American Made Dishes: A Culinary Journey

American-made dishes are not only beautiful and durable, but they also offer a more sustainable alternative to imported dinnerware. From rustic stoneware to colourful ceramics and delicate fine china, American-made dinnerware comes in a variety of styles to suit any table setting.

Not only do American-made dishes support local artisans and businesses, but they also ensure that you are serving your food on safe and non-toxic tableware. Many American-made dishes are crafted from lead-free and cadmium-free materials, giving you peace of mind about the health of your family and guests.

In addition to the health benefits, American-made dishes are also more environmentally friendly. By choosing locally made products, you can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with shipping products from overseas. So, whether you are looking for everyday dishes or specialty settings, American-made dishes offer a wide range of options that are not only beautiful but also safe and sustainable.

Dinnerware Sets

Fiesta Dinnerware:

Fiesta Dinnerware has been making its dinnerware in the USA since 1936 and is located along the Ohio River in Newell, West Virginia. Their dinnerware is chip-resistant and dishwasher, microwave, and oven-safe. They offer a wide array of colors, and you can choose a single color or mix and match to create a unique set.

HF Coors:

HF Coors is a commercial-grade ceramic dinnerware manufacturer located in Tucson, Arizona. Their dinnerware is highly chip-resistant, non-porous, and lead and cadmium-free. They offer a variety of colors, styles, and designs to suit your taste.

Anchor Hocking:

Anchor Hocking has been crafting glassware in the USA since 1905. While they offer a range of products, their "Presence" line features clear glass dishes that can also be used as serving ware. Their products are lead, cadmium, and heavy metal-free, as well as dishwasher and microwave-safe.

Bauer Pottery:

Bauer Pottery is a Los Angeles-based company that makes colourful and fun dinnerware. Their products are microwave and dishwasher-safe, but they recommend hand washing for the best care. Their dinnerware is made from earthenware clay and is lead and uranium-free.

Bennington Pottery:

Bennington Pottery has been crafting pottery in Vermont for almost 75 years. Their sets include a dinner plate, lunch plate, bowl, and mug, and each piece is handmade. You can choose from 13 different colours and designs in either the Newline or Classic styles, all made for everyday use.

Emerson Creek Pottery:

Emerson Creek Pottery hand-makes its stoneware pottery in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Their ceramic pieces have been featured at notable institutions such as Mt. Vernon, Monticello, and the Smithsonian Institute. Their dinnerware sets include a dinner plate, a smaller plate, a bowl, and a mug, and they are free of harmful chemicals, as well as dishwasher and microwave-safe.

Stoneware & Co.:

Stoneware & Co. is one of the oldest American stoneware makers, established in 1815 in Louisville, Kentucky. They use a proprietary recipe of 100% American-mined material and apply a scratch-resistant organic milk glaze that is free from lead and cadmium. They offer a diverse range of sets, from rustic to refined, and also have matching serving ware available.

These options provide a variety of styles, materials, and price points to choose from, ensuring that you can find the perfect American-made dinnerware set to suit your needs and taste.

Drinkware

When it comes to drinkware, there are several American-made options to choose from, including glass, ceramic, porcelain, and plastic varieties.

Glass Drinkware

Anchor Hocking and Libbey are two well-known brands that manufacture a wide range of glass drinkware in the USA. Anchor Hocking has been in the industry since 1905 and offers durable and versatile products, including everyday drinkware, barware, coffee mugs, pitchers, carafes, and beverage dispensers. Libbey, founded in 1818, provides an extensive selection of glassware styles, such as drinking glasses, wine glasses, beer glasses, and cocktail glasses, with various patterns and sizes available.

Other notable glass drinkware brands made in the USA include Ball Mason Jars, known for their versatility and classic design, and North Drinkware, which creates unique hand-blown whiskey and beer glasses with 3D mountains carved into the bottom.

Ceramic and Porcelain Drinkware

For ceramic and porcelain options, there are several American artisans and companies to consider. Deneen Pottery, based in Minnesota, offers handcrafted custom mugs, while Sunset Hill Stoneware creates unbranded made-in-USA mugs. Emerson Creek Pottery provides a range of mugs that coordinate with their dinnerware and kitchen items, and Hnaselmann Pottery handcrafts mugs, tumblers, shot glasses, and pitchers in New Mexico.

Plastic Drinkware

For those seeking plastic drinkware, there are several American-made options available. Drinique manufactures a range of drinkware from Eastman Tritan™ Copolyester, which is BPA-free and safe for microwave, freezer, and dishwasher use. Smile Drinkware USA crafts tumblers from nontoxic Tritan plastic with double-walled insulation. Tervis, another American brand, offers plastic tumblers featuring popular sports brands and movies, although it's important to note that their metal tumblers are imported.

Additionally, companies like Arrow Home Products, Bentley Drinkware Inc., and Homestead Choice produce reusable plastic tumblers, pitchers, and travel mugs that are made in the USA.

Plates

When it comes to American-made plates, there are a variety of options to choose from, including ceramic, porcelain, and stoneware. Here is a closer look at some of the top American-made plate brands:

Fiesta Tableware

Fiesta Tableware is an American staple known for its colourful and fun dinnerware options. The company has a long history dating back to the mid-1800s, and today, 99% of its products are made in the USA, specifically in Newell, West Virginia. Fiesta offers a wide range of products, including plates, bowls, mugs, and more. Their plates come in various colours, allowing customers to mix and match to create a unique and vibrant table setting. Fiesta's plates are also chip-resistant, dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, and oven-safe up to 350°F. The company has made significant strides in sustainability, producing lead-free dinnerware since 1992 and working to reduce cardboard waste.

HF Coors

HF Coors is a well-known manufacturer of high-quality, commercial-grade ceramic dinnerware based in Tucson, Arizona. The company has been in the industry since 1925 and takes pride in the durability and quality of its products. Their American White Dinnerware collection stands out for its extreme chip-resistance, making it a favourite among restaurants and homes alike. Each piece is vitrified, lead-free, and cadmium-free, meeting FDA standards. HF Coors offers a range of plate sizes and designs, from classic white dinnerware to matte black, pink, and hand-painted options.

Bauer Pottery

Bauer Pottery has been crafting beautiful dinnerware in Los Angeles, California, since 1910. Their plates are made with earthenware clay and come in a variety of colours, ranging from earthy tones to bright greens and blues. Each piece is hand-pressed, fired in a kiln, glazed by hand, and then fired again, ensuring a durable and stylish finish. Bauer Pottery offers dinner plates in multiple sizes, allowing customers to mix and match to create a unique table setting.

Bennington Potters

Bennington Potters, based in Bennington, Vermont, has been creating stoneware pottery for nearly 70 years. Their dinnerware sets are particularly notable, as they offer a 10% discount when purchasing four or more place settings. Each set includes a dinner plate, lunch plate, medium bowl, and tankard mug. Bennington Potters' stoneware has a natural, matte look, available in eight different colour options. Every piece is handmade, ensuring a unique and earthy feel to your dining experience.

Rowe Pottery

Rowe Pottery, based in Cambridge, Wisconsin, has been crafting high-quality stoneware since 1974. Their plates are handmade by local artisans, ensuring a unique and artisanal touch to each piece. Rowe Pottery offers a range of plate designs, from classic white to colourful and decorated options, allowing customers to find the perfect style for their table.

Simon Pearce

Simon Pearce, headquartered in Windsor, Vermont, offers a modern take on dinnerware with its distinctive stoneware pottery. Their pieces are lead and cadmium-free and are handmade by skilled potters. Simon Pearce's plates are dishwasher and microwave-safe, but it is recommended to bring them to room temperature before placing them in the oven to avoid cracking.

Other Notable Mentions:

In addition to the brands mentioned above, there are several other American-made plate manufacturers worth considering:

• East Fork Pottery (Asheville, North Carolina)
• Pickard China (Antioch, Illinois)
• Farmhouse Pottery (Woodstock, Vermont)
• Anchor Hocking (Lancaster, Ohio)
• Mosser Glass (Cambridge, Ohio)
• Corelle (Rosemont, Illinois)
• Emerson Creek Pottery (Bedford, Virginia)

Bowls

Fiesta Tableware Company

Fiesta Tableware Company offers a wide range of bowls, from classic and traditional styles to modern and contemporary designs. Their bowls come in various colours, including American Rose, Foundry Black, and Brush Tones. They also offer different sizes, such as the 12oz Brush Tones bowl and the 24oz Brush Tones bowl.

HF Coors

HF Coors manufactures bowls in their Tucson, Arizona factory. Their bowls are lead-free, restaurant-grade strength, and highly chip-resistant. They offer a variety of colours and patterns, including matte white, matte pink, and matte black. Their small bowl set comes with four bowls, perfect for a family or small gathering.

Wayfair

Wayfair offers several American-made bowl sets as part of their dinnerware sets. The Siterra Painter's Palette 16-piece dinnerware set, for example, includes four cereal bowls and four rice bowls, along with dinner and salad plates. The Gibson Home Woodlands 16-piece dinnerware set features a more nature-inspired design with four dinner plates, dessert plates, salad bowls, and tumblers.

Amazon

Amazon offers a vast selection of American-made bowls, both as individual pieces and as part of dinnerware sets. The Corelle Vitrelle 18-piece dinnerware set includes six 18oz bowls, perfect for a family meal. For a more elegant option, the AmorArc ceramic dinnerware set features handmade reactive glaze plates and bowls that are highly chip and crack-resistant.

Bauer Pottery

Bauer Pottery has been crafting dinnerware in Los Angeles, California, since 1910. Their bowls are made with earthenware clay, hand-pressed, fired in a kiln, glazed by hand, and then fired again. They offer a range of colours, including earthy tones and bright greens and blues.

Serveware

When it comes to serveware, there are a variety of American-made options to choose from, including stoneware, glass, ceramic, porcelain, and even wood. Here are some brands and types of serveware that are made in the USA:

Stoneware Serveware:

• Bennington Potters: Based in Vermont, they have been crafting stoneware pottery for nearly 70 years. Their serveware includes serving plates, bowls, platters, pitchers, cream and sugar sets, butter dishes, teapots, tea cups, and saucers.
• Rowe Pottery: Started in Cambridge, Wisconsin, in 1974, they create high-quality stoneware crafted by local artisans.
• Dresden & Co.: Handcrafted heirloom-quality baskets and pottery made in Dresden, Ohio. They offer a range of serveware, including mixing and serving bowls, pitchers, salt and pepper shakers, and crockery.
• Emerson Creek Pottery: Handcrafted in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, they create a range of serveware such as cracker baskets, pasta bowls, pitchers, platters, appetizer plates, and tea sets.
• Bauer Pottery: Based in Los Angeles, California, they have been handmaking dinnerware and pottery since 1910. Their serveware includes serving trays, bowls, butter dishes, and syrup pitchers.

Glass Serveware:

• Anchor Hocking: Manufactured in Ohio and Pennsylvania, they produce a range of glass serveware, including trifle bowls, party bowls, vintage-style soda glasses, and cruets.
• Annie Glass: Handcrafted in California, their glass serveware includes serving trays and bowls that coordinate with their dinnerware collections.
• Corelle: Well-known for their durable glass dinnerware, Corelle also offers glass serving bowls and platters made in Corning, New York.
• Libbey Glass: Based in Toledo, Ohio, they manufacture a range of glass serveware, including cake stands and serving bowls with storage lids.
• Mosser Glass: A family-owned company in Ohio, they craft serving ware, drinkware, dinnerware, and home decor.

Ceramic and Porcelain Serveware:

• Fiesta Tableware: An American staple known for its colourful options, Fiesta has been in business since the mid-1800s. They offer a range of serveware, including platters, cake stands, bread trays, and pitchers.
• HF Coors: Based in Tucson, Arizona, they have been crafting ceramic dinnerware since 1925. Their serveware includes bowls, plates, platters, and other durable and chip-resistant items.
• Pickard China: America's oldest fine china company, based in Antioch, Illinois, offers monogrammed table settings and serveware.
• Hanselmann Pottery: Handcrafted in Corrales, New Mexico, they create stoneware dinner plates, bowls, and other serveware with a modern and minimalistic look.

Wood Serveware:

• Holland Bowl Mill: Located in Holland, Michigan, they craft wooden serveware from solid red oak, walnut, maple, and beachwood. Their products include serving bowls, boards, dinner plates, and kitchen utensils.
• Epicurean: Designs and manufactures wood and slate serving trays in a variety of shapes and sizes in their facility in Superior, Wisconsin.
• New Hampshire Bowl & Board: Handcrafted in New Hampshire, they offer premium hardwood walnut, cherry, and maple serving bowls, salad bowls, charcuterie boards, and wooden kitchen utensils.
• The Great Alaskan Bowl Company: Based in Fairbanks, Alaska, they create round, heart-shaped, apple-shaped, and pumpkin-shaped serving bowls and stands from kiln-dried Alaskan Birch.

Frequently asked questions