Southampton · England
Tapas Catering for Hounsdown events
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella turns food into part of your event in Hounsdown.
- Engagement drinks
- Anniversary parties
- Receptions and drinks parties
Live tapas catering in Hounsdown
Paella compared with other options
Standard canapés can feel samey. Spanish tapas bring colour and flavour. There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
Why Hounsdown hosts choose us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Take a look at Our prices page Or The cost guide.
About our tapas catering in Hounsdown
We’ll recommend a tapas selection for your event, starter or main event. Whether it is sharing boards for evening guests and engagement parties, we’ll put together a menu of padrón peppers, Manchego with membrillo and patatas bravas and more.
In Hounsdown, tapas work at home or in a local hall. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Area
- Hounsdown (SO40)
- County
- Southampton
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
Common questions in Hounsdown
Can you cook near the sea around Hounsdown?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Which station should guests use for Hounsdown?
Totton station, about 1.1 miles north-east of the centre.
Where do you cater?
We cover London and the South East, including Southampton. Find your area.
Do you cater for young children?
Of course. A simple chicken paella is typically popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Can we have tapas without paella?
Yes. Tapas can be booked without paella.
What space do you need to cook?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
How much tapas do we need?
That depends on their role in the meal. We will suggest quantities for your event.
Also near Hounsdown
More for events in Hounsdown
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Include staff for canapés
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Label seafood clearly
Staff carry canapés round and keep boards topped up.
Staff to serve canapés.
Hounsdown: venues and local tips
Hounsdown is about 1 mile south of Totton, in Southampton. Across the SO40 area, we will come to your venue or garden. Hounsdown is one of 40 places in Southampton we cover.
Historic buildings near Hounsdown often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Totton station, about 1.1 miles north-east. Hounsdown is within about 5 miles of the New Forest National Park, ideal for an outdoor reception. With the sea within about 5 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
We cook at events all over SO40 and the streets around it. Local streets include Main Road, Pound Lane and Chapel Lane; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. If your venue is just outside Hounsdown, we also cover Ashurst Bridge (1 mile north-west), Totton (1 mile north), Netley Marsh (1 mile north-west), Woodlands (2 miles west) and Winsor (3 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Southampton (5 miles east), Shirley (3 miles east), Regents Park (3 miles east), Townhill Park (6 miles east), Midanbury (6 miles east) and Thornhill (7 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include National Dairy Museum (0.8 miles south) and Ashurst Hospital (1.4 miles south-west). Open spaces near Hounsdown include Testwood Lakes.
- Schools near Hounsdown include Foxhills Infant School (0.5 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include The Forest Inn (0.9 miles south-west)
A closer look at the menu
Croquetas
Always among the first to go.
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce.
Why choose tapas catering in Hounsdown?
Easy to eat with a glass in hand.
Here are some of the events we cook for:
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Anniversary parties
- Sharing tapas starters
- Drinks parties and receptions
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Colbury Christ Church.
Questions to ask before booking
- Payment terms and deposit
- What happens if it rains
- How each diet is kept separate
- How long the team stays
Before you choose a spot
The right spot keeps things safe and helps the paella cook evenly. We look for:
- Parking near the venue
- Room for a tapas table
- Space on each table
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think.
On the menu in Hounsdown
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
- Albóndigas
Should I cook it myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Step by step
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. At midsummer, it is light in Hounsdown until about 9:25pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it’s dark around 7:10pm, and in December by about 4:00pm.
- Tell us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Give us a contact for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
Get a quote
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we’re available that day.
Planning help
- 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