Portsmouth · England
Tapas Catering in Portsmouth
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Portsmouth and the surrounding area.
- Anniversary parties
- Tapas and paella menus
- Sharing boards for evening guests
Book tapas catering in Portsmouth
Tapas catering for your event in Portsmouth
We can add sangria and bar staff, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. For work receptions and birthday and anniversary parties, we can cook croquetas, Manchego with membrillo and tortilla española for your guests.
Canapés keep a reception in Portsmouth moving. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in a separate pan and clearly labelled.
- Area
- Portsmouth (PO6, PO4, PO1, PO2)
- Area hub
- Portsmouth
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Diets, allergies and planning
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Ask guests about diets and allergies
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
Staff keep the canapés coming.
Bar staff and sangria.
More for events in Portsmouth
Portsmouth: your questions answered
We are having a ceremony at St Wilfrid: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking typically happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook near the sea around Portsmouth?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Who clears up?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Clearing guests’ plates and tables can be added with waiting staff.
Are there vegetarian tapas?
Plenty are vegetarian, such as tortilla, bravas and padrón peppers. We label each dish.
How many tapas per person?
It depends on whether they’re a starter, canapés or the whole meal. We will suggest quantities for your event.
How do you work out quantities?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
Is the paella cooked on site?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
How we price tapas catering
There are no hidden charges: the price is based on:
- The paellas you choose
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Timings and hours
- The number of people
Live paella frequently compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What to tell us
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- Expected numbers
- The date and time of the event
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Any dietary needs and allergies
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning the cooking area
Every venue is different, so we will ask about yours when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Permission from the venue
- An area to prepare hot tapas
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Serrano ham
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
The menu, dish by dish
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce.
Manchego & membrillo
A simple, classic pairing.
Planners, venues and businesses
Throwing a party at home? Send a picture of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Portsmouth? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
Step by step
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we adjust the cooking so it’s still served fresh. At midsummer, it is light in Portsmouth until about 9:20pm, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it is dark around 7:10pm, and in December by about 4:00pm.
- We check your date.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- Hot and cold tapas are served.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
Getting ready for the day
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Ask for a quote
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote.
Planning help
Tapas for events in Portsmouth
Portsmouth is in England. Give us the address of your event in Portsmouth, and we’ll plan access and set-up. We cook in 19 places across Portsmouth, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Portsmouth to Southampton (16 miles away).
Historic buildings near Portsmouth often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue. A picnic in Alexandra Park? Check the park’s rules first; a garden or hired venue is often easier for catering. The coast is within about 3 miles, so garlic prawns are popular.
We cook at events all over PO6, PO4, PO1 and PO2. From Church Road, April Square and Rudmore Square or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. You will find Portsmouth on the A3 and A27, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Nearby, we also cater events in Rudmore (1 mile north-west), Landport (1 mile south-west), North End (1 mile north), Fratton (1 mile south-east) and Kingston (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Wymering (3 miles north), Paulsgrove (3 miles north), Drayton (3 miles north-east) and Farlington (3 miles north-east).
A little further out are Tricorn Centre (0.7 miles south-west) and Royal Portsmouth Hospital (0.7 miles south-west). The countryside around Portsmouth includes Milton Locks and Portsdown Hill.
- Local schools include The Portsmouth Academy (within half a mile south-east) and St Edmund's Catholic School (0.7 miles south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Druids Arms (within half a mile north-east)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Southsea (1.9 miles south)
Who books tapas catering in Portsmouth?
They work for any size of event.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Portsmouth book us for events such as:
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Sharing tapas starters
- Office parties and launches
- Drinks parties and receptions
For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Fratton station, about 0.9 miles south.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- When payment is due
- The venue requirements
- How bad weather is handled
DIY paella versus live catering
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it’s in. Keep a clear zone around 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.
- 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