Hampshire · England
Tapas Catering for Darby Green events
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella makes the food a highlight of your event in Darby Green.
- Sharing tapas starters
- Evening grazing
- Engagement celebrations
Tapas catering in Darby Green
Before you choose a spot
We will be honest if a space will not work, and help find another spot. What matters most:
- Access to unload near the serving area
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- A spot for our serving station
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
On the menu in Darby Green
- Gambas al ajillo
- Albóndigas
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Manchego & membrillo
- Croquetas
- Olives & bread
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
Tapas catering in Darby Green, made fresh on the day
Many classic tapas are naturally vegetarian, such as tortilla, bravas and padrón peppers, and some can be gluten-free. Popular choices include Serrano ham, tortilla española and padrón peppers, and we are frequently booked for office parties and launches and drinks parties and receptions.
In a rural spot like Darby Green, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
Should I cook it myself?
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. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
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.
Diets, allergies and planning
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Make sure dishes are labelled
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
Staff carry canapés round and keep boards topped up.
Staff to serve canapés.
How it works
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. Evening receptions in Darby Green 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.
- Tell 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 clear our equipment afterwards.
How to prepare
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in Darby Green? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Related guides
Common questions in Darby Green
We’re having a ceremony at St Barnabas Church: 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. Tell us where the reception will be.
Which station should guests use for Darby Green?
The closest is Sandhurst station, roughly 1 mile away.
What do you need at the venue?
Less than you might think: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a photo.
Are the tapas fresh?
Hot tapas are finished on site so they’re served at their best.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices.
Do you do starters?
Yes, it is the classic pairing. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Do you offer halal options?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and it’s cooked separately.
Is the paella gluten-free?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Nearby places to Darby Green
More for events in Darby Green
About the dishes
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce, often with alioli.
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
How we price tapas catering
Every event is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The length of service
- Travel, parking and access
- Starters, canapés and desserts
There is 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.
Getting an accurate quote
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- The date and rough timings
- The courses you’d like
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Expected numbers
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will send a clear, itemised quote.
Live paella or other catering?
If you want food that encourages guests to mingle, tapas work brilliantly. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What you get with us
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
Why choose tapas catering in Darby Green?
They work for any size of event.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Darby Green book us for occasions like:
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Office parties and launches
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Canapés with welcome drinks
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like St Barnabas Church.
What to look for in a quote
- When payment is due
- Travel and parking costs
- The deadline for final numbers
- A clear list of what’s included
Darby Green: venues and local tips
Darby Green is about 1 mile east of Yateley, in Hampshire. For tapas catering in Darby Green, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. Darby Green is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Darby Green to Reading (11 miles away).
Guests travelling by rail: Sandhurst station is about 1 mile away. Historic buildings near Darby Green often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue.
We cater events across the GU17 and GU46 postcode area. From Green Lane, Stroud Lane and Reading Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. For events just outside Darby Green, we cover Minley (1 mile south-west), Yateley (1 mile west), Little Sandhurst (2 miles north), Eversley Cross (3 miles west) and Eversley Centre (3 miles west). Larger places within reach include Basingstoke (14 miles west), Farnborough (3 miles south-east), Fleet (4 miles south), Aldershot (6 miles south), Alton (15 miles south-west) and Tadley (15 miles west).
Other landmarks nearby include Hart Shopping Centre (3.9 miles south-west) and Frimley Park Hospital (2.9 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Wildmoor Heath and Horseshoe Lake.
- Schools near Darby Green include Frogmore Community College (under half a mile north-west)
- Pubs nearby include Cricketers pub (0.8 miles west)
- Local facilities include Royal Military Academy Library (1.9 miles north-east)
- 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