drinks as guests arrive.
Bar staff and sangria.
Common questions in Ball Hill
How far is Ball Hill from London?
Roughly 57 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cook in Hamstead Marshall Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
What about pudding?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Do you cook tapas on site?
Yes, hot dishes are finished at the venue.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
How many different paellas?
Most events have two or three: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Can you do sangria?
Yes. Sangria can be added, and bar staff if you are providing the drinks.
The process
When the rice goes in, it’s left alone. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Sunset in Ball Hill is around 9:25pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- First, we check availability.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We set up on arrival.
- Hot and cold tapas are served.
- We clear away at the end.
Getting ready for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Name one person we can ask on the day
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Places near Ball Hill
More for events in Ball Hill
What’s in the pans
Patatas bravas
Crisp potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce.
Manchego & membrillo
A simple, classic pairing.
Planning a tapas spread in Ball Hill
Ball Hill is about 4 miles south-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Events in Ball Hill are planned around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cover all 155 towns and villages in West Berkshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Ball Hill to Reading (about 19 miles away).
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Ball Hill, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Kintbury station, about 3.1 miles north-west.
We cater events across the RG20 postcode area. Local streets include Knights Lea, Gore End Road and Knights Lane; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Other places close to Ball Hill for tapas catering include Hamstead Marshall (1 mile north), Woolton Hill (1 mile south-east), Crockham Heath (1 mile north-east), Enborne Row (2 miles east) and Penwood (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Newbury (4 miles north-east), Thatcham (7 miles east), Burghfield Common (15 miles east), Speenhamland (4 miles north-east), Hungerford (6 miles north-west) and Lambourn (11 miles north-west).
Nearby you will also find Newbury Castle (2.2 miles north) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (5.3 miles north-east). The countryside around Ball Hill includes Kintbury Newt Ponds and Pilot Hill.
- 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