East Sussex · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Eastbourne, East Sussex
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Eastbourne: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Cocktail parties
- Office parties and launches
Tapas catering in Eastbourne
Tapas catering for your event in Eastbourne
The best spreads mix hot and cold: cold cheese and ham with hot bravas, croquetas and garlic prawns. Typical bookings include birthday and anniversary parties and launches and office parties, with croquetas, Manchego with membrillo and gambas al ajillo.
Eastbourne has plenty of venues for drinks receptions and parties. Tapas work at both. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose, with no surprises on the day.
- Location
- Eastbourne (BN23, BN22, BN21, BN20)
- Area hub
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Dishes our guests love
Patatas bravas
A tapas classic.
Croquetas
Croquetas disappear fast.
Your questions about tapas catering in Eastbourne
We’re having a ceremony at St Andrew: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Could we have live paella in Princes Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Can we have tapas without paella?
Absolutely.
Should we have more than one paella?
Most events have two or three: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Normally we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. Some venues have suitable spaces; we’ll check with you and the venue.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, and it is a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
How it works
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. Sunset in Eastbourne is around 9:15pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- Send us the date, venue, numbers and serving style.
- We put together a tapas selection and a quote.
- On the day, we set up and prepare the hot tapas there.
- We serve canapés with drinks or set table tapas down to share.
- We clear away our equipment when service is finished.
Preparing for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Read more
Occasions we cook for in Eastbourne
They’re ideal when a full meal doesn’t fit.
Whatever you are celebrating in Eastbourne, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Drinks reception canapés
- Tapas and paella menus
- Sharing tapas starters
- Receptions and drinks parties
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Eastbourne, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether VAT is included
- What the price includes, item by item
- How long the team stays
- The venue requirements
What we need at the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Space for a serving table or station
- An area to prepare hot tapas
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
Popular choices
- Croquetas
- Tortilla española
- Albóndigas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
- Manchego & membrillo
- Olives & bread
Working with your venue
If you are organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Nearby places to Eastbourne
What else we do in Eastbourne
Live paella or other catering?
Generic canapés all look the same. Spanish tapas bring colour and flavour. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
What you get with us
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
Take a look at Our prices page Or Our guide to catering costs.
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Here’s how:
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
- Add sangria or cava
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
Table tapas are set down to share.
Waiting staff for canapés.
Tapas for events in Eastbourne
Eastbourne is in East Sussex. Wherever your event is in the BN23 area, we can bring the pans to you. We cater in 289 places across East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 19 miles away.
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Hampden Park station, about 0.7 miles north-west. Parks such as Princes Park have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. The South Downs National Park is within about 6 miles of Eastbourne, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors. With the sea within about 2 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
We cover events in every part of the BN23, BN22, BN21 and BN20 postcode area and the streets around it. Your event could be at a home on Vine Square, Ashford Square and Howard Square or the roads around them. You will find Eastbourne on the A22 and A259, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. Other places close to Eastbourne for tapas catering include Hampden Park (1 mile north-west), Upperton (1 mile south-west), Old Town (1 mile south-west), Ratton Village (2 miles west) and Meads (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Hastings (13 miles north-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (9 miles north-east), Seaford (8 miles west), Lewes (14 miles north-west), Hailsham (6 miles north) and St Leonards (13 miles east). Eastbourne is among the bigger towns we cover in East Sussex, with lots of choice for events.
A little further out are Pevensey Castle (3 miles north-east) and Royal Sussex Regimental Museum (1 mile south-east). Green spaces nearby include Combe Hill.
- Schools near Eastbourne include Ratton School (1.1 miles west) and WMG Academy for Young Engineers (1.5 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The King's Arms Public House (0.9 miles south-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