Greater London · England
Tapas Catering for Barking 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 Barking.
- Office parties and launches
- Tapas starters
- Engagement celebrations
Book tapas catering in Barking
The menu, dish by dish
Croquetas
Croquetas disappear fast.
Tortilla española
A vegetarian favourite.
Tapas catering in Barking, cooked live
Sangria and bar staff can be added, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. Popular choices include patatas bravas, Serrano ham and croquetas, and we’re regularly asked to cater birthday drinks and drinks parties and receptions.
Canapé tapas suit smaller London spaces in Barking. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served as soon as it’s ready.
- Location
- Barking (IG11, RM9, RM8, E6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Occasions we cook for in Barking
They’re the classic starter before paella.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Barking, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Work receptions
- Evening grazing
- Tapas and paella menus
- Engagement drinks
If you are looking at a historic venue around Barking, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
What to look for in a quote
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- The deposit and payment dates
- What the price includes, item by item
- When final numbers are due
Step by step
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. At midsummer, it’s light in Barking until about 9:20pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it’s dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:50pm.
- Send us the date, venue, numbers and serving style.
- We suggest a selection and confirm a quote.
- On the day, we set up and prepare the hot tapas there.
- Canapés go round with the drinks, or table tapas go out to share.
- Afterwards, our equipment is cleared away.
Getting ready for the day
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
How we price tapas catering
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- How many staff you need
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Getting an accurate quote
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Expected numbers
- Where the event is
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Common questions in Barking
Which station should guests use for Barking?
The closest is Barking station, roughly 0.8 miles away.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Patrick's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you supply canapé staff?
Yes, if you want them. Canapés need staff to serve.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We’ll talk it through before the day.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Can you serve drinks?
Yes, sangria. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan for them.
Other catering in Barking
Planning for every diet
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Collect dietary needs
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
Staff keep the canapés coming.
Spanish desserts to finish.
Planning a tapas spread in Barking
Barking is about 9 miles east of London, in Greater London. Events in Barking are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Barking is one of 764 places in Greater London we cover. Our events stretch from Barking to London (9 miles away).
After a ceremony at a church such as St Patrick's Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. A picnic in Mayesbrook Park? Check the park’s rules first; a garden or hired venue is frequently easier for catering.
We cover events in every part of the IG11, RM9, RM8 and E6 postcode area and the streets around it. From Eastbury Square, London Road and Church Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater events in Loxford (1 mile north-west), Creekmouth (1 mile south), Wallend (1 mile west), East Ham (2 miles west) and Beckton (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (9 miles west), City of Westminster (11 miles west), Marylebone (11 miles west), Kensington (13 miles west), St Pancras (9 miles west) and Shoreditch (8 miles west).
A little further out are Barking Community Hospital (under half a mile north) and East End Women's Museum (0.9 miles west). Open spaces near Barking include Ripple Nature Reserve and Hollow Pond.
- Schools near Barking include Greatfields School (0.5 miles west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Barking Dog pub (0.8 miles north-west)
- Local facilities include East Ham (1.8 miles west)
Working with your venue
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll explain how it works. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- Access to unload near the serving area
- Permission from the venue
- Space on each table
As a London location, Barking is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
What we offer
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
- Albóndigas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Olives & bread
- Tortilla española
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Serrano ham
- Gambas al ajillo
- 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