Greater London · England
Tapas Catering in Downham
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Downham: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Cocktail parties
- Office parties and launches
Planning an event in Downham?
DIY paella versus live catering
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. Booking us means you get the show without the stress.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Tapas catering in Downham, cooked live
We finish hot tapas on site, so they’re served at their best. Popular choices include padrón peppers, patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo, and we’re frequently booked for engagement celebrations and receptions and drinks parties.
Tapas work well for receptions and parties in Downham, in a home, a venue or an office. Let us know about parking and loading. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Area
- Downham (BR1, SE6, SE12)
- Region
- Greater London
- Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
What we need at the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- Room for a tapas table
- Space on each table
Downham is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
Menu ideas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Croquetas
- Olives & bread
- Chorizo in red wine
- Patatas bravas
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
Diets, allergies and planning
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Ask guests about diets and allergies
- Label seafood clearly
- Ask for labels on each dish
Hot tapas are finished on site and served right away.
Bar staff and sangria.
Towns and villages near Downham
Other catering in Downham
How it works
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so we time everything to your schedule. A summer drinks reception in Downham has daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it is dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:55pm.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Get a quote
Send us the date, your venue or BR1 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Common questions in Downham
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Barnabas?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook in Downham Fields?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Are the tapas served hot?
Hot tapas are finished on site so they’re served at their best.
What about pudding?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
When should we book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Even if it’s short notice, it’s worth asking.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is typically popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Do you cater in Downham?
Yes, we do. Downham is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
For event organisers in Downham
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
How we price tapas catering
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- How long we are needed on site
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Guest numbers
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
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
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- The date and rough timings
- Expected numbers
- The venue or postcode
- Any dietary needs and allergies
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote.
Drinks receptions around Downham
Downham is about 2 miles north of Bromley, in Greater London. Tell us where your event in Downham will be, and we will plan access and set-up before the day. Downham is one of 764 places in Greater London where we cook. Our events stretch from Downham to London (about 7 miles away).
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Downham, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like St Barnabas.
Wherever your event is in BR1, SE6 and SE12, we can bring tapas catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Local streets include Shaw Road, Arcus Road and Brook Lane; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Plaistow (1 mile south), Grove Park (1 mile north-east), Sundridge (1 mile south-east), Chinbrook (1 mile east) and Bellingham (1 mile west). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (7 miles north-west), City of Westminster (9 miles north-west), Marylebone (9 miles north-west), Kensington (10 miles north-west), St Pancras (9 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles north-west).
A little further out are Municipal Borough of Bromley (1.8 miles south) and Prefab Museum (0.7 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Summer Hill and Downham Woodland Walk.
- Schools near Downham include Bonus Pastor Catholic College (less than half a mile west) and Holy Trinity College Bromley (1.4 miles south-east)
Paella compared with other options
Sandwich buffets are forgettable. Tapas feel special. There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
What you get with us
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Read Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
Who books tapas catering in Downham?
Big or small, tapas work.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Downham:
- Cocktail parties
- Anniversary parties
- Evening grazing
- Canapés with welcome drinks
Nearby historic houses include Bromley Palace (1.7 miles south-east) and Eltham Palace (2.4 miles north-east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed.
What your quote should include
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The venue requirements
- VAT, if it applies
- What the price includes, item by item
- 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