Oxfordshire · England
Tapas Catering in Clifton Hampden
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Clifton Hampden. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Tapas starters
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Tapas and paella menus
Tapas catering for Clifton Hampden events
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
- Timings and hours
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, plus any staff, crockery and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- What the venue already provides
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and time of the event
- The courses you’d like
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
Tapas catering in Clifton Hampden, cooked live
We finish hot tapas on site, so they’re served at their best. We are often asked to cater launches and office parties and engagement drinks, with tortilla española, croquetas and gambas al ajillo.
In a rural spot like Clifton Hampden, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated, and served as soon as it’s ready.
- Location
- Clifton Hampden (OX14)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
The process
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. We need a level, ventilated spot, and we agree where that is before the day. Evening receptions in Clifton Hampden stay light until about 8:55pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- Send us the date, venue, numbers and serving style.
- We suggest a selection and confirm a quote.
- On the day we arrive, set up and finish the hot tapas on site.
- Canapés circulate with drinks, or tapas go to the tables.
- Afterwards, our equipment is cleared away.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Plan cover in case of rain
Getting a price
Send us the date, your venue or OX14 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Where we can cook in Clifton Hampden
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Space for a serving table or station
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
On the menu in Clifton Hampden
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
- Serrano ham
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Chorizo in red wine
Catering for every guest
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Book staff to carry canapés round
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Label seafood clearly
Each dish is labelled.
Serving boards and crockery.
Why choose tapas catering in Clifton Hampden?
They’re the classic starter before paella.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Clifton Hampden, paella can be the star of the food. We often cook for:
- Drinks reception canapés
- Anniversary parties
- Tapas starters
- Tapas and paella menus
After a ceremony at a church such as Church of St Michael and All Angels, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos.
Before you book anyone
- Travel and parking costs
- The venue requirements
- The wet-weather plan
- The deadline for final numbers
Dishes our guests love
Croquetas
Croquetas disappear fast.
Gambas al ajillo
A favourite with seafood lovers.
For planners, venues and organisers
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
If you’re 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 keeps things simple.
Towns and villages near Clifton Hampden
More for events in Clifton Hampden
Clifton Hampden questions
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Michael and All Angels: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Do you come out to small places like Clifton Hampden?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so it pays to ask early.
What does tapas catering cost?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers for a clear quote.
How do you work out quantities?
Quantities depend on timing and courses. Tell us more for a suggestion.
How long do you need on site?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Can you serve drinks?
Yes, sangria. For other drinks, we can provide bar staff to serve what you buy.
Should I cook it myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
Drinks receptions around Clifton Hampden
Clifton Hampden is about 3 miles south-east of Abingdon-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. Whether your event is in the middle of Clifton Hampden or on the outskirts, tapas catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cater in all 443 towns and villages across Oxfordshire. We cook right across the region, from Clifton Hampden to Oxford (about 7 miles away).
A picnic in Nuneham Courtenay? Check the park’s rules first; a garden or hired venue is frequently easier for catering. Nearby historic houses include Clifton Hampden Manor (under half a mile east) and Brightwell Manor (3.6 miles south-east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed.
Wherever your event is in OX14, we can bring tapas catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Local streets include High Street, Abingdon Road and Courtiers Green; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Other places close to Clifton Hampden for tapas catering include Long Wittenham (1 mile south), Appleford-on-Thames (2 miles south-west), Nuneham Courtenay (2 miles north), Culham (2 miles west) and Radley (3 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (7 miles north), Didcot (4 miles south-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (3 miles north-west), Witney (15 miles north-west), Thame (12 miles north-east) and Wantage (10 miles south-west).
A little further out are Pendon Museum (1.4 miles south) and FitzHarris Castle (3.3 miles west). Open spaces near Clifton Hampden include Wittenham Clumps and Mowbray Fields.
- 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