East Sussex · England
Tapas & canapé catering in High Cross, East Sussex
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 High Cross.
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Tapas starters
- Engagement parties
Tapas catering near High Cross
About our tapas catering in High Cross
We’ll suggest a selection to suit your timings and guests, whether tapas are a starter or the whole meal. Whether it is drinks parties and receptions and table tapas as a starter, we’ll put together a menu of croquetas, patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo.
Near High Cross, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it’s ready.
- Location
- High Cross (TN6)
- County
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning the cooking area
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- Unloading access
- An area to prepare hot tapas
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
On the menu in High Cross
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
- Serrano ham
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Receptions and parties in High Cross
High Cross is about 3 miles east of Crowborough, in East Sussex. For tapas catering in High Cross, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cater in all 289 towns and villages in East Sussex. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 21 miles away.
After a ceremony at a church such as The Parish Church of St Denys, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Crowborough station, about 1.8 miles west. High Cross is within about 2 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, ideal for an outdoor reception.
This part of East Sussex takes in TN6, so your event can be anywhere in it. High Cross sits on or near the B2101, which makes travel to your event easy. Other places close to High Cross for tapas catering include Argos Hill (1 mile east), Rotherfield (1 mile north-west), Town Row (1 mile north), Woolbridge (1 mile south) and Wellbrook (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Lewes (15 miles south-west), Hailsham (12 miles south), Crowborough (3 miles west), Uckfield (7 miles south-west), Polegate (15 miles south) and South Malling (14 miles south-west).
A little further out are Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (3.1 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Crowborough Country Park.
- Pubs nearby include The King's Arms Public House (0.6 miles north-west)
Perfect for your event in High Cross
They work for any size of event.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Anniversary parties
- Evening grazing
- Launches and office parties
Nearby historic houses include Wadhurst Castle (4.9 miles east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed.
Comparing caterers
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- The deposit and payment dates
- How long the team stays
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Organising for someone else?
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.
If you’re 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 saves passing messages back and forth.
Places near High Cross
Other catering in High Cross
Your questions about tapas catering in High Cross
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Parish Church of St Denys?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you come out to small places like High Cross?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you provide serving staff?
We can provide staff. Canapés need staff to serve.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
How much does tapas catering cost in High Cross?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
How soon do we need to book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Do you have vegetarian tapas?
Yes. Tortilla, patatas bravas, padrón peppers and Manchego are vegetarian classics.
Can you bring crockery?
If you need them, yes. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Book staff to carry canapés round
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
Staff keep the canapés coming.
Follow tapas with a live paella.
What affects the price in High Cross
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Timings and hours
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- The date and rough timings
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Diets and allergies you know about
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, use our quote form.
How it works
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Sunset in High Cross is around 9:15pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
How to prepare
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Leave space around the cooking area
Ask for a quote
Not sure what you need yet? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, so they fit most plans. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why us?
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- We cover High Cross and the whole of East Sussex
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Take a look at Our prices page And What paella catering costs.
- 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