West Berkshire · England
Barbecue Catering in Downend, West Berkshire
Fresh from the grill, served at your event in Downend: burgers, sausages, chicken skewers and ribs, plus sides, served by our staff.
- Big birthday parties
- Leaving parties
- Fundraising days
Book a BBQ in Downend
What BBQ catering costs
We do not use a fixed price list, because every event is different. The main factors are:
- The number of people
- Distance from us
- Season and day of the week
- Plates or china
When comparing prices, compare the same things: menu, sides, serving time, staff, plates and travel. The cheapest quote isn’t always the best value.
Getting an accurate quote
To check the date and the space, we will need:
- Any venue rules
- Rough numbers
- The date and time of the event
- Any dietary needs or allergies
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many people, plus when you’d like to eat. We’ll check the date and send a quote. Fill in our quote form.
BBQ catering in Downend, served hot
In Downend, a barbecue is a favourite for relaxed events: familiar food, lots of choice and no formality. The difference with a catered barbecue is that nobody from your party is stuck at the grill. Typical bookings include garden parties and work barbecues, serving BBQ ribs, sausages and pulled pork.
A barbecue in the countryside near Downend makes a lovely summer party. Have a covered area for guests in wet weather. Your quote spells out what’s included: the date, the serving time, the menu and the plates, with no surprises on the day.
- Where
- Downend (RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- From the grill
- Burgers, sausages, chicken skewers, ribs
- Alongside
- Pulled pork, beef brisket, vegetarian and vegan options
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Downend
What else we do in Downend
Events we cater in Downend
Hot food straight off the grill
In Downend, we cook barbecues for all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Leaving and retirement parties
- Cricket, football and rugby club days
- Fundraising days
- Community fun days
Summer fairs and sports days, for a school such as Chieveley Primary School, frequently want a barbecue.
What your quote should include
- A clear list of what’s included
- If the price includes VAT
- Plates, china and cutlery
- Whether travel is included
Organising for someone else?
Some venues charge a fee if you bring in your own caterer, so check before you book. We’ll liaise with them on access and set-up.
If you are a venue or event planner, we can fit around your other suppliers, sharing timings and a site plan.
Looking after everyone
With a bit of planning, dietary needs are easier to handle. A few tips:
- Think about who does not eat pork or beef when choosing the meats
- Tell us if anyone does not eat beef
- Plan separately for anyone who needs halal food
- Tell us about children’s numbers
The serving table is kept tidy and stocked, right through the service.
For a bigger event, add a hog roast alongside the barbecue.
Is a barbecue right for your event?
Instead of asking a friend to man the grill, a catered barbecue means everyone gets to be a guest, and the food is cooked by people who do it every week. What you choose to eat matters most: a simple menu costs less than one with brisket and ribs, so the quote shows each choice. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Why book our barbecue in Downend
- Planned to your running order
- Burgers, ribs, pulled pork, brisket and more
- An itemised quote
- Vegetarian and vegan options as standard
See our prices page and our barbecue menu ideas.
How it works
We arrive in good time before service, so the grill is hot by the time you want to eat. The smell soon brings people over. Autumn and winter barbecues in Downend get dark early: about 7:10pm by late September and 4:00pm by December. A lunchtime barbecue avoids the dark.
- Tell us what kind of event it is.
- We suggest a menu and send a quote.
- We arrive ahead of service and set up under cover.
- Hot food is served through the agreed time.
- We tidy up before we go.
How to prepare
- Confirm numbers ahead of the day
- Tell us which meats you’d like in advance
- Make sure the cooking area is away from walls, tents and trees
How to get a price
Busy weekends book up early, especially summer Saturdays and December Fridays. Send us your date for a quote: fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Downend: your questions answered
Do you come out to small places like Downend?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and the cooking spot.
Can you do a barbecue at a venue in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about cooking and vehicles, so check with yours. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Can you serve the barbecue on plates?
Yes. A barbecue works as a plated meal with sides.
How do you handle food safety?
Cooking properly is our job: raw and cooked food are kept apart, with separate tongs and boards.
Do you cook the barbecue on site?
Yes. Our chef cooks outdoors, under cover, at your event, and our staff serve and clear.
What do you need from the venue?
Mostly space and access: somewhere level outside for the barbecue and the serving table. We’ll confirm details when we quote.
When should we book BBQ catering?
As soon as you know the date, especially for June to September. Short notice is still worth a try: send us your details through our quote form.
Can we mix BBQ and hog roast?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Ask and we will quote for the mix.
What we serve, dish by dish
Beef burgers
Beef burgers are grilled on site and served in a bun, hot off the barbecue.
Beef brisket
For beef lovers, brisket is the one to choose, in a roll or with sides.
A catered BBQ in Downend: what to know
Downend is about 5 miles north of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We cover Downend and its neighbours for events. We cover all 155 towns and villages in West Berkshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Reading, about 15 miles away.
Churches such as Church of St Mary rarely have room for a barbecue, but a hall or home nearby typically does. Historic houses near Downend include Shaw House (4.2 miles south). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on outside caterers and open cooking early. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Downend. Venues there may restrict open cooking, so ask about their rules first.
Events anywhere in RG20 start with an outdoor spot for the barbecue. Streets in the area include Downend Lane, Bardown and Northfields, and an event on any of them works with a garden, drive or yard for the barbecue. For events just outside Downend, we cover Chieveley (1 mile south), North Heath (1 mile south-west), World's End (1 mile north-east), Peasemore (2 miles north-west) and Beedon (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Newbury (5 miles south), Thatcham (5 miles south-east), Burghfield Common (12 miles south-east), Speenhamland (5 miles south), Hungerford (10 miles south-west) and Calcot (12 miles east).
Nearby you will also find Hampstead Norris Castle (3.3 miles east) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (4.7 miles south). Open spaces near Downend include Snelsmore Common.
- Pubs nearby include The Wheatsheaf pub (0.7 miles south)
What the cooking area needs
Planning the cooking spot is the key. Check these:
- Access through a gate or passage wide enough for our kit
- Parking near the grill
- A thought for the wind direction, so smoke drifts away from guests
Not sure about the cooking spot? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly before you book.
On the menu in Downend
- Beef burgers
- Sausages
- Vegan burger or sausage (Ve)
- Chicken skewers
- Halloumi skewers (V)
- Jacket potatoes
- BBQ ribs
- Salads
- New potatoes
- Coleslaw
- Beef brisket
- Pulled pork
- Grilled at your venue, outdoors and under cover
- Burgers, sausages and chicken, plus ribs, pulled pork and brisket
- Vegetarian and vegan options: halloumi skewers and a vegan burger or sausage
- Served when you’re ready, and we tidy the serving area afterwards