Greater London · England
Tapas Catering for West Hackney events
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: Spanish tapas and canapé catering, on its own or alongside a paella for events in West Hackney and across Greater London.
- Table tapas as a starter
- Drinks parties and receptions
- Welcome-drink canapés
Book tapas catering in West Hackney
How our tapas catering works in West Hackney
Tapas and paella go hand in hand, served while the paella cooks, but they’re great on their own. We are often asked to cater evening sharing boards and office parties and launches, with Serrano ham, croquetas and Manchego with membrillo.
In West Hackney, tapas suit drinks receptions, evening parties and work events, in a home, a venue or an office. Let us know about parking and loading. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Where
- West Hackney (N16, E5, E8)
- Region
- Greater London
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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 be with your guests, we’ll do the cooking.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Also near West Hackney
What else we do in West Hackney
How the day works
We take care of the food from set-up to service, so you can enjoy your event. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Sunset in West Hackney is around 9:20pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- We check your date.
- You pick the style.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- Afterwards, we clear up.
How to prepare
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
Ask for a quote
To get a price, use our quote form. Tell us about your event in West Hackney, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
Questions from West Hackney
Could we have live paella in Stoke Newington Common?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them, and we’ll provide our paperwork.
What’s the nearest station to West Hackney for guests?
West Hackney has its own station: Rectory Road station.
Are the tapas served hot?
Hot tapas are finished on site so they’re served at their best.
Do you serve drinks with tapas?
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
Can you cook indoors?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, since the burners are gas. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Can we have tapas without paella?
Absolutely, for receptions, parties and evening food.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Can you cook in the rain?
We need a covered spot, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
How we price tapas catering
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Timings and hours
- How many courses
- Distance and access to the venue
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We will send you a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- Which courses you have in mind
- A picture of where we’d cook
Thinking about tapas catering for your event in West Hackney? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Events we cater in West Hackney
They’re ideal when a full meal does not fit.
Live paella works for big and small events alike. Typical bookings include:
- Tapas before paella
- Birthday drinks
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Sharing boards for evening guests
Historic buildings near West Hackney often have strict catering rules, so ask early if that is your venue.
Before you book anyone
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- What happens if it rains
- How long the team stays
- When final numbers are due
Organising for someone else?
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Where we can cook in West Hackney
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Unloading access
- An area to prepare hot tapas
- Space on each table
As a London location, West Hackney is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
What we offer
- Manchego & membrillo
- Albóndigas
- Olives & bread
- Gambas al ajillo
- Padrón peppers
- Patatas bravas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Serrano ham
- Croquetas
- Tortilla española
What’s in the pans
Gambas al ajillo
Popular with prawn fans.
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
Receptions and parties in West Hackney
West Hackney is about 4 miles north of London, in Greater London. We bring tapas catering to homes, gardens and venues in West Hackney and the surrounding area. West Hackney is one of 764 places in Greater London where we cook.
Parks such as Stoke Newington Common have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there. Historic houses near West Hackney include Sutton House (1.2 miles south-east) and Bruce Castle (2.7 miles north). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking isn’t allowed.
Wherever your event is in N16, E5 and E8, we can bring tapas catering to you. Streets in the area include Muir Road, Burma Road and Piano Lane, and we can cook for an event on any of them. West Hackney is on the A107, which makes it straightforward to bring the equipment. Close by, we cover events in Shacklewell (1 mile south), Stoke Newington (1 mile west), Clapton (1 mile east), Stamford Hill (1 mile north) and Upper Clapton (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cater in London (4 miles south), City of Westminster (5 miles south-west), Marylebone (4 miles south-west), Kensington (7 miles south-west), St Pancras (3 miles south-west) and Walthamstow (3 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Clowns Gallery-Museum (1.1 miles south) and German Hospital (0.9 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Woodberry Wetlands and Hollow Pond.
- Local schools include Tawhid Boys School (within half a mile north) and The Petchey Academy (0.5 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Coach And Horses Public House (less than half a mile north-west)
- Other local spots include Stoke Newington (0.7 miles south-west)
Planning for every diet
Most events have a mix of diets. To cater well for them:
- Collect dietary needs
- Widen the selection for a tapas-only menu
- Decide whether tapas are a starter, canapés or the whole meal
- Keep seafood and meat dishes clearly separate
Afterwards, we clear away.
Churros or crema catalana to finish.
- 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