Brighton and Hove · England
Tapas Catering in Westdene
Treat your guests to live paella at your event in Westdene. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Table tapas as a starter
- Tapas with a paella main course
- Engagement parties
Tapas catering near Westdene
Diets, allergies and planning
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Ask for labels on each dish
- Label seafood clearly
- Collect dietary needs
- Book staff to carry canapés round
Canapés circulate with drinks as guests arrive.
Serving boards and crockery.
About our tapas catering in Westdene
Sangria and bar staff can be added, so drinks and nibbles come from one booking. We are frequently asked to cater evening sharing boards and welcome-drink canapés, with gambas al ajillo, Manchego with membrillo and Serrano ham.
In Westdene, tapas work at home or in a local hall. We serve straight from the pan, so it’s hot and generous, and a queue moves quickly.
- Area
- Westdene (BN1, BN3)
- Area hub
- Brighton and Hove
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Your questions about tapas catering in Westdene
Is Westdene close to London?
Roughly 44 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Which station should guests use for Westdene?
Preston Park station, about 1 mile south of the centre.
How much space do you need?
Level ground for the burners, pans and a table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, and the venue’s permission for live cooking.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Do you provide drinks?
We can make sangria, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Do you cover Westdene?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Westdene. To check your date, fill in our quote form.
Do you do tapas on their own?
Yes, tapas work on their own.
How do you work out quantities?
That depends on their role in the meal. We will suggest quantities for your event.
Why choose tapas catering in Westdene?
Big or small, tapas work.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Tapas starters
- Drinks reception canapés
- Receptions and drinks parties
- Birthday drinks
Parks such as Withdean and Westdene Woods have their own rules for catering, so check before planning a party there.
Comparing caterers
- Space, access and power needs
- How long the team stays
- What happens if it rains
- Who provides the crockery
About the dishes
Gambas al ajillo
Popular with prawn fans.
Manchego & membrillo
Easy and classic.
What else we do in Westdene
What tapas catering costs
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many staff you need
- The paellas you choose
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- How many guests are eating
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
What to tell us
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- The address or venue name
- The date and time of the event
- The courses you’d like
- Diets and allergies you know about
Send us the date, your venue or BN1 postcode and guest numbers, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
DIY paella versus live catering
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you’ll still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Where we can cook in Westdene
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- Space to finish hot dishes
- Room on tables for sharing dishes
- Parking near the venue
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Westdene
- Croquetas
- Tortilla española
- Albóndigas
- Chorizo in red wine
- Olives & bread
- Patatas bravas
- Serrano ham
- Padrón peppers
- Manchego & membrillo
- Gambas al ajillo
How it works
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. Sunset in Westdene is around 9:20pm in June, so canapés can go round outdoors on a summer evening.
- First, we check availability.
- You choose canapés, table tapas or both.
- We arrive and set up our station.
- We serve the spread.
- We clear away at the end.
Preparing for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your event, and we will suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Read more
Planning a tapas spread in Westdene
Westdene is about 2 miles north-east of Brighton and Hove, in Brighton and Hove. For an event in Westdene, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. We cater in 30 places in Brighton and Hove, from the larger towns to small villages.
Historic houses near Westdene include Preston Manor & Gardens (1.3 miles south-east) and Portslade Manor (2.7 miles south-west). For a drinks reception at a historic venue, canapé tapas can work where live cooking is not allowed. For guests coming by train, the nearest station is Preston Park station, about 1 mile south. The South Downs National Park is within about 5 miles of Westdene, a lovely setting for a drinks reception outdoors. With the sea within about 3 miles, seafood tapas such as gambas al ajillo are a natural choice.
This part of Brighton and Hove takes in BN1 and BN3, so your event can be anywhere in it. We can cater an event on streets such as Mill Road, Croft Road and London Road. Westdene sits on or near the A27, which makes travel to your event easy. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Patcham (1 mile north-east), Withdean (1 mile south-east), Waterhall (1 mile north), Preston (1 mile south-east) and West Blatchington (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cater in Carlton Hill (3 miles south-east), Hanover (3 miles south-east), Kemptown (3 miles south-east), Whitehawk (3 miles south-east), Bevendean (3 miles south-east) and Saltdean (7 miles south-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Clayton Castle (3.5 miles north) and British Engineerium (1.2 miles south-west). Not far away are Ladies Mile and Wolstonbury Hill.
- Schools near Westdene include Patcham High School (0.8 miles east) and Varndean College (0.9 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Sportsman pub (0.5 miles south)
For planners, venues and organisers
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can plan ahead.
If your event is in a public space, such as a park, check what permission you need first. We can send whatever the landowner or council needs from us.
- 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