Kent · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Herne Bay, Kent
Love Paella cooks Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella across Herne Bay and Kent, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Table tapas as a starter
- Work receptions
- Engagement celebrations
Tapas catering for Herne Bay events
Tapas catering in Herne Bay, made fresh on the day
We’ll suggest a selection to suit your timings and guests, whether tapas are a starter or the whole meal. For drinks reception canapés and tapas with a paella main course, we will put together a menu of padrón peppers, patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo for your guests.
Tapas work for parties and receptions in Herne Bay. We need a small area to finish hot tapas. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Live paella or other catering?
Plated starters need a kitchen. Table tapas are relaxed and sociable. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there’s no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
Why Herne Bay hosts choose us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Nearby places to Herne Bay
What else we do in Herne Bay
The menu, dish by dish
Patatas bravas
Crisp potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce.
Tortilla española
Tortilla is vegetarian and naturally gluten-free when made carefully.
The process
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 the timing is planned around your event. At midsummer, it is light in Herne Bay until about 9:15pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. In late September, sunset is about 7:00pm; winter receptions, dark by 3:50pm, are better indoors.
- Send us the date, venue, numbers and serving style.
- You get a suggested selection and a price.
- We arrive, set up and finish hot dishes on site.
- We serve canapés with drinks or set table tapas down to share.
- We pack down when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Get a quote
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Herne Bay: your questions answered
How far is Herne Bay from London?
Roughly 54 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
What about events near the coast?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Do we need staff for canapés?
We can provide staff. Canapés need staff to serve.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we can plan it carefully.
Where do you cater?
We cater across London and the South East, including Kent. See all areas.
Do you clear up afterwards?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
How much is live paella catering?
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
What if the weather’s bad?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
Occasions we cook for in Herne Bay
They’re easy to eat with a drink in hand.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We frequently cook for:
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Work receptions
- Evening grazing
- Tapas with a paella main course
After a ceremony at a church such as Christ Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether VAT is included
- A clear list of what’s included
- Staff numbers and hours
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Catering for every guest
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Include staff for canapés
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Ensure dishes are labelled
Dishes are labelled for diets and allergens.
Staff to serve canapés.
Before you choose a spot
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Access to unload near the serving area
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
Menu ideas
- Olives & bread
- Padrón peppers
- Chorizo in red wine
- Croquetas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
- Serrano ham
- Tortilla española
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Planners, venues and businesses
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Herne Bay? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Herne Bay: venues and local tips
Herne Bay is about 7 miles north of Canterbury, in Kent. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Herne Bay. Herne Bay is one of 922 places in Kent where we cook. Our events stretch from Herne Bay to Canterbury (about 7 miles away).
Parks such as Curtis Wood have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. Historic buildings near Herne Bay frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue. The coast is within about a mile, so garlic prawns are popular.
For tapas catering in CT6, we plan around your venue and your guests. Your event could be at a home on High Street, Viscount Square and Market Street or the roads around them. Being close to the A299 and B2205, Herne Bay is simple for us to get to with everything for your event. Other places close to Herne Bay for tapas catering include Hunters Forstal (1 mile south-east), Eddington (1 mile south-west), Broomfield (1 mile south-east), Herne (1 mile south) and Beltinge (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Canterbury (7 miles south), Margate (11 miles east), Ramsgate (12 miles east), Broadstairs (13 miles east), Whitstable (5 miles west) and Deal (15 miles south-east).
Nearby you will also find Tankerton Castle (4.3 miles west) and Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (3.6 miles west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
- Schools near Herne Bay include Herne Bay High School (1 mile south-west)
- Pubs nearby include Queen's Head Public House (under half a mile north-west)
- 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