Oxfordshire · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Oakley, Oxfordshire
Looking for tapas catering in Oakley? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Engagement parties
Tapas catering for Oakley events
About our tapas catering in Oakley
The best spreads mix hot and cold: cold cheese and ham with hot bravas, croquetas and garlic prawns. Popular choices include croquetas, Serrano ham and Manchego with membrillo, and we are regularly asked to cater birthday drinks and drinks parties and receptions.
In Oakley, tapas work at home or in a local hall. Everything is cooked from scratch at your event, not reheated.
- Location
- Oakley (OX39)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning the cooking area
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Room for a tapas table
- Space on each table
- Venue approval for outside catering
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Serrano ham
- Albóndigas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Manchego & membrillo
- Patatas bravas
- Olives & bread
- Tortilla española
Organising for someone else?
Throwing a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Live paella or other catering?
Crisps and nibbles fill a gap. Tapas make a proper course. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why book with us
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- A clear, itemised quote
See Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Receptions and parties in Oakley
Oakley is about 4 miles south-east of Thame, in Oxfordshire. For tapas catering in Oakley, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cater in all 443 towns and villages across Oxfordshire. Our events stretch from Oakley to Oxford (14 miles away).
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Andrew. Historic houses near Oakley include Adwell House (3.2 miles west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed. Oakley is within about 3 miles of the Chilterns National Landscape, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors.
We cater events across the OX39 postcode area and the streets around it. That could mean an event in a garden on Mill Lane, Beech Road and Oakley Lane. Nearby, we also cater events in Crowell (1 mile south-west), Kingston Blount (1 mile south-west), Crowell Hill (1 mile south-east), Aston Rowant (2 miles south-west) and Postcombe (3 miles west). Larger places within reach include Oxford (14 miles west), Didcot (15 miles south-west), Thame (4 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (12 miles south), Benson (10 miles south-west) and Headington Quarry (13 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include Thame Community Hospital (3.8 miles north-west). The countryside around Oakley includes Bald Hill and Oakley Hill nature reserve.
- Local pubs include The Wheatsheaf pub (under half a mile south-east)
Dietary needs and planning tips
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Book staff to carry canapés round
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
Tapas go out to the tables.
Crockery and serving dishes.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Also in Oakley
What tapas catering costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- Your choice of paellas
- Guest numbers
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How long we’re needed on site
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
What we need to know
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Which courses you have in mind
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Where the event is
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Oakley questions
Is Oakley close to London?
Roughly 38 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Andrew?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is generally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you take everything away?
We take our equipment and leave the cooking area tidy. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Can you cater for children?
Children are welcome. Let us know numbers and ages, and we will plan a pan with them in mind.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We’ll talk it through before the day.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a little extra built in. Give us accurate numbers for the best result.
Are the tapas fresh?
Hot tapas are finished on site and served right away; cold ones go out as guests arrive.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
Yes, on request. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Why choose tapas catering in Oakley?
They’re ideal when a full meal does not fit.
Whatever you are celebrating in Oakley, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Evening grazing
- Tapas starters
- Anniversary parties
Guests travelling by rail: the nearest station is Princes Risborough station, about 3.5 miles east.
What to look for in a quote
- How late numbers can change
- Allergen information for each dish
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- The deposit and payment dates
Step by step
Serving is fast: we serve straight from the pan, so even a long queue moves. When service is finished, we pack down. A summer drinks reception in Oakley has daylight until about 9:25pm at midsummer, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it is dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:55pm.
- We check your date.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Preparing for the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
Get a quote
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in Oakley? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just 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