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There are many things people don’t tell you about adulthood, like the high cost of rent, the difficulty cooking three meals a day, and the need for good serveware. You might think dining plates or large bowls work as serving platters—and they do, sometimes—but serveware helps make serving easier. Having your charcuterie on a cheese board or a skirt steak on a platter ensures nothing spills over and everything looks nice and neat. Even if you rarely host parties or shin-digs, it doesn’t hurt to have a few platters in your homeware arsenal. A meal is only as good as the plate it’s served on, right? And the many platters, bowls, and flatware in this list will have your food tasting good and lookin’ fine.
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Why You Need Serving Dishes
I’m sure your cooking skills are impressive alone but serving platters enhance presentation and show off the most basic of meals. We can agree that a dozen deviled eggs look more appetizing on a platter than on a plastic plate. Plus, to host is to impress and serveware does exactly that. But aesthetics aside, they’re also pretty handy when it comes to hosting. Imagine having to refill your guests’ plate as soon as it’s empty—it sounds tedious. However, when you use serving dishes or bowls, your guests can refill their plates themselves, which is super convenient and easier on you as the host. Ultimately, serving dishes makes hosting easier and your meals look better, which is a win-win in my book.
What To Look For When Shopping For Serving Dishes
When buying anything for your home, there are a few things to keep in mind from style to versatility and design. Before you run your credit cards at the Pottery Barn, read on to learn everything about serveware.
Material
Materials like stoneware, glass, ceramic, wood, and plastic have different durabilities, heating levels, and cleaning needs. Knowing the capabilities of each material, plus where you’re going to be using your serving platters—outdoor vs. indoor—is important to consider before buying. For example, stoneware and ceramic are sturdier and more affordable but won’t last you more than a few years. Glass, in comparison, is beautiful and illuminating but is prone to shattering. Wood is a great choice for outdoor hosting but has a difficult upkeep. Every material has its own pros and cons—knowing these helps you pick the best serving dishes for your needs.
Size
You only need two to three platters, but (!!) in different sizes. Meals come both big and small, so having an assortment of sizes is practical. Invest in small and large bowls to hold pasta, salads, and sides and large flatware to carry meats and cheeses. Small bowl plates and platters can hold veggies, chips, and snacks.
Features and Versatility
Not all serving platters are made equal. Some come with handles for easy carrying, others have internal compartments for convenience. There are tiered platters for stacking and rimmed edges to prevent spillage. There’s also insulated serveware to keep everything warm and ready for mealtime.
Furthermore, some serveware doubles as cookware too! The Our Place Always Pan — a fan-favorite of TQE’s — can cook your meats and bread and serve them up too. A versatile collection of serveware is beneficial for cooking and hosting. Plus, it saves on space, which is a holy grail for us renters in small apartments.
Style
What type of style do you have? Minimalistic, maximalism, eccentric? You don’t have to coordinate your home’s style and aesthetic with your serveware, but it does keep everything uniform. However, if you want to forgo that route, I suggest neutral colors like black, brown, or white that contrast with food and look visually stunning. Or, you can be you and buy whatever color, texture, or pattern suits your fancy. It’s your home, after all.
Care
Remember, when we talked about materials? Yeah, that matters when it comes to upkeep. Some serveware isn’t dishwasher-friendly and needs a good ole hand wash. For example, glassware streaks easily and looks super cloudy. And a dishwasher can’t solve that. Always double-check the maintenance requirements before you check out.
Our Top Picks
Best All-Purpose Serving Dish(es)
This bamboo serving plate is also a cutting board in disguise. It’s classically neutral so it’ll blend with your other dinnerware, plus is large enough to hold both small bites and larger meals. Oh, and the maintenance is hella simple and only requires a cloth and water.
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Best Decorative Serving Plate(s)
A handcrafted glazed stoneware with floral garden motifs around the rim—it’s cute, chic, and tasteful. A nicely decorated serveware to enhance your food presentation.
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Best Flat Serving Dish(es)
Name a cuter cheese board?? Because this rose quartz flat platter is stunning with a capital S. And I’m not the only one who thinks so—just check out the 200+ positive reviews that rave about the board’s thick, durable structure and statement design.
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Best for Outdoor Use
Chances are you’ve seen this Pottery Barn picnic table carry tray on TikTok. It has four foldable legs and a carrying strap for portability, plus wine glass holders to hold the bubbly. Then, tiny umbrella holes to provide some much-needed shade.
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Best for Small Bite(s)
Many things draw me to this Uncommon Goods cheese board. First, can we talk about its convenient swivel feature? It’s triangular but unpacks into a circular board and features a hidden cutlery compartment (with an included cheese stick!). Keep it plain Jane, or add a monogram for your linking.
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Best for Main Dishes
Not too small and not too big. This Lulu and Georgia pick is the perfect size for your light bites and hors d'oeuvres. It’s handcrafted, artisanal, and 100 percent constructed from recycled materials. A sculpted edge adds to its flair, while its shape makes it *so* chic and minimalistic.
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Best Serving Bowl(s)
Calling my mid-century lovers! Nambé carefully curated this salad bowl from acacia wood and designed it to replicate modernity. Think organic lines, uniform shapes, and neural colors. All things minimalistic, modern, and tasteful.
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Best Investment Platter Set(s)
Our Place has the best homeware and I said what! I! said! This serving set comes with eight pieces of bowls, platters, and plates, all in different sizes that stack neatly atop one another. They’re chip-resistant, sturdy, and dishwasher-safe (thank you, restaurant-grade stoneware!) Oh, and it’s heat resistant…up to 350 degrees.
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Best Minimalist Serving Dish(es)
Some might not think of “serveware” when it comes to cake stands, but they’re actually one of the most versatile serving platters. And this one from Nordstrom is uniform with a subtle floral, so it pairs with any design or aesthetic. Ceramic material makes it dishwasher, oven, and microwave-safe. Use it for your cakes, small bites, charcuterie, cookies, or whatever you’re dishing up.
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Best Serving Dish(es) With Lid(s)
Bamboo plates with netted covers? Say less. But before you buy this bb instantly, I gotta warn you: it’s serveware only. It cannot hold steaming hot food, so cold cuts, fruit, and veggies only.
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Best Sectioned Serving Dish(es)
A seder plate?? with six mini plates?? and a monochromatic design?? I am in love.
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Best Thermal Serving Dish(es)
While everyone is on the Stanley hype, I am loyal to my one true love: the Hydro Flask. They have an innovative insulated stainless serving bowl to keep food fresh before eating, and, yes, I immediately bought it. It has a press-on lid to prevent spillage—like, it was begging for my credit card numbers, k?? It’s large enough to hold heavy salads, wings, and meats too! Not suitable for the fridge, oven, or stove, which is a huge bummer honestly. But, hey, it’s affordable (less than $100!) and durable. So, 10/10.
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FAQs
What Can I Use A Serving Dish For?
While platters are for serving guests, they can be used wherever you want! Use a platter to hold appetizers, charcuterie, and light bites for your small dinner party. Or, use it to decorate dinner for a date night with your S.O. A serving platter is to serve, whether that’s your besties at a slumber party or a dinner for yourself.
Should I Choose Small Or Large Serving Dishes?
A combination of both is the way to go. Because serving dishes are used to hold small and big bites, having an assortment of sizes is necessary. You wouldn’t use a large platter for a handful of cheese and crackers, no? Remember, serving platters are mainly about convenience and aesthetics, so you’ll want a collection of different sizes to meet the needs of your dinner or hosting events.
Should You Go For Patterns?
Personally, I’m a pattern girl but if you lean more classic, solids are the way to go. If you want your serveware to be the main attraction, a funky design is always cute. But if you like color coordination, stick to neutrals like brown or gray that pair with any colored bite.
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