Oxfordshire · England
Tapas Catering for Blackthorn events
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Blackthorn: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, in full view of your guests.
- Evening sharing boards
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Tapas and paella menus
Tapas catering near Blackthorn
What affects the price in Blackthorn
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Travel, parking and access
- The paellas you choose
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Whether you need crockery
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 speed things up, tell us:
- The venue or postcode
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Tapas catering in Blackthorn, made fresh on the day
Sangria and bar staff can be added, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. We cook tortilla española, Serrano ham and patatas bravas, and we’re frequently booked for anniversary parties and evening sharing boards.
Near Blackthorn, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Location
- Blackthorn (OX25)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Blackthorn questions
What’s the nearest station to Blackthorn for guests?
Bicester Village station, about 2.6 miles north-west of the centre.
Do you come out to small places like Blackthorn?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so get in touch early.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
How much tapas do we need?
That depends on their role in the meal. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest quantities.
Do we need staff for canapés?
We can provide staff. Canapés need staff to carry them round.
Step by step
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it is served hot from the pan when you are ready to eat. Sunset in Blackthorn is around 9:25pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- First, we check availability.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- Hot and cold tapas are served.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
Preparing for the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Ask for a quote
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Read more
What we need at the venue
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours when you get in touch. Generally, we look for:
- Space on each table
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- A spot for our serving station
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
On the menu in Blackthorn
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
- Patatas bravas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Manchego & membrillo
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
A closer look at the menu
Patatas bravas
Always popular and typically vegetarian.
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
Paella compared with other options
For food that gets people mingling, tapas work brilliantly. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why Blackthorn hosts choose us
- Fast service from the pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- We cover Blackthorn and the whole of Oxfordshire
See How we price And The cost guide.
Working with your venue
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Tapas for events in Blackthorn
Blackthorn is about 3 miles south-east of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Whether your event is in the middle of Blackthorn or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cover all 443 towns and villages in Oxfordshire. Our nearest city page is Oxford, about 10 miles away.
Guests travelling by rail: Bicester Village station is about 2.6 miles away. Historic houses near Blackthorn include Boarstall Tower (3.3 miles south). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed.
For tapas catering in OX25, we plan around your venue and your guests. Whether your event is on Station Road, Lower Road and Thame Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Blackthorn, we also cover Piddington (2 miles south-east), Ludgershall (3 miles south-east), Grendon Underwood (4 miles east), Edgcott (4 miles north-east) and Brill (4 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Oxford (10 miles south-west), Bicester (3 miles north-west), Thame (10 miles south-east), Kidlington (9 miles south-west), Chinnor (14 miles south-east) and Headington Quarry (9 miles south-west).
Nearby you’ll also find Bicester Community Hospital (3.1 miles north-west) and Bicester Village (2.8 miles north-west). The countryside around Blackthorn includes Upper Ray Meadows and Graven Hill.
Why choose tapas catering in Blackthorn?
They make a perfect starter before paella.
In Blackthorn and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Drinks reception canapés
- Tapas before paella
- Office parties and launches
- Engagement celebrations
After a ceremony at a church such as Church of St Mary the Virgin, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos.
Questions to ask before you book
- What the price includes, item by item
- Who provides the crockery
- How bad weather is handled
- Staff numbers and hours
Nearby places to Blackthorn
More for events in Blackthorn
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
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.
- 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