Southampton · England
Tapas Catering in Portswood
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Portswood. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Engagement celebrations
- Tapas before paella
Tapas catering in Portswood
Common questions in Portswood
Can you cater a reception after a service at Highfield Church?
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 typically elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Could we have live paella in Southampton Common?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Are the tapas fresh?
Yes, hot dishes are finished at the venue.
How many paellas should we have?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We’ll suggest a split based on your guests.
Is halal food available?
We can. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we will cook a separate pan.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices, or you can serve your own cake.
Do we need staff for canapés?
We can provide staff. Canapés need staff to serve.
Tapas catering in Portswood, made fresh on the day
Many classic tapas are naturally vegetarian, such as tortilla, bravas and padrón peppers, and some can be gluten-free. Typical bookings include engagement celebrations and tapas and paella menus, with tortilla española, albóndigas and Serrano ham.
Around Portswood, tapas suit garden parties and village-hall celebrations. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose.
- Where
- Portswood (SO17, SO14, SO18)
- County
- Southampton
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
A closer look at the menu
Patatas bravas
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce, often with alioli.
Manchego & membrillo
A simple, classic pairing.
What happens on the day
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Sunset in Portswood is around 9:25pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Ask for a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Give us your date and numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Planning help
Why choose live paella in Portswood?
Tapas are flexible, which makes them easy to plan around. The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why Portswood hosts choose us
- No hidden extras in your quote
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Take a look at Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Why choose tapas catering in Portswood?
They cover lots of tastes and diets in one spread.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Portswood:
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Table tapas as a starter
- Engagement drinks
- Drinks reception canapés
Historic buildings near Portswood frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue.
Questions to ask before you book
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Places near Portswood
Other catering in Portswood
What we need at the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Permission from the venue
- A spot for our serving station
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
What we offer
- Olives & bread
- Manchego & membrillo
- Chorizo in red wine
- Padrón peppers
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Serrano ham
- Albóndigas
Catering for every guest
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Label seafood clearly
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Tell us what role tapas play
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
Staff keep the canapés coming.
Follow tapas with a live paella.
Planners, venues and businesses
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
What affects the price in Portswood
We will give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Travel, parking and access
- How many courses
- Waiting and bar staff
- How many guests are eating
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What we need to know
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The venue or postcode
- Expected numbers
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote.
Portswood: venues and local tips
Portswood is about 1 mile north of Southampton, in Southampton. For an event in Portswood, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Portswood. Portswood is one of 40 towns and villages in Southampton where we cook.
Parks such as Southampton Common have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Highfield Church. Portswood is within about 8 miles of the New Forest National Park, ideal for an outdoor reception. The coast is within about 2 miles, so garlic prawns are popular.
Wherever your event is in SO17, SO14 and SO18, we can cook for your guests. Streets in the area include Ivy Road, Alma Road and Lawn Road, and we can cook for an event on any of them. You will find Portswood on the A335 and A3035, so it is easy for us to reach with the van and pans. Close by, we cover events in St Denys (1 mile south-east), Southampton (1 mile south), Inner Avenue (1 mile south-west), Bitterne Manor (1 mile south-east) and Bitterne Park (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Thornhill (3 miles south-east), Maybush (3 miles west), Eling (4 miles west), Rownhams (3 miles north-west), Millbrook (3 miles west) and Weston (3 miles south).
A little further out are Marlands Shopping Centre (1.5 miles south) and Royal South Hants Hospital (0.9 miles south). The countryside around Portswood includes Netley Common.
- Schools near Portswood include St Anne's Catholic School (1 mile south-west) and St Mary's Independent School (1.2 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include South Western Arms (under half a mile 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