Oxfordshire · England
Tapas Catering in Cray's Pond
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Cray's Pond and the surrounding area.
- Tapas before paella
- Anniversary parties
- Drinks reception canapés
Tapas catering near Cray's Pond
How we price tapas catering
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Timings and hours
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What to tell us
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Expected numbers
- Where the event is
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Tapas catering for your event in Cray's Pond
Canapé tapas suit standing receptions; table tapas suit seated meals. Many events have both. Popular choices include patatas bravas, Manchego with membrillo and albóndigas, and typical bookings are for engagement drinks and office parties and launches.
For a country party near Cray's Pond, tapas and sangria set the mood. You’ll know exactly what’s included before booking: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
- Area
- Cray's Pond (RG8)
- County
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
For planners, venues and organisers
If you are organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Organising a club, school or community event in Cray's Pond? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
The menu, dish by dish
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
Manchego & membrillo
Spanish sheep’s cheese with quince paste.
Planning a tapas spread in Cray's Pond
Cray's Pond is about 6 miles north-west of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. Whether your event is in the middle of Cray's Pond or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cook in all 443 towns and villages across Oxfordshire. We cook right across the region, from Cray's Pond to Reading (7 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Basildon Park (2.2 miles south-west) and Mapledurham House (3.3 miles south-east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed. After a ceremony at a church such as Church of St Leonard, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Cray's Pond is within about 7 miles of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
We cater events across the RG8 postcode area and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Crays Pond Close, Garton End and Goring Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. You will find Cray's Pond on the B4526, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Nearby, we also cater events in Woodcote (1 mile north-east), Whitchurch Hill (1 mile south), Hook End (2 miles east), Checkendon (3 miles north-east) and Cane End (3 miles east). Larger places within reach include Didcot (9 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles north-west), Wantage (15 miles west), Henley-on-Thames (8 miles east), Benson (7 miles north) and Chinnor (14 miles north-east).
Nearby you will also find Battle Hospital (5.7 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Hartslock.
- Schools near Cray's Pond include Woodcote Primary School (1.1 miles north-east) and Langtree School (1.1 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The White Lion pub (less than half a mile east)
Where we can cook in Cray's Pond
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- A suitable spot to finish hot tapas
- 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 Cray's Pond
- Gambas al ajillo
- Manchego & membrillo
- Albóndigas
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Olives & bread
- Chorizo in red wine
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
- Patatas bravas
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. Our advice:
- Include staff for canapés
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Ensure dishes are labelled
- Check diets in advance
Canapés circulate with drinks.
Waiting staff for canapés.
Towns and villages near Cray's Pond
Also in Cray's Pond
Common questions in Cray's Pond
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Leonard: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you come out to small places like Cray's Pond?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you cover Cray's Pond?
Yes. We cater across London and the South East, and Cray's Pond is within our area. To check your date, fill in our quote form.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Are your tapas vegetarian-friendly?
Many tapas are naturally vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers. We label each dish.
Which areas do you serve?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Cray's Pond.
Can we add drinks?
Sangria, yes, plus bar staff for your own drinks.
How many tapas per person?
Quantities depend on timing and courses. Tell us more and we’ll advise.
Who books tapas catering in Cray's Pond?
One spread covers many tastes and diets.
These are some of the occasions we cater in Cray's Pond and Oxfordshire:
- Drinks reception canapés
- Sharing tapas starters
- Engagement drinks
- Birthday drinks
Guests travelling by rail: Goring & Streatley station is about 2.1 miles away.
Comparing caterers
- Who provides the crockery
- If the price includes VAT
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How bad weather is handled
What happens on the day
Expect a friendly, organised team. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. A summer drinks reception in Cray's Pond has daylight until about 9:25pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:10pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:55pm, are better indoors.
- We check your date.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Preparing for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Plan cover in case of rain
Ask for a quote
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Related guides
- 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