Greater London · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Rainham, Greater London
Love Paella cooks Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella across Rainham and Greater London, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Tapas starters
- Engagement drinks
Tapas catering in Rainham
Step by step
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you’re free to enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Sunset in Rainham is around 9:20pm in June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and how you want the tapas served.
- You get a suggested selection and a price.
- On the day we arrive, set up and finish the hot tapas on site.
- Canapés circulate with drinks, or tapas go to the tables.
- We pack down when service ends.
Preparing for the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Tapas catering for your event in Rainham
We’ll suggest a selection to suit your timings and guests, whether tapas are a starter or the whole meal. We are often asked to cater canapés with welcome drinks and tapas before paella, with Serrano ham, albóndigas and padrón peppers.
In Rainham, tapas suit drinks receptions, evening parties and work events, indoors or out. Let us know about parking and loading. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Location
- Rainham (RM13)
- County
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
What’s in the pans
Tortilla española
Tortilla is vegetarian and naturally gluten-free when made carefully.
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
Why choose tapas catering in Rainham?
They’re the classic starter before paella.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We often cook for:
- Tapas and paella menus
- Drinks reception canapés
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Sharing tapas starters
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Rainham, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
What to look for in a quote
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How long the team stays
- How bad weather is handled
- Whether travel is included
Nearby places to Rainham
Also in Rainham
DIY paella versus live catering
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
Catering for every guest
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Collect dietary needs
- Label seafood clearly
- Add sangria or cava
Canapés circulate with drinks.
Add a live paella main.
Working with your venue
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Organising a club, school or community event in Rainham? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we will suggest a menu.
Rainham questions
What about parking in Rainham?
London parking needs planning: let us know about permits or off-street space. We will plan unloading around it.
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Helen and St Giles?
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 generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Tell us what you have in mind in your enquiry.
Are the tapas served hot?
Hot tapas are finished on site so they’re served at their best.
What if the weather’s bad?
A covered, ventilated spot keeps us cooking in the rain. We’ll talk it through before the day.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a picture.
Which areas do you serve?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
How much tapas do we need?
We plan quantities around your timings and courses. Give us the details and we’ll advise.
What affects the price in Rainham
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. What affects it most:
- Timings and hours
- Parking and unloading
- Guest numbers
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What we need to know
To check availability and price, we need:
- Roughly how many adults and children
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- The date and rough timings
We quote for each event separately, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Before you choose a spot
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Access to unload near the serving area
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
As a London location, Rainham is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think before booking.
On the menu in Rainham
- Manchego & membrillo
- Serrano ham
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Padrón peppers
- Albóndigas
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
Tapas for events in Rainham
Rainham is about 4 miles south of Romford, in Greater London. For tapas catering in Rainham, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Rainham. Rainham is one of 764 places in Greater London we cover. You can also see our page for London, about 13 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Rainham Hall (within half a mile west) and Eastbury Manor House (4.3 miles west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed. Parks such as Wildspace Conservation Park have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there.
For tapas catering in RM13, we plan around your venue and your guests. From New Road, Ferry Lane and Wantz Lane or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. If your venue is just outside Rainham, we also cover South Hornchurch (1 mile north-west), Beam Park (1 mile west), Hornchurch Marshes (1 mile west), Dagenham Green (2 miles west) and Elm Park (2 miles north). Further out, we also cater in London (13 miles west), City of Westminster (15 miles west), Marylebone (15 miles west), St Pancras (13 miles west), Shoreditch (12 miles west) and Walthamstow (11 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include River (1.8 miles west) and Erith Museum (2.6 miles south). The countryside around Rainham includes Ingrebourne Marshes.
- Nearby schools include Harris Academy Rainham (less than half a mile south-east) and The Chafford School (less than half a mile south-east)
- Nearby, you will find The Phoenix pub (under half a mile west)
- 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