Greater London · England
Tapas Catering in Swiss Cottage
Planning tapas catering in Swiss Cottage? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Canapés with welcome drinks
- Engagement drinks
- Cocktail parties
Planning an event in Swiss Cottage?
Tapas catering in Swiss Cottage, cooked live
Tapas pair naturally with a live paella, served while the paella cooks, but they work on their own too. We’re frequently asked to cater office parties and launches and birthday and anniversary parties, serving Manchego with membrillo, padrón peppers and albóndigas.
In Swiss Cottage, tapas suit drinks receptions, evening parties and work events, indoors or out. Tell us about access and parking. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
- Location
- Swiss Cottage (NW3, NW8, NW6)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Is live paella right for your event?
Generic canapés all look the same. Tapas bring something different. 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
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- A quote that spells everything out
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Events in Swiss Cottage and across Greater London
Read Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
How the day works
Watching it cook is half the fun. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring. Evening receptions in Swiss Cottage 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.
- We check your date.
- You pick the style.
- We set up on arrival.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Before we arrive
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Share the running order, including any speeches
How to get a price
Send us the date, your venue or NW3 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Catering for every guest
Good planning keeps every guest safe and happy. Try these:
- Collect dietary needs
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Book staff to carry canapés round
Tapas go out to the tables at the start of the meal.
Bar staff and sangria.
FAQs for Swiss Cottage
We’re having a ceremony at Church of All Souls: can you cater afterwards?
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 typically elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
What’s the nearest station to Swiss Cottage for guests?
South Hampstead station, in Swiss Cottage itself.
Are the tapas fresh?
We finish hot dishes on site; cold tapas are laid out as guests arrive.
Who clears up?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Table clearing is available with waiting staff.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas go out first, then the paella.
Do you do desserts?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Tell us what you have in mind when you ask for a quote.
Do you provide serving staff?
We can provide staff. Canapés need staff to carry them round.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain doesn’t stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Space for a serving table or station
- Table space for sharing dishes at seated meals
- Space to finish hot dishes
As a London location, Swiss Cottage is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Olives & bread
- Albóndigas
- Padrón peppers
- Gambas al ajillo
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Tortilla española
- Patatas bravas
- Manchego & membrillo
- Serrano ham
Who books tapas catering in Swiss Cottage?
They suit standing receptions where a full meal doesn’t fit.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Sharing tapas starters
- Tapas before paella
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Birthday drinks
If you are looking at a historic venue around Swiss Cottage, check its catering rules early, as many limit cooking.
Before booking anyone
- If the price includes VAT
- What happens if it rains
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- When payment is due
DIY paella versus live catering
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Planning a tapas spread in Swiss Cottage
Swiss Cottage is about 1 mile south of Hampstead, in Greater London. For tapas catering in Swiss Cottage, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Swiss Cottage is one of 764 places in Greater London where we cook.
Historic houses near Swiss Cottage include Winfield House (0.9 miles south-east) and Keats House (0.9 miles north). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed. Parks such as Primrose Hill have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there.
We cover events in every part of NW3, NW8 and NW6 and the streets around it. Your event could be at a home on Avenue Road, Acacia Road and Harben Road or the roads around them. We also cook at events in South Hampstead (1 mile north), St John's Wood (1 mile south), Haverstock (1 mile east), Belsize Park (1 mile east) and Primrose Hill (1 mile east). Further out, we also cater in London (4 miles south-east), Kensington (3 miles south-west), St Pancras (3 miles south-east), Shoreditch (4 miles east), Walthamstow (7 miles north-east) and Hoxton (4 miles east).
Nearby you’ll also find Isokon Gallery (0.8 miles north-east) and Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth (0.7 miles south). Open spaces near Swiss Cottage include The Long Water and Primrose Hill.
- Schools near Swiss Cottage include Holy Trinity CofE Primary School (less than half a mile north-west) and St. Mary's Town and Country School (within half a mile north-east)
- Pubs nearby include Cafe Med pub (within half a mile south-west)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead (0.7 miles north-east) and Cecil Sharp House (1.1 miles east)
Places near Swiss Cottage
Also in Swiss Cottage
What affects the price in Swiss Cottage
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, because of:
- How many courses
- How many staff you need
- Whether you need crockery
- Travel, parking and access
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What we need to know
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Anything your venue supplies
- The address or venue name
- Expected numbers
- The courses you’d like
Getting a quote is simple: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
About the dishes
Patatas bravas
Always popular and typically vegetarian.
Tortilla española
A vegetarian favourite when made carefully.
- 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