Greater London · England
Tapas Catering in Upminster
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Upminster: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Engagement drinks
- Birthday and anniversary parties
- Launches and office parties
Planning an event in Upminster?
Live paella or other catering?
For food that gets people mingling, tapas are hard to beat. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why us?
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Fast service from the pan
- Drinks service on request
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
Tapas catering in Upminster, cooked live
Tapas suit drinks receptions, evening parties, office events and weddings in and around Upminster. Popular choices include croquetas, padrón peppers and gambas al ajillo, and typical bookings are for engagement drinks and work receptions.
For a London drinks party in Upminster, canapé tapas are easy to serve in a small space. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so it arrives hot and becomes part of the event.
- Area
- Upminster (RM14, RM11)
- Region
- Greater London
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
What happens on the day
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you’re free to enjoy your event. Any tapas or canapés are served first while the paella cooks. Sunset in Upminster is around 9:20pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- You tell us the date, venue, numbers and how you’d like the tapas served.
- You get a suggested selection and a price.
- On the day, we set up and prepare the hot tapas there.
- Canapés go round with the drinks, or table tapas go out to share.
- We pack down when service ends.
Before we arrive
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Getting a price
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Planning help
Where we can cook in Upminster
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. These are the things we check:
- A spot for our serving station
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- A suitable spot to finish hot tapas
As a London location, Upminster is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: let us know about permits, bays or off-street parking.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
Menu ideas
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
- Albóndigas
- Serrano ham
- Olives & bread
- Gambas al ajillo
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Manchego & membrillo
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
How we price tapas catering
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- The length of service
- How many courses
- Distance and access to the venue
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We will send you a quote.
Details that help
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A photo of the cooking space, if it’s a garden or field
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Upminster: your questions answered
Can you cook in St. Andrew's Park?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
Which station should guests use for Upminster?
Upminster station, in Upminster itself.
Do you have vegetarian tapas?
Yes. Tortilla, patatas bravas, padrón peppers and Manchego are vegetarian classics.
How many tapas per person?
That depends on their role in the meal. We will suggest quantities for your event.
Do you provide serving staff?
Canapés work best with staff serving, and we can provide them.
Do you do starters?
Of course. Canapés with drinks or tapas for the tables, while the rice is cooking.
What if the weather’s bad?
We cook under cover, such as a gazebo, marquee or open-sided barn with good ventilation. We’ll agree a wet-weather plan with you.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Typically we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, since the burners are gas. Some venues have suitable spaces; we’ll check with you and the venue.
Who books tapas catering in Upminster?
One spread covers many tastes and diets.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. In Upminster, people book us for events such as:
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Anniversary parties
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Engagement drinks
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Laurence.
Comparing caterers
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- How late numbers can change
- Travel and parking costs
- What happens if it rains
Dishes our guests love
Tortilla española
A thick potato and egg omelette served in wedges or squares.
Croquetas
Croquetas disappear fast.
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Ensure dishes are labelled
- Label seafood clearly
- Let us know if tapas are a starter or the main event
- Plan more dishes if tapas are the meal
Tapas go out to the tables at the start of the meal.
Crockery and serving dishes.
Also near Upminster
Also in Upminster
Drinks receptions around Upminster
Upminster is about 2 miles east of Hornchurch, in Greater London. Give us the address of your event in Upminster, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. Upminster is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London we cover. Our events stretch from Upminster to London (16 miles away).
Historic buildings near Upminster frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue. A picnic in St. Andrew's Park? Check the park’s rules first; a garden or hired venue is often easier for catering.
Wherever your event is in RM14 and RM11, we can bring tapas catering to you. From Station Road, Latham Place and Deyncourt Gardens or anywhere nearby, we can cook there. Nearby, we also cater events in Upminster Bridge (1 mile west), Cranham (1 mile east), Emerson Park (1 mile north-west), Hornchurch (2 miles west) and Puddle Dock (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Shoreditch (14 miles west), Walthamstow (12 miles west), Hoxton (15 miles west), Whitechapel (14 miles west), Orpington (14 miles south-west) and Highbury (15 miles west).
Other landmarks nearby include Upminster Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia (0.5 miles north) and St George's Hospital (1.7 miles south-west). Open spaces near Upminster include Cranham Marsh.
- Local schools include Eastbrook School (within half a mile south-east)
- Local pubs include The Crumpled Horn pub (under half a mile south-west)
- Other local spots include Hornchurch Urban District (1.6 miles west)
- 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