Hampshire · England
Tapas Catering in Netley Marsh
We cook Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella across Netley Marsh and Hampshire, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Tapas and paella menus
- Birthday and anniversary parties
Book tapas catering in Netley Marsh
About our tapas catering in Netley Marsh
Hot tapas are finished on site, so they arrive hot. Popular choices include patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo and Serrano ham, and we’re regularly asked to cater tapas with a paella main course and office parties and launches.
Near Netley Marsh, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
Before you choose a spot
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Access to unload near the serving area
- Venue approval for outside catering
- A spot for our serving station
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Tortilla española
- Gambas al ajillo
- Olives & bread
- Manchego & membrillo
- Padrón peppers
- Serrano ham
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
Netley Marsh questions
Can you cook near the sea around Netley Marsh?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Do you cater in the New Forest National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
We can add sangria and bar staff.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
What space do you need to cook?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we can plan it carefully.
Step by step
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you are free to enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. A summer drinks reception in Netley Marsh has daylight until about 9:25pm at midsummer, 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.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Ask for a quote
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we’re available that day.
Related guides
Paella compared with other options
Plated starters need a kitchen. Table tapas are shared and relaxed. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Why Netley Marsh hosts choose us
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Take a look at How we price Or What paella catering costs.
What tapas catering costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How many guests are eating
- How long we are needed on site
- Whether you need crockery
- Waiting and bar staff
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- The courses you’d like
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Expected numbers
- The date and rough timings
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
Who books tapas catering in Netley Marsh?
Tapas are sociable food, because everyone shares.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Evening grazing
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Engagement drinks
- Tapas before paella
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Matthew.
Comparing caterers
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- The venue requirements
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Netley Marsh: venues and local tips
Netley Marsh is about 1 mile west of Totton, in Hampshire. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Netley Marsh and the surrounding area. We cook in 683 places in Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Netley Marsh to Southampton (about 6 miles away).
For guests coming by train, Ashurst New Forest station is about 1.8 miles away. Historic buildings near Netley Marsh frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue. Netley Marsh is within about 4 miles of the New Forest National Park, ideal for an outdoor reception. The coast is within about 6 miles, so garlic prawns are popular.
Wherever your event is in SO40, we can cook for your guests. Whether your event is on Ringwood Road and Woodlands Road or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. Other places close to Netley Marsh for tapas catering include Ashurst Bridge (1 mile south-east), Totton (1 mile east), Woodlands (1 mile south), Winsor (1 mile north-west) and Bartley (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (14 miles north-east), Eastleigh (9 miles north-east), Fareham (15 miles east), Chandler's Ford (8 miles north-east), Hedge End (10 miles east) and Lymington (11 miles south).
A little further out are National Dairy Museum (1.8 miles south-east) and Tatchbury Mount Hospital (1.1 miles north). Not far away are Testwood Lakes.
- Local schools include Hounsdown School (1.8 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The White Horse pub (within half a mile south)
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
More for events in Netley Marsh
Planners, venues and businesses
If you are 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 keeps things simple.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Include staff for canapés
- Make sure dishes are labelled
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Label seafood clearly
Tapas go out to the tables at the start of the meal.
Add a live paella main.
- 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