Greater London · England
Tapas Catering in Bow Common
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella for events in Bow Common and across Greater London.
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Cocktail parties
Tapas catering for Bow Common events
Dishes our guests love
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Gambas al ajillo
A favourite with seafood lovers.
Tapas catering in Bow Common, cooked live
We will suggest a selection to suit your timings and guests, starter or main event. Whether it’s tapas and paella menus and birthday drinks, we can cook gambas al ajillo, Manchego with membrillo and Serrano ham and more.
For a London drinks party in Bow Common, canapé tapas are easy to serve in a small space. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Location
- Bow Common (E14, E3, E1)
- Region
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Questions from Bow Common
Can you cater a reception after a service at All Hallows?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Could we have live paella in Bartlett Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
Can you serve drinks?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Do you cook it at the event?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
When should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
How do you work out quantities?
It depends on whether they’re a starter, canapés or the whole meal. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest quantities.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
What tapas catering costs
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Guest numbers
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Distance and access to the venue
- The length of service
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
What we need to know
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and rough timings
- The courses you’d like
- A photo of the space, if you can
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Who books tapas catering in Bow Common?
Tapas are sociable food, because everyone shares.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Bow Common, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Tapas before paella
- Evening grazing
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Sharing tapas starters
Historic buildings near Bow Common often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue.
Comparing caterers
- Allergen information for each dish
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- How bad weather is handled
- Travel and parking costs
What happens on the day
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up our cooking area, and get on with cooking and serving. Evening receptions in Bow Common stay light until about 8:50pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We pack down when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Give us a contact for the day
Get a quote
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
Planning help
Planning a tapas spread in Bow Common
Bow Common is about 2 miles east of Whitechapel, in Greater London. From the centre of Bow Common to the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cook in all 764 towns and villages in Greater London.
Guests travelling by rail: Limehouse station is about 0.8 miles away. Historic houses near Bow Common include Sutton House (2.4 miles north-west) and Queen's House (2.7 miles south). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed.
We cover events in every part of E14, E3 and E1 and the streets around it. That could mean an event in a garden on Market Way, Knapp Road and Thomas Road. If your venue is just outside Bow Common, we also cover Limehouse (1 mile west), Bromley (1 mile north-east), Mile End (1 mile north-west), Poplar (1 mile south) and Canary Wharf (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover London (3 miles south-west), City of Westminster (6 miles west), Marylebone (5 miles west), Kensington (8 miles west), St Pancras (4 miles west) and Walthamstow (5 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Museum of the Book (0.5 miles south-west) and Tower of London (2.4 miles west). Not far away are Tower Hill and Hollow Pond.
- Local schools include Stebon Primary School (under half a mile south-west) and Langdon Park Secondary School (0.5 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Widow's Son pub (within half a mile north-east)
- Other local spots include Holy Trinity (1.1 miles north-west)
Where we can cook in Bow Common
We’ll be honest if a space won’t work, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- Parking near the venue
- Room for a tapas table
As a London location, Bow Common is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
On the menu in Bow Common
- Croquetas
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
- Serrano ham
- Gambas al ajillo
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Olives & bread
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
Working with your venue
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
If you’re organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Also near Bow Common
What else we do in Bow Common
Planning for every diet
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Add sangria or cava
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
- Label seafood clearly
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
Dishes are labelled for diets and allergens.
Churros or crema catalana to finish.
Paella compared with other options
Generic canapés all look the same. Tapas bring something different. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why us?
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Fast service from the pan
Read Our pricing Or Our guide to catering costs.
- 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