Oxfordshire · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Frilford, Oxfordshire
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Frilford. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Cocktail parties
- Engagement drinks
- Tapas with a paella main course
Live tapas catering in Frilford
Diets, allergies and planning
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Collect dietary needs
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Canapés need staff to serve
Hot tapas are finished on site and served right away.
Add a live paella main.
Tapas catering in Frilford, cooked live
Tapas pair naturally with a live paella, as a starter while the rice cooks, but they work on their own too. On the menu are gambas al ajillo, padrón peppers and Serrano ham, and typical bookings are for evening sharing boards and canapés with welcome drinks.
Near Frilford, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Location
- Frilford (OX13)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What affects the price in Frilford
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
- How many courses
- Your choice of paellas
The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What to tell us
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Tapas for events in Frilford
Frilford is about 3 miles west of Abingdon-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. We cater events at gardens, halls and venues around Frilford. We cater in 443 places across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Oxford, about 8 miles away.
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Frilford, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking. Historic houses near Frilford include Appleton Manor (2.6 miles north) and Longworth House (3.9 miles west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed.
Anywhere in OX13, we can cook for your guests. That could mean an event in a garden on Oxford Road and Kingston Road. Close by, we cover events in Frilford Heath (1 mile north), Marcham (1 mile east), Tubney (1 mile north), Fyfield (2 miles north-west) and Netherton (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Oxford (8 miles north-east), Didcot (7 miles south-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (3 miles east), Witney (10 miles north-west), Carterton (12 miles north-west) and Wantage (6 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include FitzHarris Castle (3.4 miles east) and Abingdon Community Hospital (2.6 miles east). Open spaces near Frilford include Hitchcopse Pit and Cumnor Hill.
- Pubs nearby include The White Hart Public House (0.8 miles south-east)
How it works
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Evening receptions in Frilford stay light until about 9:00pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- You tell us the date, venue, numbers and how you’d like the tapas served.
- You get a suggested selection and a price.
- On the day we arrive, set up and finish the hot tapas on site.
- We serve canapés with drinks or set table tapas down to share.
- Afterwards, our equipment is cleared away.
How to prepare
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Ask for a quote
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can use our quote form.
Planning help
Planning the cooking area
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- Venue approval for outside catering
- Space on each table
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
On the menu in Frilford
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Gambas al ajillo
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Padrón peppers
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
FAQs for Frilford
Is Frilford close to London?
Roughly 56 miles from the centre of London.
Is Frilford too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
Are your tapas vegetarian-friendly?
Plenty are vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers. Each dish is labelled.
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. Our guide to portions explains more.
Can you cater for children?
Of course. Children often love a simple chicken paella. Include children in your numbers.
Is halal food available?
We can. Let us know your halal numbers, and we will cook a separate pan.
Do you do desserts?
Yes. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Working with your venue
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
Who books tapas catering in Frilford?
They’re easy to eat with a drink in hand.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Engagement drinks
- Sharing tapas starters
- Launches and office parties
- Receptions and drinks parties
After a ceremony at a church such as Church of All Saints, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos.
Questions to ask before you book
- How each diet is kept separate
- The deposit and payment dates
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Who provides the crockery
Should I cook it myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. 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.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A plated starter needs a kitchen and staff. Table tapas are relaxed and sociable. Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Why book with us
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- We cover Frilford and the whole of Oxfordshire
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Served hot, straight from the pan
Towns and villages near Frilford
More for events in Frilford
- 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