West Sussex · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Dial Post, West Sussex
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Dial Post: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, right in front of your guests.
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Engagement celebrations
- Launches and office parties
Live tapas catering in Dial Post
Tapas catering in Dial Post, cooked live
Many classic tapas are naturally vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers, and some can be gluten-free. On the menu are albóndigas, Serrano ham and padrón peppers, and we’re regularly asked to cater tapas before paella and engagement celebrations.
For a country party near Dial Post, tapas and sangria set the mood. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it is ready.
- Where
- Dial Post (RH13)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Dial Post: venues and local tips
Dial Post is about 7 miles south of Horsham, in West Sussex. Give us the address of your event in Dial Post, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. We cover 371 places in West Sussex. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 13 miles away.
We cover events in every part of RH13 and the streets around it. That could mean an event in a garden on The Green, Swallows Lane and Bentons Lane or the roads around them. If your venue is just outside Dial Post, we also cover Whitehall (2 miles north-west), Shipley (2 miles north), West Grinstead (2 miles north-east), Broomer's Corner (2 miles north-west) and Partridge Green (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (13 miles north-east), Horsham (7 miles north), Worthing (10 miles south), Haywards Heath (12 miles east), Burgess Hill (10 miles east) and Littlehampton (13 miles south-west).
Open spaces near Dial Post include Knepp Wildland and Chanctonbury Hill.
Towns and villages near Dial Post
Also in Dial Post
Why choose tapas catering in Dial Post?
Tapas are sociable food.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. People in Dial Post book us for occasions like:
- Work receptions
- Tapas and paella menus
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Tapas starters
Comparing caterers
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Who provides the crockery
- Whether VAT is included
- How each diet is kept separate
Can I cook paella for a crowd 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 for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
Your questions about tapas catering in Dial Post
Is Dial Post close to London?
About 39 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Do you come out to small places like Dial Post?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
What does tapas catering cost?
It depends on guest numbers, the menu, the courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Tell us how many are coming.
Do you cater in Dial Post?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Dial Post. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
Do you cook tapas on site?
We finish hot dishes on site; cold tapas are laid out as guests arrive.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
Prices and what affects them
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Whether you need crockery
- Waiting and bar staff
- Parking and unloading
- The number of people
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and price, we need:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and rough timings
- Where the event is
- Which courses you have in mind
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in Dial Post? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, use our quote form.
Space, weather and the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- Space to finish hot dishes
- Room for a tapas table
- Parking near the venue
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
On the menu in Dial Post
- Croquetas
- Olives & bread
- Padrón peppers
- Gambas al ajillo
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
Catering for every guest
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
Staff carry canapés round and keep boards topped up.
Sangria and bar staff.
The process
Once the rice is in, we do not stir it. That’s how the grains cook evenly and the toasted base, the socarrat, forms. Your guests will smell it before they see it. Sunset in Dial Post is around 9:20pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Get a quote
Send us the date, your venue or RH13 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Paella compared with other options
If you want food that encourages guests to mingle, tapas work brilliantly. Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
Why book with us
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Catering across West Sussex, including Dial Post
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- A quote that spells everything out
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
- 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