What to Buy Hosting & Dining The 12 Best Stoneware Dinnerware Sets, According to an Interior Designer Recreate the vibe of your favorite restaurant with these bespoke picks. By Alyssa Longobucco Alyssa Longobucco Alyssa Longobucco is a freelance writer, editor, and stylist living in New York with over a decade of experience in the food, home, and lifestyle categories. When she's not diving into the latest trends and products, she's restoring an 1820s farmhouse in the Hudson Valley alongside her husband and children. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 22, 2023 In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews Factors to Consider Our Expertise We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Food and Wine / West Elm The right dinnerware sets the scene for a great dining experience. From charming wheel-thrown butter crocks to the perfectly sized pasta bowl, the right dinnerware can elevate simple weeknight dinners to Michelin-star status. Both pros and home cooks alike love stoneware dinnerware specifically thanks to its relaxed, handmade nature and durability. “Stoneware is a great material for dinnerware because it's rugged and durable. It feels great in the hand and has a natural look that tends to make food look great,” says Jono Pandolfi, a ceramicist who founded his eponymous tableware brand to industry acclaim, taking to the tables in big-name spots like New York's Lilia, SoHo House, and even FX’s The Bear. “First and foremost, your dinnerware should be something you enjoy using,” he says. "There are so many factors that go into a good dinnerware set — that's what makes it so interesting and challenging to design. Aesthetically, it needs to serve the greater goal of highlighting the food. Durability is also very important, whether for professional or home use." To help you start a restaurant-worthy collection of your own, we’ve rounded up the best stoneware dinnerware sets, from rich, inky glazes to dinner party-ready collections. We also asked interior design expert Christine Ward of Ward + Gray to help guide our selections. Our Top Picks Best Overall: West Elm Kanto Stoneware Dinnerware at West Elm Jump to Review Best Value: Hawkins New York Essential Stoneware 16-Piece Dinnerware Set at Food52 Jump to Review Best Splurge: Arhaus Dinnerware with Pasta Bowls at Arhaus.com Jump to Review Best Steal: Pottery Barn Dinnerware Set at Pottery Barn Jump to Review Best Starter Set: East Fork 7-Piece You're-All-Set Set at Eastfork.com Jump to Review Best Bundle: Jono Pandolfi 4-Piece Place Setting Bundle at Jonopandolfi.com Jump to Review Best Everyday: Year & Day The Core Set at Yearandday.com Jump to Review Best Black: Costa Nova Ceramic Dinnerware at Food52 Jump to Review Best Indigo: Arhaus Twilight Dinnerware at Arhaus.com Jump to Review Best Modern: Casafina Modern Classic Ceramic Dinnerware & Serveware at Amazon Jump to Review Best Overall West Elm Kanto Stoneware Dinnerware West Elm View On West Elm Pros The reactive glazes used on this design will speckle and crack differently every time, ensuring that your dinnerware is truly one of a kind. Cons While not necessarily a con, the edges of these pieces are handmade, and thus, they won’t nest perfectly atop each other in your cabinets. For a stoneware dinnerware set that is both of-the-moment and timeless, you can’t go wrong with West Elm’s Kanto collection. Designed in Portugal, these pieces have all the handmade appeal of a bespoke collection from your favorite ceramicist (think: uneven edges, a textured exterior, and delicate foot), without the jaw-dropping price tag. Each set includes four small bowls, four pasta bowls, four dinner plates, and four salad plates for a comprehensive collection you can immediately break out at your next family meal. The pieces are generously sized, with a nice weight and depth to them that feels durable and sturdy. You can choose from a selection of better-than-neutral reactive glazes, including a classic white hue, moody blue, dusty black, and rich cardamom. Best of all, the pieces are both dishwasher- and microwave-safe, so you can clean up dinner without a second thought. Price at time of publish: $224 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four small bowls, four pasta bowls, four dinner plates, and four salad platesCare: Dishwasher and microwave safe Best Value Hawkins New York Essential Stoneware 16-Piece Dinnerware Set Food52 View On Food52 View On Hawkinsnewyork.com Pros This 16-piece collection also boasts coordinating accessories — like pinch bowls and serving platters — that can be bought in addition to the foundational items. Cons The plates are designed intentionally flat and with a low lip, so they may not be best for cooks who make a lot of saucy dishes. Designed in the maker’s mecca that is the Hudson Valley, this beautiful set of dinnerware from Hawkins New York is supremely versatile, able to hang at fine dining scenes and causal breakfast tables alike. Its flexibility can be attributed, at least in part, to its perfect proportions. The dinner plate is large and flat enough for experimenting with high-end plating methods, while the low and wide pasta bowls offer the perfect spot for fresh tomato spaghetti, steamy ramen, or even your first stab at beef bourguignon. Stoneware purists will love the handmade qualities seen on each piece, like the soft rippling on the surface that’s reminiscent of hand-thrown designs. Choose from six stunning shades that are meant to mix well with each other if you prefer a more eclectic tabletop scene. Each 16-piece set (enough place settings for four diners) will run you just $184, a price so nice that you can justify picking up extras for when guests swing by. Price at time of publish: $184 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four dinner plates, four salad plates, four pasta bowls, and four cereal bowlsCare: Dishwasher and microwave safe; oven safe up to 450° Best Splurge Arhaus Skye Dinnerware with Pasta Bowls Arhaus View On Arhaus.com Pros This collection is handmade in Portugal, one of the stoneware capitols of the world, so you know the quality is top-tier. Cons Each piece in this collection is unique, thanks to hand-painted details, which is beautiful but may bother those who prefer their pieces to be perfectly coordinated. If you describe your cooking as rustic or comforting, this is the best stoneware dinnerware collection for you. Handmade in Portugal using time-honored ceramic techniques, these one-of-a-kind pieces from Arhaus look like they were plucked right off the table at Noma or Blue Hill. “I always gravitate to anything handmade,” says Ward. “Something that is imperfect and you can feel it has been hand-formed or hand-painted. Those variations in the brush strokes in a design or the finger imprints found on a handmade ceramic plate all bring so much life to tableware.” We love how roomy the overall designs are, which tout plenty of space for a humble slice of avocado toast or a sushi feast. The slightly wavy raised edges of the dishware add to their rustic appeal and ensure that anything saucy — like the dressing on your salad or red wine jus from your braised short ribs — will stay put instead of spilling out onto your table. The glaze itself combines a milky white hue atop the raw stoneware, with hand-painted edge details that add a refined yet rustic touch. Price at time of publish: $288 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four dinner plates, four salad plates, four pasta bowls, and four mugsCare: Dishwasher and microwave safe; oven safe up to 450° F Best Steal Pottery Barn Nico Stoneware Reactive Glaze 12-Piece Dinnerware Set Pottery Barn View On Pottery Barn Pros The simple and timeless aesthetic of this design ensures it can easily pair with existing pieces in your collection or be mixed and matched with other lines for a one-of-a-kind look. Cons This collection only includes three pieces per set, omitting the typically included pasta bowl. Pottery Barn has long been a go-to destination for home cooks looking for durable tabletop pieces, and their Nico dinnerware set perfectly exemplifies why. It’s characterized by that telltale timeless classic aesthetic that Pottery Barn is known for, with food-friendly details like a slight lip on the salad and dinner plates. The universally appealing white glaze has just a hint of gray and brown, resulting in a versatile design that can easily team up with other favorite pieces you already own. Like many Pottery Barn pieces, this stoneware collection is made to stand up to daily wear and tear, with a durable dishwasher- and microwave-safe construction that will last for years While it doesn’t come with any coordinating serving pieces, the design itself is simple enough that it can pair with any tray or casserole dish that catches your eye. Price at time of publish: $129 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four dinner plates, four salad plates and four soup bowlsCare: Dishwasher and microwave safe Best Starter Set East Fork 7-Piece You're-All-Set Set East Fork View On Eastfork.com Pros East Fork consistently comes out with limited-edition glazes, so you’ll have near-endless opportunities to grow your dinnerware collection in unique ways over the years. Cons While it delivers on a lot, this collection is pricier per person than many others on our list. At East Fork, simplicity is the name of the game — though it could just as easily be timelessness, versatility, or durability. Their traditional stoneware combines all of the above ethos (and more) into a stunning rustic design that will have you dreaming of cozy dinners at the cabin. Best of all, their “You’re at Set” set is as comprehensive as it sounds. It includes seven do-it-all dishware pieces that will carry you from apps to dessert, including a mug, a bitty bowl, a breakfast bowl, an everyday bowl, a cake plate, a side plate, and a dinner plate. Each piece is glazed with one of the brand’s ultra-pigmented hues, with a contrasting rim and subtle speckling that adds just enough visual interest. You can choose from a selection of core shades that are always in stock (including a rustic Morrel, timeless Eggshell, and vibrant Blue Ridge), or wait for a limited-edition glaze that catches your eye (they release seasonally!). Price at time of publish: $193 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: A mug, a dinner plate, a side plate, a cake plate, an everyday bowl, a breakfast bowl, a bitty bowl. Care: Dishwasher and microwave safe Best Bundle Jono Pandolfi Bundle of Six Coupe 4-Piece Place Setting Jono Pandolfi View On Jonopandolfi.com Pros This comprehensive collection starts you off in style, making it a great option for new homeowners looking to buy a soup-to-nuts set. Cons The Jono Pandolfi brand focuses on versatile neutrals, so anyone looking for a bright pigmented glaze won’t find it here. One look at Jono Pandolfi’s stoneware dinnerware and it’s easy to see how the brand has become synonymous with top-tier restaurants around the world. There’s just something perfectly approachable — yet undeniably special — about their Coupe collection, which combines unglazed and glazed stoneware for a unique yet casual look. “That's been our aesthetic from the get-go,” says Pandolfi. “It's an understated look that never upstages the food. I think home chefs love being able to bring a piece of their favorite hospitality experience into their home and appreciate the fact that we employ a team of skilled artisans and manufacture our pieces in the U.S. The quality and durability lends an ease to cooking and serving food, too — when you know the vessel isn’t precious, you can focus on the food and the good company.” The Jono Pandolfi team knows how important versatility is in dishware, which is why all of their pieces come in complementary colors and profiles for the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tablescape. Each set includes flexible favorites like an entrée plate, salad plate, cereal bowl, and Alaska bowl, which is the brand's answer to low and wide pasta or salad plates. You can stick with the classic collection or go all out by adding serving platters, aperitivo bowls, crudo bowls, and more. Price at time of publish: $877 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Six entrée plates, six salad plates, six Alaska bowls, and six cereal bowlsCare: Dishwasher and microwave safe Best Everyday Year & Day The Core Set Year & Day View On Yearandday.com Pros This collection is beautifully simple, so it won’t distract from your tablescape if you’d rather work in patterned linens or standout flatware. Cons Because the glaze on these pieces is semi-matte, they are susceptible to scratches from flatware. However, these marks can typically be buffed out with Bar Keepers Friend. If you’re looking for an everyday set of dishware that is reliable and straightforward, you’ve found it in Year & Day’s Core set. The brand launched with a tight collection of dinnerware and has maintained a “less is more” ethos through the years. Their core set is the perfect starter bundle for anyone looking to overhaul their existing collection or start anew, with four versatile but essential designs: a big and small bowl, and a big and small plate. All of Year & Day’s dishware is void of excessive decoration, relying instead on clean lines and pretty, on-trend glazes to earn a spot in your cabinet. The best news? Year & Day’s dishware aesthetic carries seamlessly through their other offerings, so you can shop their site for many of the finishing touches (think candlesticks and holiday serveware) your tablescape needs before your next dinner party. Price at time of publish: $240 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four Big Plates, four Small Plates, four Big bowls and four Small BowlsCare: Dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe; oven safe up to 480° F Best Black Costa Nova Livia Ceramic Dinnerware Bloomingdale's View On Food52 View On Bloomingdales Pros While we’re partial to the black, this dinnerware collection also comes in white and blush pink, if you favor mixing and matching your pieces. Cons These pieces are not microwave-safe, which is something to consider if you find yourself eating a lot of leftovers. There’s just something memorable about black dishware. The moody aesthetic a black dishware collection brings to your kitchen is unmatched, making it a great option for home cooks who don’t shy away from a little drama. This set from Costa Nova is as sophisticated as they come, with a handmade shape and inky black matte glaze that will elevate even the most basic dish into something Insta-worthy. Each 12-piece set (that’s four place settings) comes with your choice of a salad bowl or a pasta bowl, along with a dinner plate and salad plate. You can also buy a coordinating set of coffee mugs if you prefer your morning brew to match your evening dinner. Price at time of publish: $266 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four salad bowls or pasta bowls, four salad plates, four dinner platesCare: Dishwasher safe Best Indigo Arhaus Twilight Dinnerware Arhaus View On Arhaus.com Pros The unique handpainted treatment on this glaze offers a variety of blue shades, ensuring that this set will coordinate with everything from cornflower to cerulean. Cons Because these pieces are handcrafted, you may notice subtle differences in your collection when it comes to shape, size, and glaze. If high-impact and designer appeal are what you’re after, look no further than this galactic-inspired dinnerware collection from Arhaus. Handpainted in a reactive glaze that blooms into a wide range of blues, these pretty pieces are sure to make for a memorable meal, even if your cooking leaves a little to be desired. Each piece in the collection has a classic shape, with a gentle lip on the plates that keeps everything perfectly in place. Instead of a salad bowl, you’ll get a pasta bowl and mugs, which will bring a pop of color to every corner of your cabinets. There are also a few serveware pieces — including an oval platter and serving bowl — that can be purchased separately, should you want to snag those as well. Price at time of publish: $288 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four dinner plates, four salad plates, four pasta bowls, and four mugsCare: Dishwasher and microwave safe Best Modern Casafina Modern Classic Ceramic Dinnerware & Serveware Amazon View On Amazon View On Food52 Pros This collection comes in several timeless hues, which can all easily be mixed and matched for your vibe. Cons While there are coordinating serving pieces that pair with this selection, they don’t come in every glaze shade, so you may have a tough time coordinating perfectly. Stoneware may feel inherently rustic, but that doesn’t mean that modern design lovers can’t find their seat at the table, too. This collection from Casafina combines the best of both worlds, pairing a crisp and clean shape with classic stoneware details (like a beautiful matte glaze) for a modern look that flexes seamlessly between styles. Each 12-piece set pairs your choice of pasta or salad bowl with salad and dinner plates for a great foundational layer to your dream tablescape. There are also more bespoke shapes and profiles available for purchase depending on what you cook often, like a ramen bowl, grain bowl, and ice cream bowl. The entire collection is microwave, oven, freezer, and dishwasher safe, so all you have to worry about is what you’re making for dinner. Price at time of publish: $214 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four pasta bowls or salad bowls, four salad plates, four dinner platesCare: Dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven safe Best for Hosting Our Place Set the Table Dinnerware Set Our Place View On Fromourplace.com Pros Every piece in this collection is designed to seamlessly and securely nest atop one another, making storage a cinch. Cons The straight sides on the bowls and plates in this collection feel a touch modern, which may turn off shoppers looking for a classic stoneware look. There’s not a single dinner party host out there that doesn’t want to impress their guests. While a perfectly planned menu can certainly help, a table dressed to the nines with a quality tablecloth, gold flatware, and a set of gorgeous dishes is a surefire way to get the compliments rolling. This impressive 20-piece collection from Our Place touts everything a host with the most could need, including the brand’s selection of do-it-all shapes — full and midi plates, which are great for big meals; midi bowls, for pasta and salad; demi plates, which are an ideal place to serve up a slice of pie; and demi bowls, which will be your morning breakfast go-to. The design of this collection is really special, with a straight edge that gives the dishes a modern feel and helps them stack neatly atop one another or allows the plates to act as lids to the bowls. Each glaze color is thoughtfully considered, in a range of earthy hues that will appeal to all types of hosts. There’s even an option to mix all the hues, where the brand will expertly combine three of the shades for a beautiful and balanced tablescape. Price at time of publish: $260 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four Full Plates, four Midi Plates, four Midi Bowls, four Demi Plates, four Demi BowlsCare: Dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven safe up to 350° F Best for Gifting Le Creuset San Francisco Coupe 16-Piece Dinnerware Set Williams Sonoma View On Williams-Sonoma Pros The Le Creuset brand is iconic for the quality and consideration of its stoneware pieces, so this is an investment you can count on. Cons The array of colors in this collection is tight and bright, relying on a selection of primary hues that may not appeal to some shoppers. Looking for a gift that will guarantee you a very gracious thank you note? Look no further than this classic stoneware set from Le Creuset. It’s crafted from the same premium stoneware that many of their baking dishes and serving pieces are made from, with vibrant enamel glazes that have become the brand’s signature calling card. The profile of the dishes themselves is timeless, with generous sizes and streamlined shapes that will remain a classic for years to come. Each piece features a thin three-ring design around the edge, providing just the right touch of country charm to the utilitarian design. Naturally, the pieces pair perfectly with other Le Creuset designs (great if you’re shopping for a gift for newlyweds, say), but they’re also simple enough to coexist alongside serveware from other brands or your favorite vintage wares. Price at time of publish: $296 Material: StonewareWhat’s Included: Four pasta or cereal bowls, four dinner plates, four salad plates, four mugsCare: Dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven safe up to 500° F Factors to Consider Material Before splurging on a set of stoneware dinnerware, it’s important to decide if it's the right dishware material for you. While it is a type of ceramic, stoneware is typically decidedly more rustic than its more polished ceramic counterparts, making it a better fit for home cooks with a style that is similarly casual. Likewise, you’ll want to do your research into the type of care your chosen pieces of stoneware dinnerware necessitate, to ensure it feels realistic and achievable to your lifestyle. Aesthetic Glazes and shapes can contribute a lot to the aesthetic of a collection, as well as how versatile or flexible it is taste-wise. As you consider different styles of stoneware dishware, Ward suggests you keep the vibe of your kitchen — and your home’s overall design — top of mind. “In any design concept, we always start with a sense of place,” she explains. “If the project is in the countryside, we will be using more handmade and honest, raw materials throughout the project,” she says. “This informs the tableware as well, as we wouldn't want it to feel like a stark contrast to the table it is sitting on, or within the room it sits in. We tend to use heavier, more substantial dinnerware in a project that is in the countryside to bring in that rustic feel, and in a city project, we will use a softer, daintier dinnerware collection that feels a bit more refined.” Size As you’ll quickly discern while shopping, dinnerware collections can come in all shapes and sizes — especially something that’s typically handmade, like stoneware. When considering a stoneware dinnerware collection to buy, make sure the size and shape of the plates suit your needs. If you’re a family who rarely eats cereal but downs a lot of pasta, you may want to seek out a set that caters to your bowl needs. Likewise, you’ll want to also consider how large the set itself is. If it touts only enough place settings for four people but you’re a family of five, you’ll want to make sure that there’s an option to purchase a single place setting to complete your set. Care Stoneware is notoriously durable and easy to care for, which is why it’s gained such a stellar reputation over the years. That being said, there are some things you’ll need to be aware of when caring for your stoneware pieces. First and foremost, always read the care requirements before purchasing a dinnerware set to ensure you can use them in the dishwasher, microwave, or oven should you choose. Additionally, many stoneware pieces that feature a matte glaze can be susceptible to scratches from everyday flatware or serving utensils, so you may want to choose a glossy glaze (or darker color!) if that’s something that will bother you. Our Expertise Alyssa Longobucco is a freelance writer, editor, and stylist living in New York with over a decade of experience in the food, home, and lifestyle categories. When she's not diving into the latest trends and products, she's restoring an 1820s farmhouse in the Hudson Valley alongside her husband and children. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit