West Sussex · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Southwick, West Sussex
Love Paella cooks Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella across Southwick and West Sussex, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Engagement drinks
- Sharing boards for evening guests
- Cocktail parties
Planning an event in Southwick?
Why choose live paella in Southwick?
If you want food that encourages guests to mingle, tapas work brilliantly. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
What you get with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- No hidden extras in your quote
- We cover Southwick and the whole of West Sussex
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
See Our pricing And Our guide to catering costs.
About our tapas catering in Southwick
A good spread mixes hot and cold: cold cheese and ham with hot bravas, croquetas and garlic prawns. For office parties and launches and tapas with a paella main course, we can cook padrón peppers, albóndigas and croquetas for your guests.
Tapas make a party in Southwick easy and sociable. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Where
- Southwick (BN42, BN41, BN43)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Why choose tapas catering in Southwick?
Tapas get people talking, because everyone shares.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Launches and office parties
- Evening sharing boards
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Engagement drinks
Historic buildings near Southwick often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue.
Questions to ask before booking
- The wet-weather plan
- How long the team stays
- How late numbers can change
- Whether VAT is included
Nearby places to Southwick
Other catering in Southwick
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day normally runs: we arrive, set up and start cooking, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. Evening receptions in Southwick stay light until about 8:50pm 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.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
Getting a price
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll check availability at the same time.
Read more
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Collect dietary needs
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Add sangria or cava
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
Each dish is labelled.
Spanish desserts to finish.
Questions from Southwick
Can you cook near the sea around Southwick?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
We’re having a ceremony at St Michael and All Angels Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
How long does the paella take?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, and we time it to your schedule.
Do you cook inside?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
Do you do tapas on their own?
Yes, tapas work on their own.
Do you cook tapas on site?
Yes, hot dishes are finished at the venue.
Where we can cook in Southwick
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Space on each table
- Space for a serving table or station
- Venue approval for outside catering
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
Popular choices
- Albóndigas
- Serrano ham
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Manchego & membrillo
- Croquetas
- Olives & bread
- Tortilla española
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Planning a tapas spread in Southwick
Southwick is about 2 miles east of Shoreham-by-Sea, in West Sussex. For an event in Southwick, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices. We cater in all 371 towns and villages across West Sussex.
Historic houses near Southwick include Portslade Manor (0.8 miles north-east) and Preston Manor & Gardens (3.7 miles east). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. After a ceremony at a church such as St Michael and All Angels Church, canapé tapas with the drinks keep guests happy during photos. Southwick is within about 8 miles of the South Downs National Park, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors. With the sea within about 2 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
Tapas catering in BN42, BN41 and BN43 is planned around your venue. Whether your event is on Station Road, Roman Crescent and Southwick Street or a nearby road, we can cook there. You will find Southwick on the A259 and A270, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Close by, we cover events in Kingston by Sea (1 mile north-west), Portslade (1 mile north-east), Shoreham-by-Sea (2 miles west), Hangleton (2 miles north-east) and Old Shoreham (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Worthing (7 miles west), Haywards Heath (13 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (10 miles north-east), Littlehampton (13 miles west), Lancing (4 miles west) and Rustington (12 miles west).
A little further out are Southlands Hospital (1 mile west) and Churchill Square (4 miles east). Not far away are Shoreham Beach and Thundersbarrow Hill.
- Schools near Southwick include Shoreham Academy (0.5 miles west) and Shoreham College (0.6 miles south-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Ship Inn (less than half a mile south)
For event organisers in Southwick
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
If you are organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
What affects the price in Southwick
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Travel, parking and access
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- The length of service
- How many guests are eating
The price depends on your guest numbers, the menu and how many courses you choose, along with staff, extras and travel. We quote for each event individually.
Details that help
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- The venue or postcode
- Your date and when you want to eat
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
- 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