Hampshire · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Pilley, Hampshire
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Pilley. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Engagement parties
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Drinks parties and receptions
Book tapas catering in Pilley
Tapas catering in Pilley, cooked live
Tapas and paella go hand in hand, as a starter while the rice cooks, but they work on their own too. Popular choices include croquetas, padrón peppers and patatas bravas, and we’re regularly asked to cater evening grazing and receptions and drinks parties.
Near Pilley, tapas and sangria suit a garden or field party. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
Pilley questions
Can you cook near the sea around Pilley?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Is Pilley too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Are your tapas vegetarian-friendly?
Many tapas are naturally vegetarian, like tortilla and padrón peppers. Each dish is labelled.
How much paella per person?
We plan quantities from your guest numbers, timings and other courses, with a sensible margin. Accurate numbers help.
Can you cater for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Is halal food available?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
How many paellas should we have?
Most events have two or three: meat or mixed, seafood, and vegetable or vegan. We will help you decide the split.
Do you cater for vegetarian guests?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. They have their own pans, stock and spoons.
Before you choose a spot
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- A spot for our serving station
- Unloading access
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Menu ideas
- Serrano ham
- Albóndigas
- Padrón peppers
- Manchego & membrillo
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas
- Tortilla española
- Gambas al ajillo
- Chorizo in red wine
- Olives & bread
Places near Pilley
Other catering in Pilley
For planners, venues and organisers
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Hosting a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we’ll tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
What happens on the day
On the day, we set up the burners and pans and start cooking the sofrito and stock. Once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, so the timing is planned around your event. Evening receptions in Pilley stay light until about 8:55pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- You tell us the date, venue, numbers and how you’d like the tapas served.
- We put together a tapas selection and a quote.
- We arrive, set up and finish hot dishes on site.
- Canapés circulate with drinks, or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
- Give us your final numbers and diets
How to get a price
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Planning help
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Ensure dishes are labelled
- Book staff to carry canapés round
Hot tapas are finished on site and served straight away.
Add a live paella main.
Should I cook it myself?
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
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.
Receptions and parties in Pilley
Pilley is about 2 miles north of Lymington, in Hampshire. Anywhere in SO41, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cover all 683 towns and villages across Hampshire. We cook right across the region, from Pilley to Southampton (11 miles away).
Historic buildings near Pilley frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue. Nearby historic houses include Beaulieu Palace House (4.4 miles north-east). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed. Pilley is within about 3 miles of the New Forest National Park, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors. The coast is within about 3 miles, so garlic prawns are popular.
Tapas catering in SO41 is planned around your venue. We can cater an event on streets such as Pilley Street, Burnt House Lane and May Lane or the roads around them. Nearby, we also cater events in Pilley Bailey (1 mile north-east), Warborne (1 mile south-west), Bull Hill (1 mile east), Portmore (1 mile south-east) and Boldre (1 mile west). Further out, we also cater in Eastleigh (15 miles north-east), Fareham (15 miles east), Totton (9 miles north), Chandler's Ford (15 miles north-east), Hedge End (14 miles north-east) and Romsey (15 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery (1.7 miles south) and Lymington New Forest Hospital (1.1 miles south-west). Open spaces near Pilley include Boldre Foreshore.
- Nearby schools include Southlands School (0.6 miles south-west) and Priestlands School (2.3 miles south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Red Lion Inn (0.7 miles west)
Who books tapas catering in Pilley?
One spread covers many tastes and diets.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Pilley:
- Sharing tapas starters
- Tapas and paella menus
- Engagement celebrations
- Evening sharing boards
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Lymington Town station, about 1.5 miles south.
What to look for in a quote
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- How late numbers can change
- How bad weather is handled
- The venue requirements
Is live paella right for your event?
A sandwich buffet is easy but forgettable. Tapas feel special. Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
Why us?
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Catering across Hampshire, including Pilley
Read Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
About the dishes
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Croquetas
Creamy croquettes with a crisp coat.
- 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