Reading · England
Funeral Wake Catering in Southcote
We bring a hog roast for the wake to Southcote and nearby, roasting on site and carving to order, with our staff looking after the serving.
- Life celebrations
- Family get-togethers after a service
- Home wakes
Funeral wake catering for Southcote
Funeral wake catering in Southcote, carved to order
Funerals are generally planned within a week or two. Contact us as soon as the date is set, and we’ll give you a quick answer. Popular choices include rotisserie chicken, apple sauce and new potatoes, and we are frequently booked for gatherings after a cremation and pub and club wakes.
In Southcote, the hall or the family home is a natural choice. Let us know where the roaster could go. We plan the timings around your day, working back from when you want to eat.
What comes off the roaster
Rotisserie chicken
Golden rotisserie chicken goes into rolls or onto plates alongside the pork.
Stuffing and apple sauce
Apple sauce brings sweetness and sharpness are the traditional pairing. Note that stuffing typically contains gluten.
Places near Southcote
Other occasions in Southcote
Questions from Southcote
Can you cater after a service at St Matthew's?
Yes, at a nearby hall, home or venue with room to cook outside. Food is normally served at the reception venue rather than the church. Send us the address.
Is Southcote close to London?
Roughly 40 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
What about guests who don’t eat pork?
There are chicken, vegetarian and vegan alternatives. Halal is not available.
Do you leave the area tidy?
We pack everything away after service, and we take our equipment with us.
Can you serve on plates?
We serve on plates, with china as an option.
Do we need to provide electricity?
Cooking is gas-fired, so no mains power is needed for the roast. A socket nearby is useful for lighting.
Do you bring plates?
Plates are included. China is available at an extra cost.
What if it rains?
We cook under a gazebo, so rain isn’t a problem for the roast. A marquee, hall or barn for eating makes all the difference.
What happens on the day
The secret is time: hours of gentle heat make the pork soft and juicy while the skin turns into crackling. It rests for a short while before carving. Late-December sunset in Southcote is about 3:55pm, so an afternoon wake in winter needs lighting by the food. Summer wakes have daylight well into the evening.
- Contact us as soon as you have a date.
- We confirm the space.
- We cook on site.
- We serve quietly.
- We leave the venue tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Choose someone to meet us on arrival
- Plan a step-free way in for the equipment
- Measure the narrowest gate or passage
Ask for a quote
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. Send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Diets, allergies and alternatives
Most people love a hog roast, but it is pork. Here’s how to cover everyone:
- Tell us about vegetarians and vegans
- Ask for gluten-free rolls if needed
- Plates are easier for older guests than rolls
- Ask close family about dietary needs
Afterwards we pack up quietly.
China crockery is available on request, quoted separately.
What affects the price in Southcote
The biggest factors are:
- The menu and extras such as lamb or chicken
- Site access
- The journey to the venue
- Numbers
The main driver is numbers: bigger groups normally cost less per head, because the roaster, staff and travel cost much the same either way.
Getting an accurate quote
To get the best quote, send us:
- Any dietary needs or allergies
- Rough numbers
- Which meats and sides you’d like
- A picture of the cooking area
Every quote lists the menu, the serving time, staff and plates, so you can compare caterers fairly. Send us your details through our quote form.
Wakes in Southcote: venues and practical details
Southcote is about 2 miles west of Reading, in Reading. Our roaster is a regular sight at wakes around Southcote. Southcote is one of 34 towns and villages in Reading we cover.
Families holding a service at St Matthew's frequently gather afterwards at a nearby hall, where the roast can be ready.
This part of Reading takes in RG30, RG31 and RG1. Whether your wake is on Bath Road, Dwyer Road and Brunel Road or anywhere nearby, we can set up and roast there. Nearby, we also cater wakes in Fords Farm (1 mile west), Horncastle (1 mile west), Burghfield Bridge (1 mile south-west), Tilehurst Within (1 mile north-west) and Norcot (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Caversham (3 miles north-east), Shinfield (4 miles south-east), Arborfield Garrison (6 miles south-east), Caversham Heights (3 miles north), Whitley Wood (3 miles south-east) and Sonning Common (5 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Beaumys Castle (4.7 miles south) and Battle Hospital (1.3 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Sonning Hill and South Lake.
- Nearby schools include Prospect School (0.5 miles north-west) and Elvian School (0.6 miles north-east)
- Local pubs include The Happy Prospect pub (under half a mile east)
Planning the wake in Southcote
The family can spend time with guests.
We’re regularly asked to cater a wide mix of occasions near Southcote, such as:
- Gatherings at the family home
- Family meals after a funeral
- Gatherings after scattering ashes
- Celebration-of-life gatherings
For family travelling by train, the closest railway station is Reading Green Park station, roughly 1.1 miles south of the centre.
What to look for in a quote
- Which meats, sides and extras are included
- Whether travel is included
- Allergen information for every dish
- The space, cover and access they need
Space, access and the venue
Before the day, it helps to think about where the roaster will go. The ideal spot has:
- A safe distance from the hall
- A level spot outdoors for the roaster
- A friend or relative we can call
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
Popular choices
- New potatoes
- Vegan option (Ve)
- Salads
- Halloumi skewers (V)
- Stuffing and apple sauce
- Rotisserie chicken
- Hog roast rolls
- Coleslaw
For planners, venues and organisers
If the event is on someone else’s land, you will need the landowner’s permission for cooking and vehicles. Sort that first.
Booking for a club or group? A single point of contact keeps things simple, particularly when timings shift.
A hog roast or other catering?
Next to sandwiches, hot food feels more caring. What you pay covers the meat, the chef and staff, and hours of roasting. Slow roasting means we are on site for much of the day, which is built into the price.
Why book our hog roast in Southcote
- We bring everything to cook and serve
- The classics: stuffing, apple sauce and crackling
- Lamb, chicken and vegetarian options alongside
- A clear quote with everything listed
Read how we price or the cost guide.
- Slow-roasted on site for hours, outdoors at your event
- Carved by our chef into rolls with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling
- Options beyond pork, including lamb, chicken and vegetarian dishes
- Served by our staff at the time you choose, then cleared away