East Sussex · England
Tapas Catering in Piddinghoe
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Piddinghoe and the surrounding area.
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Birthday drinks
Live tapas catering in Piddinghoe
Tapas catering in Piddinghoe, cooked live
We can add sangria and bar staff, for a complete drinks and tapas package. On the menu are gambas al ajillo, padrón peppers and tortilla española, and we are often booked for launches and office parties and tapas starters.
Near Piddinghoe, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Piddinghoe (BN9)
- County
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
How we price tapas catering
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- The paellas you choose
- Travel, parking and access
- How many courses
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Details that help
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Roughly how many adults and children
- The date and rough timings
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, use our quote form.
Organising for someone else?
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
Piddinghoe questions
Is Piddinghoe close to London?
Roughly 48 miles from the centre of London.
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Parish Church of St John?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
How much is live paella catering?
We quote for each event, so you only pay for what you need. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas for a clear quote.
Are your tapas vegetarian-friendly?
Plenty are vegetarian, such as tortilla, bravas and padrón peppers. Each dish is labelled.
Are the tapas served hot?
Hot tapas are finished on site so they’re served at their best.
Can you do gluten-free paella?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Can you serve drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. Our guide to portions explains more.
Events we cater in Piddinghoe
Tapas get people talking.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Engagement celebrations
- Drinks reception canapés
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Work receptions
Guests travelling by rail: Newhaven Town station is about 1.2 miles away.
What your quote should include
- Space, access and power needs
- How late numbers can change
- What the price includes, item by item
- Travel and parking costs
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Also near Piddinghoe
More for events in Piddinghoe
The menu, dish by dish
Croquetas
Crisp outside, creamy inside.
Tortilla española
A vegetarian favourite.
Where we can cook in Piddinghoe
We will be honest if a space will not work. What matters most:
- Parking near the venue
- Permission from the venue
- Space on each table
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Chorizo in red wine
- Olives & bread
- Manchego & membrillo
- Padrón peppers
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Serrano ham
- Croquetas
Paella compared with other options
Standard canapés can feel samey. Tapas bring something different. The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
What you get with us
- Real theatre, not just catering
- A clear, itemised quote
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Fast service from the pan
Read Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
The process
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so large groups are fed quickly. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. A summer drinks reception in Piddinghoe has daylight until about 9:15pm at midsummer, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it’s dark around 7:05pm, and in December by about 3:55pm.
- First, we check availability.
- You pick the style.
- We set up on arrival.
- Hot and cold tapas are served.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
Preparing for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Give us a contact for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. For a quote, use our quote form.
Read more
Tapas for events in Piddinghoe
Piddinghoe is about 1 mile north-west of Newhaven, in East Sussex. For tapas catering in Piddinghoe, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Piddinghoe. Piddinghoe is one of 289 towns and villages in East Sussex we cover. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 7 miles away.
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like The Parish Church of St John. Nearby historic houses include Monk's House (2.3 miles north) and Firle Place (3.5 miles north-east). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. Piddinghoe is within about 5 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors. The coast is within about 4 miles, so garlic prawns are popular.
We cook at events all over BN9. From Brookside and Lewes Road or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Piddinghoe, we also cover South Heighton (1 mile east), Denton (1 mile east), Telscombe (2 miles west), Rodmell (2 miles north-west) and Northease (3 miles north-west). Further out, we also cater in Eastbourne (11 miles east), Seaford (4 miles south-east), Lewes (5 miles north), Hailsham (10 miles east), Uckfield (11 miles north) and Polegate (9 miles east).
Nearby you’ll also find Planet Earth Museum (0.8 miles south-east) and Lewes Castle (4.7 miles north). Open spaces near Piddinghoe include Itford Hill and Southerham Farm.
- Local schools include UTC@Harbourside (1.2 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Jolly Boatman pub (0.8 miles south-east)
- 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