Hampshire · England
Tapas & canapé catering in Upper Swanmore, Hampshire
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Upper Swanmore: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Evening grazing
- Engagement celebrations
Tapas catering for Upper Swanmore events
How our tapas catering works in Upper Swanmore
Tapas pair naturally with a live paella, as a starter while the rice cooks, but they work on their own too. We are often asked to cater receptions and drinks parties and tapas before paella, serving Manchego with membrillo, padrón peppers and albóndigas.
Near Upper Swanmore, tapas suit gardens, barns and marquees. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: the menu, the staff and any extras, with no surprises on the day.
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 Upper Swanmore is around 9:20pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- First, we check availability.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- Hot and cold tapas are served.
- We clear away at the end.
Getting ready for the day
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
How to get a price
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Related guides
What tapas catering costs
Your quote will be clear and itemised. The main things that affect it are:
- Whether you need crockery
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Parking and unloading
- The number of people
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What to tell us
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- The venue or postcode
- The date and rough timings
- What the venue already provides
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your event in Upper Swanmore, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Nearby places to Upper Swanmore
What else we do in Upper Swanmore
Who books tapas catering in Upper Swanmore?
They’re ideal when a full meal doesn’t fit.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Upper Swanmore, live paella can be the centrepiece. We often cook for:
- Evening sharing boards
- Welcome-drink canapés
- Cocktail parties
- Tapas before paella
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like Church of St Barnabas.
What your quote should include
- The deadline for final numbers
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- The deposit and payment dates
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Space, weather and the venue
If a space is not suitable, we will tell you, and suggest an alternative. The main points are:
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- Room for a tapas table
- Space on each table
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
What we offer
- Albóndigas
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Gambas al ajillo
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Padrón peppers
- Olives & bread
- Croquetas
- Serrano ham
Paella compared with other options
Nibbles fill a gap. Tapas are a real course. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. We’ll send you a quote.
What you get with us
- Drinks service on request
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- A quote that spells everything out
- We cover Upper Swanmore and the whole of Hampshire
FAQs for Upper Swanmore
We’re having a ceremony at Church of St Barnabas: 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 generally elsewhere. Tell us where the reception will be.
Which station should guests use for Upper Swanmore?
The closest is Botley station, roughly 4.4 miles away.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Can you supply plates?
We can. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Which areas do you serve?
We cover London and the South East, including Hampshire. See all areas.
How long do you need on site?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
How do you work out quantities?
Quantities depend on timing and courses. Give us the details for a suggestion.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. If in doubt, send a picture.
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Include staff for canapés
- Collect dietary needs
- Match tapas with Spanish drinks
- Label vegetarian and allergen-free dishes
Table tapas are set down to share at the start of the meal.
Bar staff and sangria.
Planning a tapas spread in Upper Swanmore
Upper Swanmore is about 6 miles north-east of Hedge End, in Hampshire. We cook at events in homes, gardens and venues in Upper Swanmore. Upper Swanmore is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cook. Our events stretch from Upper Swanmore to Southampton (about 10 miles away).
Guests travelling by rail: Botley station is about 4.4 miles away. Historic buildings near Upper Swanmore frequently have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue.
Here we cover the SO32 postcode area. We can cater an event on streets such as Vicarage Lane, Green Lane and Well Lane or the roads around them. Close by, we cover events in Hill Grove (1 mile south), Swanmore (1 mile south-west), The Hangers (1 mile north-west), Droxford (2 miles north-east) and Dean (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Winchester (10 miles north-west), Gosport (10 miles south), Havant (10 miles south-east), Eastleigh (8 miles west), Fareham (7 miles south) and Horndean (8 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Bishop's Waltham Museum (1.9 miles west) and Knowle Hospital (5.1 miles south). Green spaces nearby include St Clair's Meadow and Beacon Hill.
- Local schools include Swanmore College of Technology (1.1 miles south-west)
The menu, dish by dish
Patatas bravas
A tapas classic and generally vegetarian.
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Should I cook it myself?
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 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 at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
- 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