Isle of Wight · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Skinner's Hill, Isle of Wight
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Skinner's Hill and the surrounding area.
- Drinks reception canapés
- Work receptions
- Sharing boards for evening guests
Planning an event in Skinner's Hill?
Step by step
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Guests normally gather round to watch while it cooks. Evening receptions in Skinner's Hill stay light until about 8:55pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- Send us the date, venue and numbers.
- You get a selection and a price.
- We set up and finish hot tapas on site.
- Canapés go round or tapas go to the tables.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
Preparing for the day
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Let us know the timings for the day
Getting a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
Read more
Tapas catering for your event in Skinner's Hill
We can add sangria and bar staff, for a complete drinks and tapas package. We cook padrón peppers, patatas bravas and croquetas, and typical bookings are for engagement celebrations and tapas with a paella main course.
Near Skinner's Hill, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. We serve straight from the pan, so every plate is hot, and service is quick once it’s ready.
- Where
- Skinner's Hill (PO36)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Towns and villages near Skinner's Hill
More for events in Skinner's Hill
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A sandwich buffet is easy but forgettable. Tapas feel like a treat. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. The full price is confirmed before you book.
Why us?
- Catering across the Isle of Wight, including Skinner's Hill
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
Dishes our guests love
Manchego & membrillo
Spanish sheep’s cheese with quince paste.
Tortilla española
A thick potato and egg omelette served in wedges or squares.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from 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.
Skinner's Hill: venues and local tips
Skinner's Hill is about 5 miles south of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight. For an event in Skinner's Hill, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Skinner's Hill. We cook in all 125 towns and villages in the Isle of Wight. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 20 miles away.
Historic houses near Skinner's Hill include Haseley Manor (1.2 miles west) and Arreton Manor (2.3 miles north-west). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. Guests travelling by rail: Sandown station is about 1.7 miles away. With the sea within about 3 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
Anywhere in PO36, we can bring tapas catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Your event could be at a home on Skinner's Hill and Hill Top or the roads around them. Nearby, we also cater events in Queen's Bower (1 mile south-east), Alverstone Garden Village (1 mile north-east), Alverstone (1 mile east), Lake (2 miles south-east) and Sandown (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Newport (5 miles north-west), Ryde (5 miles north), Cowes (8 miles north-west), Ventnor (5 miles south), East Cowes (7 miles north-west) and Oakfield (4 miles north-east). Some remote venues need extra planning, so contact us in good time.
A little further out are Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital for Children (2 miles south-east) and Sandown Castle (2.3 miles east). The countryside around Skinner's Hill includes Alverstone Mead and Brading Down.
- Nearby schools include Sandown Bay Academy (1.5 miles east)
- Local pubs include The Pointer Inn (less than half a mile north-west)
Why choose tapas catering in Skinner's Hill?
They’re easy to eat with a drink in hand.
Big or small, live paella works well. Typical bookings include:
- Engagement parties
- Office parties and launches
- Evening sharing boards
- Cocktail parties
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like All Saints' Church.
Comparing caterers
- How each diet is kept separate
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- Space, access and power needs
Working with your venue
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
How we price tapas catering
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- How many courses
- The paellas you choose
- Distance and access to the venue
Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are optional extras, so you only pay for what you want.
Getting an accurate quote
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Which courses you have in mind
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- The address or venue name
- The date and rough timings
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
What we need at the venue
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- Venue approval for outside catering
- Parking near the venue
- Space to finish hot dishes
For somewhere as remote as Skinner's Hill, early notice helps us plan the trip.
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
- Croquetas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
Common questions in Skinner's Hill
What’s the nearest station to Skinner's Hill for guests?
The closest is Sandown station, roughly 1.7 miles away.
Can you cater a reception after a service at All Saints' 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 normally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana.
Do you cater in Skinner's Hill?
We do. We cook at events in Skinner's Hill and across the Isle of Wight. Send us your date to check availability.
Are there vegetarian tapas?
Yes. Tortilla, bravas and Manchego are popular vegetarian choices.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, the Isle of Wight included. See all areas.
- 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