East Sussex · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Dallington, East Sussex
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Dallington: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Office parties and launches
Tapas catering in Dallington
Tapas catering in Dallington, cooked live
Tapas are made for sharing and talking over. We serve them in two ways: canapés carried round while guests mingle, or table tapas set down to share. Whether it is drinks parties and receptions and anniversary parties, we can cook Serrano ham, albóndigas and tortilla española.
Near Dallington, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Area
- Dallington (TN21)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Why choose live paella in Dallington?
For food that gets people mingling, tapas work brilliantly. There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Why Dallington hosts choose us
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Events in Dallington and across East Sussex
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Catering for every guest
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests. To get it right:
- Make sure dishes are labelled
- Ask guests about diets and allergies
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
Hot tapas are finished on site and served straight away.
Serving boards and crockery.
Nearby places to Dallington
Other catering in Dallington
Planning the cooking area
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Space on each table
- Room for a tapas table
- An area to prepare hot tapas
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
What we offer
- Chorizo in red wine
- Albóndigas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Olives & bread
- Croquetas
- Serrano ham
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Patatas bravas
- Padrón peppers
FAQs for Dallington
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Parish Church of St Giles?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Is Dallington too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, it’s the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we will quote for the rest.
Do you cater in Dallington?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Dallington is within our area and the rest of East Sussex. For a quote, use our quote form.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan for them.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Do you provide serving staff?
Yes, if you want them. Canapés need staff to carry them round.
The process
The paella is cooked in giant, shallow pans over gas burners. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. Sunset in Dallington is around 9:15pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- First, we check availability.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Getting ready for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Ask for a quote
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in Dallington? Tell us what you have in mind and we will come back with ideas and a quote. To contact us, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
About the dishes
Manchego & membrillo
A simple, classic pairing.
Tortilla española
Potato omelette served in wedges or squares.
Working with your venue
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Events in public spaces, like parks, normally need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
Planning a tapas spread in Dallington
Dallington is about 7 miles north-east of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Across the TN21 area, we can bring the pans to you. We cater in all 289 towns and villages in East Sussex. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 23 miles away.
Historic buildings near Dallington frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue. Nearby historic houses include Bateman's (3.1 miles north). Where a historic venue does not allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 4 miles of Dallington, ideal for an outdoor reception.
Tapas catering in TN21 is planned around your venue and your guests. For events just outside Dallington, we cover Wood's Corner (1 mile east), Rushlake Green (2 miles west), Punnett's Town (2 miles north-west), Brownbread Street (3 miles south-east) and Burwash Common (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (12 miles south), Hastings (10 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (8 miles south-east), Hailsham (7 miles south-west), Crowborough (11 miles north-west) and St Leonards (11 miles south-east).
A little further out are Old Castle (under half a mile west) and Hellingly Hospital (5.6 miles south-west).
Prices and what affects them
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- The paellas you choose
- The length of service
- Parking and unloading
- The number of people
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
What we need to know
These details help us quote quickly:
- Anything your venue supplies
- Which courses you have in mind
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The date and rough timings
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
- 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