Oxfordshire · England
Tapas Catering for Lower Shiplake events
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella for events in Lower Shiplake and across Oxfordshire.
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Engagement parties
- Work receptions
Live tapas catering in Lower Shiplake
About our tapas catering in Lower Shiplake
We will recommend a tapas selection for your event, starter or main event. Popular choices include gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas and albóndigas, and typical bookings are for welcome-drink canapés and drinks parties and receptions.
In a rural spot like Lower Shiplake, tapas can be served in a garden, barn or marquee. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
- Location
- Lower Shiplake (RG9)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
What affects the price in Lower Shiplake
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Travel, parking and access
- How many guests are eating
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
What to tell us
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The venue or postcode
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Every quote is put together for your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
Perfect for your event in Lower Shiplake
One spread covers many tastes and diets.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Lower Shiplake, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Birthday and anniversary parties
Parks such as Mill Meadows have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there.
Before booking anyone
- A clear list of what’s included
- Who provides the crockery
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Space, access and power needs
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Add sangria or cava
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
Staff carry canapés round and keep boards topped up.
Spanish desserts to finish.
Should I cook it myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Why choose live paella in Lower Shiplake?
If you want food that encourages guests to mingle, tapas work brilliantly. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why Lower Shiplake hosts choose us
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Catering across Oxfordshire, including Lower Shiplake
The process
We work to your timings. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it’s served at its best. Sunset in Lower Shiplake is around 9:25pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
For planners, venues and organisers
Organising a club, school or community event in Lower Shiplake? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Before you choose a spot
If a space isn’t suitable, we will tell you, and help find another spot. The main points are:
- Permission from the venue
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- A spot for our serving station
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
What we offer
- Manchego & membrillo
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
- Serrano ham
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Chorizo in red wine
- Tortilla española
Lower Shiplake: venues and local tips
Lower Shiplake is about 4 miles north of Woodley, in Oxfordshire. Events in Lower Shiplake are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cater in all 443 towns and villages across Oxfordshire. You can also see our page for Reading, about 6 miles away.
Guests travelling by rail: Shiplake station is in Lower Shiplake itself. Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Mary.
This part of Oxfordshire takes in RG9. From Station Road, Oaks Road and Quarry Lane or a nearby road, we can cook there. Lower Shiplake is on the A4155, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Nearby, we also cater events in Wargrave (1 mile south-east), Cockpole Green (2 miles north-east), Remenham Hill (2 miles north), Bowsey Hill (2 miles east) and Remenham (3 miles north). Further out, we also cater in Benson (12 miles north-west), Chinnor (13 miles north), Tilehurst (7 miles south-west), Wallingford (12 miles north-west), Little Heath (8 miles south-west) and Oakley (13 miles north).
A little further out are Frazer Nash Archives (1.3 miles north) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (5.2 miles south-west). Open spaces near Lower Shiplake include South Lake and Sonning Hill.
- Schools near Lower Shiplake include Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School (1.6 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Baskerville pub (within half a mile east)
Lower Shiplake questions
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St Mary: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you come out to small places like Lower Shiplake?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria, yes. We can also supply bar staff for your own drinks.
What happens if it rains?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We will make a plan B with you.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Do you cater for young children?
Children are welcome. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
Do you have vegetarian tapas?
Many tapas are naturally vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers. Each dish is labelled.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
Places near Lower Shiplake
More for events in Lower Shiplake
- 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