Our hog roast service in Colchester
Colchester has a long claim to fame as Britain's oldest recorded town, once the Roman Camulodunum, and it finally became a city in 2022. The castle keep and Roman walls are still at its centre, but the modern place is bigger and younger than that suggests: a major army garrison, the University of Essex campus at Wivenhoe Park, and fast-growing housing on every side.
We provide hog roast catering across Colchester and north-east Essex, cooking everything fresh on site. The classic is a whole pig with proper crackling, carved into soft rolls with stuffing and apple sauce, but plenty of Colchester events go for roast lamb, a BBQ, or a combination with a full table of salads and sides.
We cater across Colchester as part of our hog roast catering in Essex. For the full picture of how we work, see our hog roast catering service page.
Where we cater in Colchester
The garrison, the university and a large student and young-family population give Colchester an events calendar that doesn't look like anywhere else in Essex. We see regimental and mess-style celebrations, end-of-year student and staff events, and plenty of family parties in Lexden, Stanway, Mile End and Highwoods. Head out of town and it's weddings and big birthdays on farmland, in barns and on private land towards Dedham Vale and the Colne estuary.
The A12 and A120 make most sites easy to reach. Rural venues around Dedham, Boxted and Fordham can involve narrow lanes and field access, while Mersea Island's causeway floods at high tide — for events there, we plan arrival times around the tide table.
- barn and farm weddings towards Dedham Vale
- marquees on private land along the Colne
- military and garrison social events
- university and student society events
- private gardens in Lexden and Stanway
- cricket clubs and village fetes
BBQ catering in Colchester
Not every event suits a whole pig. For Colchester gatherings where people want choice — office lunches, club days, parties with lots of children — our BBQ catering is often the better fit: burgers, sausages and chicken cooked to order, with vegetarian and vegan options on their own grill space.
Read more about mobile BBQ catering or browse the BBQ catering menu.
Events we cater in Colchester
Wedding hog roasts
The countryside north of Colchester, running up to the Stour and Constable country, is full of barns and farm venues that suit a relaxed, generous meal. We can serve a hog roast wedding breakfast with lamb and a vegetarian option, then carve the evening rolls from the same roast.
Hog roast wedding cateringCorporate events
Colchester's employers range from the university and hospital to retail, logistics and offices around the town centre and the A12 junctions. A hog roast or BBQ is an easy way to thank a team outdoors, and we're used to working with security procedures and site passes.
Catering for company eventsBirthday & private parties
Birthdays, anniversaries, leaving dos and summer parties in Colchester gardens are a big part of what we do. For a crowd that includes plenty of children, a BBQ alongside the hog roast keeps everyone happy.
Hog roasts for birthday parties · Catering for parties at homeWhat we cook
Pork hog roast
The classic. A whole pig roasts slowly for hours until the meat is tender and the skin has turned to crackling, then we carve it to order — into soft rolls with stuffing and apple sauce, or onto plates with salads and potatoes.
Hog roast menuLamb roast
Spit-roasted whole lamb, seasoned with garlic and rosemary and carved to order. It's served with mint sauce, warm flatbreads and fresh salads — ideal when some guests don't eat pork.
Lamb roast cateringBBQ options
Beef burgers, pork sausages, marinated and BBQ-glazed chicken, veggie burgers, halloumi and plant-based sausages — pick three or four and we'll handle the rest.
BBQ packagesSides & salads
The sides make the meal. Choose from homemade coleslaw, mixed leaf salad, tomato and red onion salad, potato salad and pasta salad, plus fries, sweet potato fries or buttered new potatoes cooked on site. Fresh rolls, breads and a proper sauce table come as standard.
Vegetarian, vegan & dietary options
Dietary needs are planned in from the start, not added at the end. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are cooked on separate equipment on request and clearly labelled, and allergen information is available for everything we serve. For guests with severe allergies, please talk to us before the event.
How our catering works
Tell us about the event
Send the date, postcode, rough guest numbers and the kind of food you have in mind. A few lines is plenty to start.
Get a tailored quote
We'll suggest a menu, service style and timings that suit the event, and send a clear written quote. Tweak it as much as you like.
Confirm the details
Final numbers, dietary requirements, access, parking and timings are agreed in writing ahead of the day, so there are no surprises.
We cook, serve and clear
We arrive early, cook everything fresh on site, serve your guests from our counter, and leave the space clean and tidy.
Areas we cover near Colchester
Alongside Colchester, we regularly cater in the surrounding area. Every town in the county is listed on our Essex hog roast catering page.
Hog roast FAQs for Colchester
Can you cater an event on Mersea Island?
Yes. The Strood causeway can be covered at high tide, so we check the tide times for your date and plan our arrival and departure around them. Tell us your postcode and timings and we'll confirm.
Do you cater military or garrison events in Colchester?
We're happy to. Sites with security arrangements usually need vehicle and staff details in advance, so let us know early and we'll provide whatever the site requires.
Do you cover Wivenhoe, Dedham and the villages near Colchester?
Yes, along with West Mersea, Tiptree, Copford, Boxted and the villages up towards the Suffolk border.
Do you only do hog roasts, or can we have a BBQ in Colchester?
Both, and lamb too. Plenty of Colchester events have a BBQ on its own or alongside the hog roast. Have a look at the BBQ menu for ideas.
