Southampton · England
Tapas Catering for Southampton events
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella for events in Southampton.
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Drinks reception canapés
Tapas catering in Southampton
Tapas catering in Southampton, made fresh on the day
Sangria and bar staff can be added, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. For tapas with a paella main course and sharing boards for evening guests, we can cook gambas al ajillo, croquetas and Serrano ham.
Receptions and parties in Southampton can be at home or at a venue. Tapas suit either. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Southampton (SO19, SO16, SO15, SO18)
- Region
- Southampton
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
What tapas catering costs
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Your choice of paellas
- How long we’re needed on site
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Guest numbers
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. We itemise everything in your quote.
What to tell us
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Anything your venue supplies
- Roughly how many adults and children
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
A closer look at the menu
Gambas al ajillo
Garlic prawns with a little chilli.
Tortilla española
Tortilla is vegetarian and naturally gluten-free when made carefully.
What we need at the venue
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Space on each table
- A suitable spot to finish hot tapas
- Permission from the venue
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Southampton
- Chorizo in red wine
- Olives & bread
- Gambas al ajillo
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Croquetas
- Albóndigas
- Padrón peppers
- Tortilla española
- Serrano ham
Southampton questions
What’s the nearest station to Southampton for guests?
St Denys station, in Southampton itself.
Can you cook at venues in the New Forest National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Do you come to Southampton?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Southampton. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Can you do sangria?
Yes. Sangria can be added, and bar staff if you are providing the drinks.
How many different paellas?
Generally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we will suggest the mix.
Do you provide drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Do you clear up afterwards?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, served while the paella cooks.
Towns and villages near Southampton
Other catering in Southampton
For event organisers in Southampton
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and don’t stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Why choose tapas catering in Southampton?
They cover lots of tastes and diets in one spread.
In Southampton and nearby, we cater all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Work receptions
- Table tapas as a starter
- Tapas before paella
If you’re looking at a historic venue around Southampton, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
What your quote should include
- How each diet is kept separate
- The deadline for final numbers
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- Travel and parking costs
Planning a tapas spread in Southampton
Southampton is in England. Give us the address of your event in Southampton, and we will plan access and set-up. We cover 40 places across Southampton.
For guests coming by train, St Denys station is in Southampton itself. Parks such as Rockstone Place Park have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. Southampton is within about 8 miles of the New Forest National Park, ideal for an outdoor reception. With the sea within about 2 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
We cater events across the SO19, SO16, SO15 and SO18 postcode area. That could mean an event in a garden on London Road, Marshall Square and Grosvenor Square or the roads around them. Being close to the A27 and A33, Southampton is easy for us to reach with everything for your event. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Inner Avenue (1 mile west), St Denys (1 mile north-east), Bitterne Manor (1 mile east), Portswood (1 mile north) and Northam (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maybush (3 miles west), Eling (4 miles west), Rownhams (3 miles north-west), Hounsdown (5 miles west), Nursling (4 miles north-west) and Hillyfields (3 miles west).
Nearby you will also find Marlands Shopping Centre (1 mile south-west) and R J Mitchell Museum (0.9 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Netley Common.
- Local schools include St Anne's Catholic School (0.6 miles south-west) and St Mary's Independent School (1.1 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Hobbit pub (under half a mile west)
What happens on the day
Service is quick: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. At midsummer, it’s light in Southampton until about 9:25pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. 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 hot tapas on site.
- We serve canapés or table tapas.
- We clear our equipment afterwards.
How to prepare
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Planning for every diet
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Include staff for canapés
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
Canapés circulate with drinks as guests arrive.
Churros or crema catalana to finish.
- 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