Plates And Bowls: Elevate Your Dining Experience

High-end plates and bowls are an essential component of any luxurious dinnerware collection. These pieces are not just about functionality but also serve as a canvas for culinary creations, enhancing the dining experience. From simple elegance to vibrant designs, the world of high-end dinnerware offers a plethora of choices. Whether you're seeking something timeless or trendy, there's a perfect set to elevate your table setting.

Materials play a pivotal role in the selection process. Porcelain, with its high-temperature firing, offers durability and versatility, adorning both casual and formal tables. Bone china, a combination of china clay and cow bone ash, exudes a translucent, milky elegance. Stoneware, a thicker and heartier option, is a restaurant favourite due to its high-temperature firing and non-porous nature. Melamine, a food-safe plastic, provides an excellent choice for outdoor dining and households with children.

Brands such as Rosenthal, Neiman Marcus, and Kneen & Co. offer an array of luxurious options. Rosenthal's La Greca and Butterfly Garden collections showcase exquisite craftsmanship, with pieces ranging from $130 to $445. Neiman Marcus presents an extensive selection, including the nature-inspired Mackenzie-Childs collection and the elegant Gold Rim Brushstroke set. Kneen & Co. features top brands like Nymphenburg, Hering Berlin, and Herend, offering customisable hand-painted porcelain patterns.

When curating a high-end dinnerware collection, it's essential to consider your personal aesthetic and intended use. Whether you lean towards classic white sets or vibrant patterns, the right choice will elevate your dining experience and become a cherished part of your culinary journey.

Luxury Dinnerware Sets

High-end plates and bowls, or luxury dinnerware sets, are a great way to elevate your dining experience and make a statement. Here are some options to consider:

Neiman Marcus:

Neiman Marcus offers a wide range of luxury dinnerware sets, including the Berry & Thread French Panel collection, the Brushstroke Gold collection, and the Gold Rim Brushstroke 12-piece set. They also have a variety of individual pieces like the Rosy Check Enamel Plate and the Rabbit Run Salad Plate with Gold Rim. Their dinnerware is designed by well-known brands such as Mackenzie-Childs, Ralph Lauren Home, and Baccarat.

Rosenthal:

Rosenthal's luxurious and glamorous dinnerware includes bread and butter plates, salad plates, dinner plates, and bowls. The La Greca and Butterfly Garden collections offer a range of elegant designs, while the Medusa collection features a bold and striking pattern.

Kneen & Co.:

Kneen & Co. offers luxury dinnerware from top brands like Nymphenburg, J.L. Coquet, Hering Berlin, and more. Their collections include the Nymphenburg Lightscape Épure Dinnerware, the Herend Fish Scale Light Blue Dinnerware, and the Hering Berlin Silent Iron Dinnerware. You can also mix and match individual pieces to create a unique table setting.

Wirecutter:

Wirecutter has a variety of luxury dinnerware recommendations, including the Heath Ceramics Rim Line, the Jars Cantine Collection, and the Mikasa Delray Collection. The Heath Ceramics Rim Line is an enduring classic, handcrafted and timeless. The Jars Cantine Collection offers soft, muted colours and a glossy glaze. The Mikasa Delray Collection is made of bone china, offering a sophisticated and elegant look.

Our Place:

Our Place focuses on ethical and functional dinnerware, sourcing high-quality materials from ethical factories and female entrepreneurs. Their porcelain plates and nesting bowls are hand-painted, giving each piece a unique look. They offer bundles that provide all the essentials at a better value.

Food52:

Food52 is a retailer that curates unique and hard-to-find dinnerware from small studios and international brands. Their selection includes bowls from East Fork Pottery, colourful French glassware, and hand-painted Italian sets from Vietri, offering a range of styles and designs.

Stoneware

West Elm Kanto Stoneware Dinnerware:

This stoneware collection is designed in Portugal and offers a bespoke look without the hefty price tag. The set includes small bowls, pasta bowls, dinner plates, and salad plates, all with unique reactive glazes that speckle and crack differently, ensuring each piece is one of a kind. While the handmade edges won't nest perfectly, the set is both dishwasher and microwave safe.

Pottery Barn Dinnerware Set:

Pottery Barn is known for its durable tabletop pieces, and the Nico dinnerware set is a timeless classic. The set includes dinner plates, salad plates, and soup bowls with a subtle grey and brown hue, making it easy to pair with other pieces. It is dishwasher and microwave safe and known for its durability.

Hawkins New York Essential Stoneware 16-Piece Dinnerware Set:

This stoneware set offers a versatile design that can transition from fine dining to casual breakfast tables. The set includes dinner plates, salad plates, pasta bowls, and cereal bowls, with a handmade quality that gives a soft rippling effect on the surface. The set is available in six stunning shades, and additional coordinating accessories can be purchased separately. It is dishwasher, microwave, and oven safe up to 450°F.

Arhaus Twilight Dinnerware:

The Arhaus galactic-inspired dinnerware collection offers a unique, high-impact look with its hand-painted reactive glaze that blooms into a range of blue shades. The set includes dinner plates, salad plates, pasta bowls, and mugs, with gentle lips to keep everything in place. The collection is dishwasher and microwave safe.

Jono Pandolfi 4-Piece Place Setting Bundle:

The Jono Pandolfi stoneware set offers a versatile neutral palette and a unique combination of glazed and unglazed stoneware. The set includes entrée plates, salad plates, Alaska bowls, and cereal bowls, with the option to purchase additional serving platters and bowls. The pieces are dishwasher and microwave safe.

East Fork 7-Piece You're-All-Set Set:

East Fork's stoneware set offers a rustic yet timeless design with ultra-pigmented hues and a contrasting rim and subtle speckling. The seven-piece set includes a mug, dinner plate, side plate, cake plate, everyday bowl, breakfast bowl, and bitty bowl, all of which are dishwasher and microwave safe.

Le Creuset San Francisco Coupe 16-Piece Dinnerware Set:

Le Creuset is known for its iconic stoneware, and this set delivers on quality and consideration. The set includes pasta or cereal bowls, dinner plates, salad plates, and mugs, featuring a thin three-ring design and a timeless profile. The pieces are dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven safe up to 500°F.

Casafina Modern Classic Ceramic Dinnerware & Serveware:

The Casafina stoneware set combines a crisp, clean shape with classic stoneware details, creating a modern yet rustic look. The 12-piece set includes pasta or salad bowls, salad plates, and dinner plates, available in several timeless hues. The set is dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven safe.

These stoneware options offer a range of styles, from rustic to modern, and are sure to elevate your dining experience.

Porcelain

Durability and Maintenance

Aesthetic

Brands and Pricing

There are various brands offering porcelain dinnerware sets, ranging from budget-friendly options like AmazonBasics to more luxurious choices such as Fable, Le Creuset, and Villeroy & Boch. The price per piece can vary from around $2 to over $16, depending on the brand and the number of items included in the set. It's worth noting that some sets may be more prone to scratching, so consider your intended use and care preferences.

Bone China

The first development of bone china was made by Thomas Frye at his Bow Porcelain Factory in East London in 1748. His factory was located close to the cattle markets and slaughterhouses, giving him easy access to animal bones, which are necessary to create the bone ash used in bone china. He called his formulation 'fine porcelain' and used up to 45% bone ash in his products.

Josiah Spode of Stoke-on-Trent further developed the concept between 1789 and 1793, introducing his 'Stoke China' in 1796. When the original Josiah Spode died, his son Josiah II took over and renamed the product 'bone china'. This formulation remains the basis for all bone china: 6 parts bone ash, 4 parts china stone, and 3.5 parts kaolin.

Dinnerware Materials

When shopping for high-end plates and bowls, it's important to consider the different materials available and their unique qualities. Here's a detailed guide to help you understand the various dinnerware materials:

Earthenware

Earthenware is a type of ceramic that has been glazed and fired. It is often less expensive than other types of dinnerware and has a thick, heavy, and rustic look and feel. However, it is not as durable or strong as other options and is prone to chipping. Hand-painted dishware is typically made of earthenware. It tends to be porous, so it can stain or absorb liquids, and should not be left submerged in water. Most glazed earthenware is dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe, but it's always good to check with the manufacturer.

Stoneware

Stoneware is another type of fired ceramic dinnerware that is slightly more durable than earthenware. The clay is fired at a higher temperature and often includes vitreous (glass) material for added strength. It has a thicker and more opaque body compared to finer materials like porcelain and china. Stoneware can be finished with various glaze textures such as shiny, satin, or matte. It is commonly used in casual, everyday place settings and is generally versatile and easy to maintain. Stoneware can typically be used in the microwave, dishwasher, oven, and freezer, but it should not be exposed to sudden or extreme temperature changes. Some brands to look for include Pfaltzgraff, Dansk (Lenox), and Fiesta (Homer Laughlin).

Porcelain and China

Porcelain and china refer to dinnerware made from fine-particle clay, typically comprising feldspar, kaolin, and quartz, fired at high temperatures. This results in extremely durable and nonporous dinnerware. The high firing temperature allows the body of the dinnerware to be thinner and more delicately constructed, giving it a translucent appearance. Most fine china and porcelain are dishwasher, microwave, and oven-safe, unless the manufacturer indicates otherwise. However, china with gold, silver, or platinum borders should not be microwaved, and citrus-scented detergents can damage metal accents. Many people opt to hand-wash their metal-accented porcelain dishes. Porcelain often lends itself to more formal dining occasions, but it can also be used daily to elevate any meal. Brands to consider for porcelain dinnerware include Lenox, Noritake, and Villeroy & Boch.

Bone China

Bone china is produced by combining bone ash (made from animal bones) with porcelain clay and firing it at a slightly lower temperature than porcelain. This results in lightweight, delicate, and translucent dinnerware with a milky appearance. Despite its fragile look, bone china is the strongest and most durable ceramic dinnerware. It is generally dishwasher-safe and can be used in the microwave and oven unless it has metallic banding. Bone china can be used daily or reserved for formal dining occasions. Popular brands for bone china include Royal Doulton, Wedgewood, and Mikasa.

Melamine

If you're looking for unbreakable plates, melamine is the ideal material. This plastic material is lightweight, sturdy, and has a glossy finish. It is virtually indestructible, making it perfect for children and outdoor use. Melamine is usually dishwasher-safe on the top rack but should not be heated or used in the microwave or oven. It is BPA-free, ensuring safe and healthy dining. Zak! Designs is a good brand to check out for melamine dinnerware.

Vitrified Glass

Vitrified glass is opaque glass fired at ultra-high temperatures to make it nonporous and extremely durable. The best-known vitrified glass dinnerware is Corelle, which is a proprietary glass laminate that is virtually indestructible. It won't break or chip, even when dropped. Vitrified glass is safe for use in the dishwasher and microwave, making it a convenient and low-maintenance option.

Frequently asked questions