West Berkshire · England
Tapas Catering for Wash Common events
Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella in Wash Common: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Engagement drinks
- Sharing tapas starters
- Drinks reception canapés
Tapas catering near Wash Common
Space, weather and the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so we need a suitable spot. Here’s what we look for:
- A spot for our serving station
- Access to unload near the serving area
- An area to prepare hot tapas
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
On the menu in Wash Common
- Chorizo in red wine
- Gambas al ajillo
- Patatas bravas
- Olives & bread
- Manchego & membrillo
- Tortilla española
- Croquetas
- Albóndigas
- Padrón peppers
- Serrano ham
How our tapas catering works in Wash Common
Tapas and paella go hand in hand, as a starter while the rice cooks, but they’re great on their own. Whether it is tapas and paella menus and office parties and launches, we’ll put together a menu of Manchego with membrillo, albóndigas and patatas bravas for your guests.
For a party in a place like Wash Common, a tapas spread is easy and sociable. You’ll know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras.
- Location
- Wash Common (RG14, RG20)
- Area hub
- West Berkshire
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work to it.
About the dishes
Gambas al ajillo
Prawns sizzled in garlic and olive oil.
Patatas bravas
Crisp potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce, often with alioli.
Live paella or other catering?
Tapas can be a starter, a reception or the whole meal, which makes them easy to plan around. The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- A quote that spells everything out
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
Should I cook it myself?
Not sure whether to cook yourself or book a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
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. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Tapas for events in Wash Common
Wash Common is about 2 miles south-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. For tapas catering in Wash Common, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Wash Common. We cook in 155 places across West Berkshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Reading, about 17 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Benham Park (2.4 miles north-west) and Shaw House (2.8 miles north-east). Where a historic venue doesn’t allow live cooking, canapé tapas may still be possible; ask the venue. Parks such as Sandleford Priory have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there.
For tapas catering in RG14 and RG20, we plan around your venue and timings. Local streets include Battle Road, Stuart Road and Warren Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Wash Water (1 mile south-west), Enborne Row (1 mile south-west), Skinners Green (1 mile north-west), Newtown Common (1 mile south-east) and Sandleford (1 mile east). We also cook in nearby towns such as Thatcham (4 miles north-east), Burghfield Common (12 miles east), Hungerford (8 miles west), Calcot (14 miles east), Lambourn (12 miles north-west) and Shaw (3 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include British Balloon Museum & Library Ltd (2 miles north-east) and Hamstead Marshall 2 (2.7 miles north-west). The countryside around Wash Common includes Sidown Hill and Audrey's Meadow.
- Schools near Wash Common include Park House School (less than half a mile north-east) and Horris Hill School (0.9 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Gun pub (0.5 miles north-east)
Also near Wash Common
What else we do in Wash Common
What affects the price in Wash Common
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- Distance and access to the venue
- The paellas you choose
- How long we are needed on site
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
There is no one-size-fits-all price for live paella. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. We itemise everything in your quote.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- The courses you’d like
- The date and rough timings
- Anything your venue supplies
- The address or venue name
Every quote is put together for your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
The process
Your timings come first. If speeches run late or the photos take longer, we hold the paella at the right stage so it is still served fresh. At midsummer, it’s light in Wash Common until about 9:25pm, perfect for canapés outdoors. By late September it’s dark around 7:10pm, and in December by about 4:00pm.
- First, we check availability.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
How to get a price
Still deciding on the menu? That’s fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Your questions about tapas catering in Wash Common
What’s the nearest station to Wash Common for guests?
The closest is Newbury station, roughly 1.8 miles away.
Is Wash Common close to London?
Roughly 55 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, in front of your guests.
Which areas do you serve?
We cover London and the South East, including West Berkshire. See all areas.
Do you take everything away?
We clear our cooking area away when service is finished. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
How much does tapas catering cost in Wash Common?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we will send a quote.
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 cook a gluten-free paella separately.
How much tapas do we need?
We plan quantities around your timings and courses. Tell us more and we’ll advise.
Events we cater in Wash Common
They’re easy to eat with a drink in hand.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Tapas before paella
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Engagement drinks
- Evening sharing boards
Canapé tapas suit the drinks after a ceremony at a church like St Luke Church.
Before you book anyone
- Payment terms and deposit
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
- The deadline for final numbers
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- 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