Reading · England
Tapas Catering in Sonning Common
Bring the theatre of live paella to your event in Sonning Common. We cook from scratch on site, then served hot from the pan.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Office parties and launches
- Birthday and anniversary parties
Tapas catering in Sonning Common
Dietary needs and planning tips
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Ensure dishes are labelled
- Pair tapas with sangria, cava or sherry
- Separate seafood dishes from the rest
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
Hot dishes are finished on site.
Follow tapas with a live paella.
Tapas catering for your event in Sonning Common
Tapas and paella go hand in hand, served while the paella cooks, but they’re great on their own. Typical bookings include anniversary parties and welcome-drink canapés, serving patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo and croquetas.
In Sonning Common, tapas work at home or in a local hall. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Common questions in Sonning Common
How far is Sonning Common from London?
About 38 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Church of Christ the King?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking generally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Is halal food available?
Yes, on request. Tell us how many guests need halal food, and we’ll cook a separate pan.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Can you cater for children?
Yes. A simple chicken paella is normally popular with children. Tell us how many are coming.
Do you cater in Sonning Common?
Yes, we do. Sonning Common is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
What about pudding?
We do. Spanish desserts such as churros or crema catalana, or you can serve your own cake.
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, including Sonning Common.
Prices and what affects them
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Timings and hours
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The number of people
- Whether you need crockery
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Your date and when you want to eat
- What the venue already provides
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and you will get a menu idea and a price. Just fill in our quote form.
Dishes our guests love
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Gambas al ajillo
Prawns sizzled in garlic and olive oil.
Towns and villages near Sonning Common
Other catering in Sonning Common
Paella compared with other options
Tapas are flexible, which makes them easy to plan around. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you only pay for what you want.
Why us?
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Sangria and bar staff available
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Step by step
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up our cooking area, and get on with cooking and serving. Evening receptions in Sonning Common stay light until about 8:55pm in late May and 9:25pm in late June, which suits an outdoor reception.
- First, we check availability.
- You pick the style.
- We set up on arrival.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
How to prepare
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
Getting a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
Read more
Why choose tapas catering in Sonning Common?
They make a perfect starter before paella.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Sonning Common, people book us for events such as:
- Birthday drinks
- Cocktail parties
- Work receptions
- Table tapas as a starter
After a ceremony at a church such as The Church of Christ the King, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos.
What to look for in a quote
- What the price includes, item by item
- Whether VAT is included
- Whether travel is included
- How each diet is kept separate
Receptions and parties in Sonning Common
Sonning Common is about 3 miles north of Caversham, in Reading. Events in Sonning Common are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Sonning Common is one of 34 places in Reading where we cook.
Historic buildings near Sonning Common often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that’s your venue. Nearby historic houses include Greys Court (2.2 miles north-east) and Mapledurham House (3.2 miles south-west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed.
We cater events across RG4 and RG9 and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Wood Lane, Green Lane and Woodbury Close, and we can cook for an event on any of them. Close by, we cover events in Peppard Hill (1 mile north-west), Rotherfield Peppard (1 mile north), Kidmore End (1 mile south-west), Kingwood Common (1 mile north-west) and Shepherd's Green (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Caversham (3 miles south), Norcot (4 miles south-west), West Reading (4 miles south), Tilehurst Within (5 miles south-west), Shinfield (8 miles south) and Arborfield Garrison (10 miles south). As one of the bigger places in Reading, Sonning Common has lots of places to hold an event.
Well-known places in the area include Frazer Nash Archives (3.8 miles east) and Battle Hospital (4.1 miles south). The countryside around Sonning Common includes Sonning Hill and Warburg Nature Reserve.
- Nearby schools include Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (0.5 miles south-west) and The Warwick School (0.5 miles south-west)
- Pubs nearby include Hare & Hounds pub (within half a mile north)
Planning the cooking area
We will be honest if a space won’t work, and help find another spot. The main points are:
- Permission from the venue
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- Space for a serving table or station
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Sonning Common
- Manchego & membrillo
- Croquetas
- Olives & bread
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
- Albóndigas
- Padrón peppers
- Gambas al ajillo
- Tortilla española
- Chorizo in red wine
- 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