FAQs, Taverna Catering London
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Frequently Asked Questions

Costs, service areas, dietary options, lead times and booking, answered for catering across London.

FAQs by Taverna Catering
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about booking Taverna Catering in London, from costs and service areas to dietary options, lead times and how our process works. If your question is not here, submit the Get a Quote form and we reply within 24 hours.

FAQs by Taverna Catering
Cooked from scratch

World food with an Italian touch

A family-run Italian kitchen with over 30 years of experience, every dish made fresh, never assembled from a catalogue.

More than 1,000 events catered across London and the UK, trusted by teams at Amazon, Meta, Google and Octopus Energy.

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FAQs

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a quote for catering in London?
Submit the Get a Quote form with your date, guest count and preferred format. We reply personally within 24 hours with menu options and a clear, itemised quote.
How much does catering cost in London?
Every event is quoted bespoke around your menu, format, guest count and service level, so you only pay for what your event needs. Submit the form for a clear, itemised quote.
Why do you not show prices on the website?
Catering varies so much by menu, format and service that a fixed price list would mislead. We quote each event individually and transparently instead.
How far in advance should I book catering?
Four to twelve weeks is ideal for most events. Peak Saturdays, summer and December dates book earliest, so three to six months ahead is wise for those.
Is there a minimum order or minimum guest count?
There is no fixed minimum guest count for one off events. A seasonal event minimum applies and covers your chef, service team and equipment.
How do I confirm my booking?
A 10% deposit secures your date and the balance is due 31 days before the event. Submit the Get a Quote form to begin.
Do you offer flexible payment for regular clients?
Yes. Regular accounts run on monthly grouped invoicing with a dedicated contact, rather than paying order by order.
What areas of London do you cover?
We are based in South London and cater every London zone, plus Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. Tell us your venue and we will confirm.
Do you cater for dietary requirements and allergies?
Yes. Vegan, vegetarian, halal, gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free options are built into every menu rather than bolted on.
Do you offer a fully vegan menu?
Yes. Our Plant-Based menu has 11 vegan mains and a generous range of vegan sides, a complete menu rather than a token option.
Is your meat halal?
Our Mexican and Dirty Burger street food use halal meat as standard, and our Indian, Middle Eastern and BBQ menus are available halal on request.
Can you handle severe allergies at a seated event?
Yes. We plan seated meals carefully around allergies and dietary needs, working from your guest list. For very high-risk allergies it can depend on the facilities on site, and we are always honest about what we can guarantee.
Do you offer gluten-free catering?
Yes. Most menus include gluten-free choices, and gluten-free bread and sides are available when arranged in advance.
What types of catering do you offer?
Canapé receptions, hot and cold buffets, live BBQ, street food stations, plated fine dining, breakfast, festive menus and mobile bars.
Do you provide staff and waiters?
Yes. We bring our own uniformed chefs and service team, sized to your event and the format you choose.
Do you offer drop-off catering?
Yes. We deliver clean, ready to serve drop-off catering, as well as fully staffed service when you want setup, service and clear down handled.
Can you cater an event with no kitchen on site?
Yes. We bring a full mobile kitchen, or cook off site and serve on arrival. Sometimes all we need is a small space like a kitchenette and we bring our own appliances, we adapt to whatever the venue allows.
Do you supply crockery, cutlery and glassware?
We provide service equipment and can arrange crockery, cutlery and glassware on request, agreed when we quote.
Do you set up and clear down?
Yes. For staffed events we handle setup, service and clear down so you can enjoy your own event.
Can you cater very large events?
Yes. We regularly cater 200 to 500 guests, and our largest single event was 800 guests for Deliveroo.
Do you cater weddings?
Yes. From Italian wedding feasts and marquee weddings to canapé receptions and plated wedding breakfasts, weddings are a core part of what we do.
Can I taste the food before booking my wedding?
Yes. For buffet and sharing menus we can send a sample to your address; for plated menus we arrange a tasting session. As an event caterer rather than a restaurant, tastings sit outside our normal service, so they carry a charge that only covers our real costs, food, staff and couriers, we never make a profit on them. If you go ahead and book, we put that cost back towards your final quote.
Do you cater corporate and office events?
Yes. We are trusted by Google, Meta, Amazon, Deliveroo, Octopus Energy and Revolut for office lunches, conferences, parties and recurring programmes.
Can you set up a recurring office catering programme?
Yes. Each programme is built around the client, we agree the menus, the schedule and the payment terms, then run it to suit you, drop-off or fully staffed.
Do you cater private parties at home?
Yes. Birthdays, engagements, christenings and milestone celebrations at home or at a venue are all welcome, and we leave your kitchen as we found it.
Do you cater Christmas and festive parties?
Yes. We run festive menus and office Christmas catering across December, which books up early, so reach out in good time.
Do you provide a mobile bar?
Yes. Our mobile bar serves cocktails, prosecco and coffee and tea, and pairs with any catering format.
What cuisines do you cook?
We are Italian-led and also cook Mediterranean and Middle Eastern, Pan-Asian, Mexican, Indian and a dedicated Plant-Based menu.
Can you create a custom menu or dish?
Absolutely. Every menu is built around you, and you are welcome to mix across cuisines or request a custom dish.
Are you a family-run caterer?
Yes, and the kitchen is led by our mamma, Simona, our head chef, cooking authentic Italian family recipes handed down from her own mother. Giordano and Francesco bring years of hospitality experience to the events side, so you get real home cooking served to a professional standard.
How experienced are you?
We have catered more than 1,000 events across London and the UK, and hold a 5.0 star rating from around 169 reviews.
Can you cater outdoor and marquee events?
Yes. With our own mobile kitchen and team we cater marquees, gardens, rooftops and country venues across London and the home counties.
Can I change my guest numbers or menu after booking?
Adding guests is rarely a problem, often up to about a week before. We suggest booking for the lowest number you are confident of, because once we are committed to a figure it is not always possible to reduce it. Menu choices are confirmed nearer the date.
Previous events

Recent events we have catered

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Tell us your date, headcount and budget, we'll reply within 24 hours.

Trusted, compliant & dietary-friendly
Food Hygiene Rating 5
Food Hygiene Rating 5
Halal options
Halal options
Vegan-friendly
Vegan-friendly
Vegetarian options
Vegetarian options
Fully insured
Fully insured
Proudly inclusive
Proudly inclusive
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