Greater London · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Hadley, Greater London
Paella for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Hadley.
- Engagement parties
- Evening sharing boards
- Sharing tapas starters
Planning an event in Hadley?
A closer look at the menu
Gambas al ajillo
Prawns sizzled in garlic and olive oil with a little chilli.
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
Tapas catering for your event in Hadley
The best spreads mix hot and cold: Manchego, Serrano ham and olives alongside patatas bravas, croquetas and gambas al ajillo. We cook gambas al ajillo, padrón peppers and tortilla española, and we are frequently booked for evening grazing and sharing tapas starters.
Canapé tapas suit smaller London spaces in Hadley. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
- Where
- Hadley (EN5, EN4)
- County
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
DIY paella versus live catering
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Tapas for events in Hadley
Hadley is about 1 mile north-west of Barnet, in Greater London. Events in Hadley are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cover 764 places across Greater London. Our nearest city page is London, about 12 miles away.
After a ceremony at a church such as Christ Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Parks such as King George's Fields (Monken Hadley) have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there.
We cater events across the EN5 and EN4 postcode area and the streets around it. Whether your event is on Byng Road, Park Road and Dury Road or a nearby road, we can cook there. Hadley sits on or near the A1081, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. Close by, we cover events in High Barnet (1 mile west), Kitts End (1 mile north), Arkley (1 mile south-west), Totteridge (1 mile south) and Dancers Hill (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in London (12 miles south-east), City of Westminster (10 miles south), Marylebone (10 miles south), Kensington (11 miles south), St Pancras (10 miles south) and Shoreditch (10 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Spires Shopping Centre (within half a mile south-west) and Barnet Urban District (0.5 miles south). Not far away are Darland's Lake and King George's Fields (Monken Hadley).
- Local schools include Foulds School (within half a mile west) and Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School (less than half a mile south-east)
- Local pubs include Ye Olde Monken Holt pub (under half a mile north)
Planning for every diet
Dietary needs are easy to plan for with a little notice. We suggest:
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Add sangria or cava
- Book staff to carry canapés round
- Ensure dishes are labelled
Hot tapas are finished on site and served straight away.
Bar staff and sangria.
Hadley: your questions answered
Could we have live paella in King George's Fields (Monken Hadley)?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Which station should guests use for Hadley?
The closest is New Barnet station, roughly 1.3 miles away.
Who clears up?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Do you supply canapé staff?
Yes, if you want them. Canapés need staff to carry them round.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three covers most guests. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and meat eaters often go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a photo if you’re not sure.
How the day works
Once the rice is in, we don’t stir it. That’s what gives paella its separate grains and crispy base. Your guests will smell it before they see it. A summer drinks reception in Hadley has daylight until about 9:20pm at midsummer, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it’s 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
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Perfect for your event in Hadley
They make a perfect starter before paella.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Birthday drinks
- Tapas and paella menus
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Engagement parties
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Hadley, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
What your quote should include
- VAT, if it applies
- Payment terms and deposit
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How bad weather is handled
Nearby places to Hadley
Other catering in Hadley
What affects the price in Hadley
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Whether you need crockery
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- How many courses
- Guest numbers
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
What we need to know
To speed things up, tell us:
- The courses you’d like
- Anything your venue supplies
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The venue or postcode
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
Space, weather and the venue
We will be honest if a space won’t work, and suggest an alternative. The main points are:
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- Space to finish hot dishes
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
Hadley is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Albóndigas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Manchego & membrillo
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
Working with your venue
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Hosting a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
- 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