Greater London · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Riddlesdown, Greater London
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Riddlesdown: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests.
- Anniversary parties
- Evening sharing boards
- Engagement drinks
Planning an event in Riddlesdown?
What affects the price in Riddlesdown
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The paellas you choose
- Timings and hours
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What to tell us
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The courses you’d like
- Diets and allergies you know about
- The venue or postcode
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Tapas catering in Riddlesdown, cooked live
Tapas and paella go hand in hand, served while the paella cooks, but they work on their own too. For evening grazing and tapas with a paella main course, we can cook tortilla española, patatas bravas and Manchego with membrillo for your guests.
Tapas work well for receptions and parties in Riddlesdown, indoors or out. Tell us about access and parking. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Location
- Riddlesdown (CR8, CR2)
- Region
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Planners, venues and businesses
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Riddlesdown? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
Planning the cooking area
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but a few things matter:
- The venue’s agreement to outside caterers
- Space on each table
- Space to finish hot dishes
Riddlesdown is in London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking can be tight: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
Menu ideas
- Croquetas
- Padrón peppers
- Patatas bravas
- Tortilla española
- Gambas al ajillo
- Manchego & membrillo
- Olives & bread
- Albóndigas
- Serrano ham
- Chorizo in red wine
Receptions and parties in Riddlesdown
Riddlesdown is about 1 mile east of Purley, in Greater London. Events in Riddlesdown are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. We cover 764 places across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for London, about 12 miles away.
Parks such as Dollypers Hill 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 St Edmund's Church.
Tapas catering in CR8 and CR2 is planned around your venue. We can cater an event on streets such as Hyde Road, Lower Road and Famet Avenue. Main roads around Riddlesdown include the A22, so getting the burners and pans to your event is simple. If your venue is just outside Riddlesdown, we also cover Kenley (1 mile south), Sanderstead (1 mile north-east), South Croydon (2 miles north), Hamsey Green (2 miles south-east) and Whyteleafe (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in London (12 miles north), City of Westminster (13 miles north), Marylebone (13 miles north), Kensington (13 miles north), St Pancras (14 miles north) and Shoreditch (13 miles north).
A little further out are Purley War Memorial Hospital (1 mile north-west) and St George's Walk (2.9 miles north). The countryside around Riddlesdown includes Duppas Hill and Foxley Wood.
- Schools near Riddlesdown include Riddlesdown Collegiate (0.5 miles south-east)
- Other local spots include County Borough of Croydon (2.8 miles north)
Questions from Riddlesdown
Which station should guests use for Riddlesdown?
Riddlesdown has its own station: Riddlesdown station.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Edmund's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is typically elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
When do you arrive?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you.
Can we have tapas without paella?
Of course. Tapas and canapés can be booked on their own.
How many tapas per person?
Quantities depend on timing and courses. Give us the details and we will advise.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so it pays to ask early.
What do you need at the venue?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Do you supply canapé staff?
Canapés work best with staff serving, and we can provide them.
Dishes our guests love
Gambas al ajillo
Popular with prawn fans.
Manchego & membrillo
A simple, classic pairing.
Also near Riddlesdown
What else we do in Riddlesdown
Step by step
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. Sunset in Riddlesdown is around 9:20pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and how you want the tapas served.
- We suggest a selection and confirm a quote.
- On the day, we set up and prepare the hot tapas there.
- We serve canapés with drinks or set table tapas down to share.
- We clear away our equipment when service is finished.
Getting ready for the day
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
Getting a price
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in Riddlesdown? Send us the details and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. Just fill in our quote form.
Read more
Is live paella right for your event?
Generic canapés all look the same. Tapas bring something different. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
Why us?
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
Read Our pricing And What paella catering costs.
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Ask guests about diets and allergies
- Include staff for canapés
- Allow more variety if tapas are the whole meal
Canapés circulate with drinks.
Churros or crema catalana to finish.
Should I cook it myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
- 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