West Sussex · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Highleigh, West Sussex
Hot, generous and cooked in front of everyone: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella for events in Highleigh and across West Sussex.
- Engagement parties
- Birthday drinks
- Evening sharing boards
Planning an event in Highleigh?
What’s in the pans
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Gambas al ajillo
Popular with prawn fans.
Tapas catering in Highleigh, cooked live
Hot tapas are finished on site, so they’re served at their best. We cook albóndigas, croquetas and Serrano ham, and we are regularly asked to cater evening grazing and engagement celebrations.
For a country party near Highleigh, tapas and sangria set the mood. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Area
- Highleigh (PO20)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
What affects the price in Highleigh
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How many staff you need
- Your choice of paellas
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What we need to know
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Roughly how many adults and children
Planning tapas catering in Highleigh? Send us the details and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Questions from Highleigh
Do you come out to small places like Highleigh?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
What’s the nearest station to Highleigh for guests?
The closest is Chichester station, roughly 3.9 miles away.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
Do you have vegetarian tapas?
Lots. Tortilla, bravas and Manchego are popular vegetarian choices.
Should we have more than one paella?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. We will recommend a mix based on diets.
Why choose live paella in Highleigh?
Sandwich buffets are forgettable. Tapas feel like a treat. Larger events usually cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why choose Love Paella in Highleigh
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- A quote that spells everything out
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Take a look at Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
Should I cook it myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Also near Highleigh
What else we do in Highleigh
What happens on the day
On the day, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Sunset in Highleigh is around 9:20pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and how you want the tapas served.
- We put together a tapas selection and a quote.
- We arrive, set up and finish hot dishes on site.
- We serve canapés with drinks or set table tapas down to share.
- Afterwards, our equipment is cleared away.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
Getting a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Read more
Planning a tapas spread in Highleigh
Highleigh is about 3 miles north of Selsey, in West Sussex. Whether your event is in the middle of Highleigh or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cook in all 371 towns and villages in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Highleigh to Southampton (28 miles away).
After a ceremony at a church such as St Mary Our Lady Sidlesham, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Historic buildings near Highleigh often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue. With the sea within about 4 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
We cater events across the PO20 postcode area and the streets around it. Your event could be at a home on Critchel's Lane, Highleigh Road and Green Lane. We also cook at events in Almodington (1 mile west), Birdham (2 miles north-west), Somerley (2 miles west), Earnley (2 miles west) and Shipton Green (3 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Bognor Regis (5 miles east), Chichester (4 miles north), Selsey (3 miles south), Littlehampton (12 miles east), Emsworth (8 miles north-west) and Rustington (13 miles east).
A little further out are Chichester Castle (4.5 miles north) and Selsey Lifeboat Museum (3.5 miles south). Open spaces near Highleigh include Pilsey Island.
Perfect for your event in Highleigh
They cover lots of tastes and diets in one spread.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. In Highleigh, people book us for occasions like:
- Birthday drinks
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Launches and office parties
Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Chichester station, about 3.9 miles north.
Before booking anyone
- The wet-weather plan
- The deadline for final numbers
- Whether VAT is included
- Any travel, parking or access charges
Working with your venue
If you’re organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
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.
Catering for every guest
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Collect dietary needs
Table tapas are set down to share at the start of the meal.
Serving boards and crockery.
- 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