Isle of Wight · England
Tapas Catering for Shide events
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Shide. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Anniversary parties
- Cocktail parties
- Tapas with a paella main course
Tapas catering for Shide events
Shide: your questions answered
Can you cook near the sea around Shide?
Yes, with a sheltered cooking spot. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
Can you cook in Seaclose Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, in the open air or a ventilated covered area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Can we add drinks?
Sangria, yes, plus bar staff for your own drinks.
Is halal food available?
Yes. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in its own pan.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, on request. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables are available.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Can you cook indoors?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, since the burners are gas. We’ll check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Tapas catering in Shide, made fresh on the day
We’ll suggest a selection to suit your timings and guests, whether tapas are a starter or the whole meal. Popular choices include Serrano ham, albóndigas and padrón peppers, and we are regularly asked to cater drinks reception canapés and drinks parties and receptions.
Tapas make a party in Shide easy and sociable. The paella is served straight from the pan, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once it’s ready.
- Area
- Shide (PO30)
- County
- Isle of Wight
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
What’s in the pans
Manchego & membrillo
Manchego with sweet quince.
Tortilla española
A thick potato and egg omelette cut into bites.
Live paella or other catering?
Nibbles fill a gap. Tapas are a real course. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
What you get with us
- A clear, itemised quote
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
Who books tapas catering in Shide?
They suit standing receptions where a full meal doesn’t fit.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Shide, paella can be the star of the food. We often cook for:
- Evening grazing
- Tapas starters
- Tapas and paella menus
- Anniversary parties
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St. John the Baptist.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- How bad weather is handled
- When final numbers are due
How it works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, and we agree where that is before the day. At midsummer, it is light in Shide until about 9:20pm, ideal for tapas in the garden. By late September it’s dark around 7:10pm, and in December by about 4:00pm.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- We suggest a selection and a quote.
- We set up and finish the hot dishes.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We pack down when service ends.
Getting ready for the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Give us a contact for the day
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. To send them, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
More for events in Shide
Dietary needs and planning tips
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Make sure dishes are labelled
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
- Check diets in advance
Tapas go out to the tables.
Bar staff and sangria.
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- Room for a tapas table
- Space to finish hot dishes
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
For somewhere as remote as Shide, early notice helps us plan the trip.
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
Popular choices
- Gambas al ajillo
- Serrano ham
- Albóndigas
- Croquetas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Patatas bravas
- Olives & bread
- Padrón peppers
- Chorizo in red wine
Receptions and parties in Shide
Shide is about 1 mile south-east of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Whether your event is in the middle of Shide or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Shide is one of 125 towns and villages in the Isle of Wight where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Shide to Southampton (about 16 miles away).
Parks such as Seaclose Park have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. Nearby historic houses include Carisbrooke Castle (1 mile west) and Gatcombe House (2.1 miles south). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. The coast is within about 5 miles, so garlic prawns are popular.
Here we cover the PO30 postcode area, and we can cater your event anywhere in it. From Pan Lane, Ash Road and Dairy Lane or a nearby road, we can cook there. With the A3020 close by, Shide is simple for us to get to for your event. For events just outside Shide, we cover Newport (1 mile north-west), Blackwater (1 mile south), Downend (2 miles east), Merstone (3 miles south-east) and Rookley (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Ryde (6 miles east), Cowes (5 miles north), Sandown (6 miles south-east), Shanklin (7 miles south-east), Ventnor (8 miles south-east) and East Cowes (4 miles north). If your event is somewhere remote, tell us early so we can plan the journey.
Nearby you will also find St Mary's Hospital (1.3 miles north) and Carisbrooke Castle (1 mile west). The countryside around Shide includes Mill Hill and Briddlesford Nature Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Island Innovation VI Form Campus (less than half a mile north) and Christ The King College (0.8 miles west)
- Local pubs include The Cranbourne Arms Public House (less than half a mile north-west)
What tapas catering costs
The price comes down to a few factors:
- How many courses
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How long we are needed on site
- The paellas you choose
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- Where the event is
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- What the venue already provides
- A photo of the space, if you can
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in Shide? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll reply with a menu and a clear price. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
- 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