Greater London · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Eltham, Greater London
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella makes the food a highlight of your event in Eltham.
- Evening sharing boards
- Tapas and paella menus
- Engagement celebrations
Tapas catering for Eltham events
Tapas for events in Eltham
Eltham is about 7 miles west of Dartford, in Greater London. Events in Eltham are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cook in 764 places in Greater London. Our events stretch from Eltham to London (8 miles away).
Nearby historic houses include Eltham Palace (less than half a mile north-west) and Danson House (2.8 miles east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed. A picnic in Horn Park? Check the park’s rules first; a garden or hired venue is frequently easier for catering.
We cater events across the SE9, SE12, DA15 and BR7 postcode area and the streets around it. Local streets include Eltham High Street, Tarnwood Park and Elmslie Court; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Eltham sits on or near the A20 and B263, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. For events just outside Eltham, we cover Middle Park (1 mile west), New Eltham (1 mile south-east), Well Hall (1 mile north), Coldharbour (1 mile south) and Avery Hill (1 mile north-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (8 miles north-west), City of Westminster (10 miles north-west), Marylebone (10 miles north-west), Kensington (12 miles west), St Pancras (9 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Eltham Community Hospital (less than half a mile north) and Metropolitan Police Museum (2.1 miles east). Not far away are The Tarn and Summer Hill.
- Schools near Eltham include Eltham Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles north)
- Local pubs include The Greyhound Public House (within half a mile north)
How our tapas catering works in Eltham
We will suggest a selection to suit your timings and guests, starter or main event. On the menu are Serrano ham, tortilla española and padrón peppers, and we’re regularly asked to cater engagement parties and canapés with welcome drinks.
For a London drinks party in Eltham, canapé tapas are easy to serve in a small space. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, not reheated.
- Area
- Eltham (SE9, SE12, DA15, BR7)
- County
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Working with your venue
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.
Events in public spaces, like parks, normally need permission. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
The menu, dish by dish
Gambas al ajillo
Prawns sizzled in garlic and olive oil.
Croquetas
Creamy croquettes with a crisp coat.
What happens on the day
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first while the paella cooks. A summer drinks reception in Eltham 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.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We pack down when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Getting a price
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in Eltham? Send us the details and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Planning help
Nearby places to Eltham
What else we do in Eltham
Why choose live paella in Eltham?
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, which makes them easy to plan around. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why book with us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Real theatre, not just catering
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
Eltham questions
Can you cook in Horn Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
What about parking in Eltham?
London parking needs planning: let us know about permits or off-street space. We’ll work around it.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
How do you work out quantities?
That depends on their role in the meal. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest quantities.
Do you do desserts?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll talk it through before the day.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. Send us a photo if you are not sure.
Planning for every diet
Nearly every event has some special diets. To cater well for them:
- Canapés need staff to serve
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
Each dish is labelled.
Waiting staff for canapés.
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Space to finish hot dishes
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
As a London location, Eltham is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Popular choices
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
- Olives & bread
- Chorizo in red wine
- Gambas al ajillo
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Serrano ham
What tapas catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- How many guests are eating
- Parking and unloading
- Whether you need crockery
Larger events typically cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and price, we need:
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Anything your venue supplies
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Events we cater in Eltham
They suit standing receptions where a full meal does not fit.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Eltham and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Evening grazing
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Cocktail parties
- Table tapas as a starter
Historic buildings near Eltham often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue.
Comparing caterers
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- How bad weather is handled
- The deadline for final numbers
- 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