The 9 Best Outdoor Dinnerware Sets of 2024

Oct 28, 2024

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Our favorites include melamine, bamboo, and stainless steel pieces that are durable and dishwasher-safe.

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Everyone likes to eat outside, but dining on the patio or at the park doesn't mean disposable plates are the only option. Luckily, dinnerware companies recently improved the quality of dishes for eating al fresco, and we have chosen the best outdoor dinnerware for every style or occasion. This dishware is a significant improvement on those old paper plates that bend and leak. Plus, sometimes you want to elevate your carefully curated poolside gatherings and set a full table with serving dishes and other outdoor dining essentials like an outdoor rug, a beverage tub, and lights. That new outdoor patio dining set deserves equally fabulous tableware.

Many plates on our list are melamine, the industry standard for its durability. Since melamine is difficult to break, it's a good choice for entertaining poolside, where breakables can be dangerous and a pain to clean up. But melamine isn't all there is out there. Bamboo and stainless steel are common materials that are top-rack dishwasher safe–an essential consideration in our selection process in addition to design and durability. After scouring the internet, these are some of our favorite outdoor plates, and dinnerware sets for every style and occasion. Just add some cool summer cocktails, good food, friends, and family, and memorable results are guaranteed.

The Vietri Melamine Lastra White Dinner Plate Set evokes a modern Italian ceramic design but in a more durable form for outdoor entertaining. The shatterproof plates are food-safe and chip-resistant, making them the ideal dish when you want to evoke modern Italian design with the durability of outdoor materials. The plates are a melamine version of a ceramic set the company is renowned for, and the glossy finish makes it the perfect blank palette for summer recipes.

What's included: 4 dinner plates | Material: Melamine | Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack | Microwave-safe: No

When you want to evoke the feel of a quintessential Italian feast outdoors, the Sicily Outdoor Melamine Plate Set is a good start–long wooden tables and vineyards not included. The plates, which come in a wide variety of color combinations in increasingly ornate patterns, including fruit, look like dinnerware you see sold in ceramic shops across southern Italy. Intended to look like Sicilian Maiolica ceramics, the melamine dinnerware is easy to clean on the top rack of your dishwasher. The plates are colorful and durable enough that they won't scratch, chip, or fade with proper use and care.

What's included: 4 dinner plates | Material: Melamine | Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack | Microwave-safe: No

The TarHong Bamboo Planta Artisan Dinner Plate Set is primarily a plant-based material compound called Planta, made from a majority of bamboo powder and corn starch with a melamine binder. Tarhong's Artisan Matte collection, which looks like hand-made pottery, comes in navy or birch. The bamboo makes for a lighter plate which makes for easier handling. TarHong also makes matching salad plates, bowls, and serving ware for purchase separately or as a set. The plates are scratch-resistant and dishwasher-safe, making cleanup easy.

What's included: 6 dinner plates | Material: Planta | Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack | Microwave-safe: No

This modern Kaloh Melamine Outdoor Dinnerware Set is perfect for creating a chic but eclectic moment. The Kaloh set is also sold as stoneware, and this melamine version looks just like the original but is much more durable (and still BPA-free). It is also neutral enough to easily blend into your existing collection or be dressed up or down.

What's included: 4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates, 4 pasta bowls, and 4 cereal bowls | Material: Melamine | Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack | Microwave-safe: No

Purposeful Plate is the brainchild of a pediatrician with safety and durability in mind. But the dinnerware is not only for kids. Unlike most dinner plates, these are smaller at 9 inches, which is ideal for small plates and tapas. The stainless steel plates come in cool colors like an iridescent rainbow or shiny blue. Since they are stainless steel, they are easy to care for but not easy to break. The manufacturer claims the plates should withstand a lifetime of use with no peeling or breaking and are free of all BPA, PVC, phthalates, melamine, and lead.

What's included: 4 plates | Material: Stainless steel | Dishwasher safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: No

This psychedelic swirl pattern of the Siren Song Ebru Print Melamine Plates is meant to evoke the Turkish-styled marbled endpapers of antique books. The virtually shatterproof and BPA-free melamine dinner plates come in various styles named after classic authors such as Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Edith Wharton, and James Baldwin. While the dishes are named after old authors, the design looks modern on the table, and the plates resemble porcelain more than outdoor dinnerware. They're the perfect gift for a book lover who loves to entertain and values funky design.

What's included: 4 dinner plates | Material: Melamine | Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack | Microwave-safe: No

If you are not into ornate patterns and just want something cool and modern, the Mason Modern Melamine Dinnerware Set is a great choice. The melamine set comes in charcoal, ivory, true white, and steel blue, which can be used interchangeably to create a more colorful table. We love how these plates have a substantial lip, so food stays put.

What's included: 4 dinner plates | Material: Melamine | Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack | Microwave-safe: No

Anthropologie is all about whimsy, and these hot pink melamine plates are for the host who isn't afraid of a little color. Available in white, green, and hot pink, these bamboo melamine are safe for outdoor use. They also go in the dishwasher, so cleanup is a breeze. The set comes with four dinner plates and also has matching side plates, bowls, colorful plastic drinkware, and all sorts of patterned platters. Level up your next outdoor gathering with these pink plates with an organic shape and glossy finish that is intended to make it look like a crystal.

What's included: 4 dinner plates | Material: Melamine | Dishwasher safe: Yes, top-rack | Microwave-safe: No

These Hydro Flask dinner plates are the perfect camping companion due to their durability and ability to retain temperature. The pro-grade stainless steel dinner plates are substantial and won't blow away like paper plates in a gust of wind. A lip on the dish keeps food on the plate, even more, liquidy dishes, meaning you can stand and eat dinner by the campfire. Hydro Flask offers plates in powder-coated colors such as birch, pineapple, and olive. The company also sells a separate "kitchen sink" set with plates, serve ware, and more in one package.

What's included: One dinner plate | Material: Stainless steel | Dishwasher safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: No

When choosing a set of outdoor plates, look for collections that claim to be shatterproof, stain-resistant, and scratch resistant. It's also worth considering how heavy the plates are since some of the more expensive melamine plates are heavier to hold (good for windy conditions but more difficult for carrying).

Most incarnations of outdoor dinnerware do not microwave safely, but you can put it in the top rack of the dishwasher. However, if the tableware has a bright pattern, hand-washing will ensure it lasts for years. If plates get damaged through the course of use, dispose of them.

A consideration with any dinnerware set is whether there are matching serve ware pieces. Many of the selections on our list offer serving platters, bowls, and various dishes, ensuring a table setting looks cohesive.

Melamine is ubiquitous because it's known for its durability. Many companies also offer bamboo offerings, and stainless steel is always a great bet because of its toughness and how maintained.

According to the FDA, melamine is safe and food friendly when used correctly. Most manufacturers also claim their melamine to be BPA-free.

No. It is not meant for everyday use since it needs to avoid frequent washing everyday plates need. The materials are firm but not indestructible.

Aside from the long-term cost savings and being able to curate a bonafide vibe for outdoor entertaining, it is a good choice for the environment. They are sturdier, will hold food better than most disposable plates, and will not break like traditional plates for more elegant outdoor gatherings.

Jennifer Zyman is a Commerce Testing Editor for Food & Wine and a recovering restaurant critic with a culinary school degree and 15 years of food writing experience. Her work has appeared in Atlanta Magazine, Bon Appetit, Eater Atlanta, The Kitchn, Local Palate, National Geographic, Southern Living, and Thrillist. She used her dining and entertaining expertise to curate this list.