Oxfordshire · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Bow, Oxfordshire
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Bow: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Office parties and launches
- Sharing tapas starters
- Drinks parties and receptions
Tapas catering near Bow
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Guest numbers
- How many courses
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
To speed things up, tell us:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A photo of the space, if you can
- Anything your venue supplies
- The venue or postcode
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Tapas catering in Bow, made fresh on the day
Receptions, parties, office events and weddings all suit tapas. On the menu are Manchego with membrillo, croquetas and albóndigas, and typical bookings are for table tapas as a starter and tapas before paella.
In a rural spot like Bow, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Location
- Bow (SN7)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning a tapas spread in Bow
Bow is about 4 miles east of Faringdon, in Oxfordshire. Tell us where your event in Bow will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up. We cook in 443 places across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Bow to Oxford (14 miles away).
After a ceremony at a church such as Church of St Denys, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Historic houses near Bow include Longworth House (4.3 miles north-east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed.
Here we cover the SN7 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. From Chapel Road, High Street and Sheards Lane or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. For events just outside Bow, we cover Stanford in the Vale (1 mile west), Hatford (1 mile north-west), Shellingford (2 miles west), Baulking (2 miles south-west) and Buckland (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (14 miles north-east), Didcot (11 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (10 miles east), Witney (10 miles north), Carterton (10 miles north-west) and Wantage (5 miles south-east).
A little further out are Faringdon Museum (3.8 miles west) and Faringdon Castle (3.4 miles north-west).
- Local pubs include Former Red Lion Public House (less than half a mile south-west)
The menu, dish by dish
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
Patatas bravas
Always popular and usually vegetarian.
Events we cater in Bow
They make a perfect starter before paella.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Work receptions
- Engagement celebrations
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Sharing boards for evening guests
If you are looking at a historic venue around Bow, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
Comparing caterers
- The venue requirements
- Whether travel is included
- Staff numbers and hours
- Payment terms and deposit
Paella compared with other options
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, so they fit most plans. The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- A clear, itemised quote
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
What happens on the day
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, unload, set up the burners and prepare the stock. Guests usually gather round to watch as the paella takes shape. Evening receptions in Bow stay light until about 9:00pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- You tell us the date, venue, numbers and how you’d like the tapas served.
- 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.
- We clear away our equipment when service is finished.
Before we arrive
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
How to get a price
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in Bow, and we will put together a menu and price.
Related guides
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there is shopping, prep and hours of cooking. A caterer handles all of that.
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- A suitable spot to finish hot tapas
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
Menu ideas
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Tortilla española
- Manchego & membrillo
Also in Bow
FAQs for Bow
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Denys?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is Bow close to London?
Roughly 61 miles from the centre of London.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We’ll talk it through before the day.
Is tapas catering available separately?
Of course. Tapas can be booked without paella.
Are there vegetarian tapas?
Many tapas are naturally vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers. We label each dish.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we will reply with a price.
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To make it work smoothly:
- Canapés need staff to serve
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Collect dietary needs
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
Tapas go out to the tables at the start of the meal.
Follow tapas with a live paella.
- 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