Dinnerware Sets

A dinner service is built in sets rather than all at once: four dinner plates, four dessert plates, four bowls, and the table is laid. Our dinnerware ranges from four-piece sets to complete services, all the way to the tea set.

Count the pieces, then the guests

The name of the set tells you what it contains. A set of four plates covers four people for one sitting; an eighteen-piece service split between dinner plates, soup plates and dessert plates covers six complete place settings. If you entertain often, add a spare plate in each size: one piece always ends up breaking.

What each plate is for

The dinner plate holds the main course, the soup plate takes pasta, soup and dishes in sauce, and the dessert plate doubles as a saucer and a small dish for aperitifs. The bowl comes out mostly in the morning, but it helps out at dinner too. Together, the three sizes see you through the week.

Right down to the teacup

The end of the meal calls for other pieces: a tea set, a few dessert plates, a bowl set in the center. The Kyoto set fills this role and also comes out on its own in the afternoon. Keep this tableware within reach: it gets used far more often than the special-occasion service.

Frequently asked questions

Can you add to a service you already have?

Yes. Dinner and dessert plates come in sets of four: you only add the size you're missing, in the line you already own.

Are soup plates really useful?

They become so as soon as you serve pasta, soup or a dish in sauce. They don't come in sets of four: they're included in the eighteen-piece service.

How do you stack dishes without damaging them?

Store plates by size and keep each stack to a height you can lift with one hand. A sheet of paper between two pieces prevents rub marks.