Greater London · England
Tapas Catering in Joyden's Wood
Love Paella cooks Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella across Joyden's Wood and Greater London, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Office parties and launches
Tapas catering in Joyden's Wood
Tapas catering in Joyden's Wood, cooked live
Many classic tapas are naturally vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers, and some can be gluten-free. For evening grazing and canapés with welcome drinks, we can cook albóndigas, gambas al ajillo and tortilla española for your guests.
For a London drinks party in Joyden's Wood, canapé tapas are easy to serve in a small space. Each paella is cooked from scratch on the day, never made in advance and reheated, and served the moment it’s ready.
- Where
- Joyden's Wood (DA5, DA2)
- Region
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Diets, allergies and planning
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Add sangria or cava
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Collect dietary needs
We clear our equipment when service ends.
Churros or crema catalana to finish.
What affects the price in Joyden's Wood
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- Timings and hours
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Travel, parking and access
- Waiting and bar staff
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Details that help
To check availability and price, we need:
- A picture of the space, if you can
- The address or venue name
- The date and rough timings
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: give us the basics about your event, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Perfect for your event in Joyden's Wood
They’re the classic starter before paella.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Office parties and launches
- Engagement drinks
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Anniversary parties
Historic houses near Joyden's Wood include Hall Place and Gardens (1.5 miles north) and Red House (2.6 miles north-west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed.
Questions to ask before you book
- How long the team stays
- The deadline for final numbers
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- When payment is due
Nearby places to Joyden's Wood
Also in Joyden's Wood
Live paella or other catering?
Sandwich buffets are forgettable. Tapas feel special. 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 Joyden's Wood hosts choose us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
Take a look at Our pricing And The cost guide.
The menu, dish by dish
Manchego & membrillo
Spanish sheep’s cheese with quince paste.
Croquetas
Crisp outside, creamy inside.
Planning a tapas spread in Joyden's Wood
Joyden's Wood is about 3 miles south-west of Dartford, in Greater London. From the centre of Joyden's Wood to the outskirts, tapas catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Joyden's Wood is one of 764 places in Greater London where we cook. You can also see our page for London, about 12 miles away.
For guests coming by train, Bexley station is about 1.3 miles away. Historic buildings near Joyden's Wood frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue. Joyden's Wood is within about 7 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
This part of Greater London takes in DA5 and DA2, so your event can be anywhere in it. Local streets include Vanessa Way, Hunters Close and Red Lodge Crescent; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Close by, we cover events in Puddledock (1 mile south), Coldblow (1 mile north-west), Wilmington (1 mile east), Stonehill Green (1 mile south) and Bowmans (1 mile north-east). We also cook in nearby towns such as London (12 miles north-west), City of Westminster (15 miles north-west), Marylebone (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (14 miles north-west), Shoreditch (13 miles north-west) and Walthamstow (14 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include West Hill Hospital (2.2 miles north-east) and Bexley Museum (1.5 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Wansunt Pit and Summer Hill.
- Local schools include Wilmington Grammar School for Boys (1 mile east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Ship pub (0.8 miles south)
Joyden's Wood questions
Could we have live paella in Dartford Heath?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
We’re having a ceremony at St Barnabas: can you cater afterwards?
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. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Are the tapas fresh?
We finish hot dishes on site; cold tapas are laid out as guests arrive.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Accurate numbers help.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, on request. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables are available.
Which areas do you serve?
We cater across London and the South East, including Greater London. See all areas.
Organising for someone else?
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
How it works
The paella is cooked in giant, shallow pans over gas burners. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, and we agree where that is before the day. At midsummer, it is light in Joyden's Wood until about 9:20pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it is dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:50pm.
- First, we check availability.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- Hot and cold tapas are served.
- We clear away at the end.
Before we arrive
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
Ask for a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
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