Modern tableware is of great importance. It helps to serve dishes effectively and stylishly, to create a festive atmosphere in the house. The ability to beautifully set the table is an important skill not only for restaurant employees, but also for ordinary housewives. To impress guests, you need to know what the size of the plates for table setting should be, their purpose and correct position.

table setting
Table setting items are of great importance.

Types of plates for table setting

No festive table can do without beautiful plates. This group includes items of various depths, shapes and diameters. Each shape is intended for a specific dish. There are both universal dishes and specialized ones, which are used less often. Modern style assumes the presence of the following types of plates for table setting.

table setting plates
They help to serve a certain dish stylishly and beautifully, to create a festive atmosphere.

Deep dining room

This container is intended for serving okroshka, broths, soups and other variations of first courses. The size of the dishes may vary. There are plates with a capacity of 0.5 liters, their diameter is 23-25 ​​cm. Another option is a plate with a capacity of 0.5 liters and a diameter of 20 cm. Half of the first course is served in it. Deep tableware is served on the table in a serving plate. After the soup is eaten, the deep dish is replaced with a shallow one.

deep dinner plate
It is customary to serve soups, broths and other variations of first courses in such dishes.

Small dining room

It is customary to serve the second course in a small dinner plate. This can be either a side dish or a meat dish, such as a steak. The optimal diameter of this dish is 24-30 cm. In the absence of serving plates, small dinner plates can replace them.

shallow dinner plate
Used for serving main courses.

The snack bar is big

This is a completely flat plate, 30 cm in diameter. It is customary to serve cold meats, cold appetizers and dishes in it. Large snack containers are evenly placed on the table so that each person present can easily reach the dish served in this plate. You can also put a salad bowl or a small frying pan for one serving on it.

snack plates
A standard appetizer plate is used for serving salads, cheese and cold meats.

Small snack bar

Also flat dishes for snacks and other cold dishes. It differs from the large ones only in size - 20 cm. If you plan to serve portioned salad bowls on the table, then they can be placed on small snack dishes. In some cases, this container is intended for each person present individually. Then it is placed on the table at the very beginning of the holiday and is located opposite each guest, at a distance of about 3-4 cm from the edge of the table.

small snack plate
Small appetizer plate – used for serving appetizers and desserts.

Pie shop

Most often, this is a single-color dish, usually white, without any ornaments, with a smooth edge. The size of the container is 16-18 cm. It is used to serve sliced ​​bread, unsweetened buns, toasts, pies. Serving cheese and uncut fruit is allowed. Sometimes a gravy boat or caviar bowl is placed on the pie plate.

pie plate
A pie plate is used to serve croutons, pies or bread.

Dessert deep

It resembles a dining table and is about 20 cm in size. Dessert dishes usually have images of fruits, cakes, flowers, and pies on the bottom and edges. Dessert dishes such as berries with cream or sour cream, fruit soups, and whole fruits are served in these containers.

dessert plate
Deep plates have a diameter of 20 to 24 cm.

Dessert small

Serves to serve individual dessert to each guest. This can be a pastry, sliced ​​fruit, part of a cake, etc. Small dessert containers, like deep ones, have designs on the sides or bottom, and often have wavy edges. Size 15-20 cm.

dessert plate shallow
Small ones are intended for dessert dishes and usually have wavy edges.

Fish plate

It has an unusual elongated shape. The dish is 40 cm long and 30 cm wide. Main courses of fish are served in such a dish. The shape of the container allows you to put a whole fish in it, and the dish looks very appetizing and attractive.

fish plate
It has an elongated shape, since fish dishes require a special serving.

Chill plate

Most often, this is the most fashionable and unusual item on the table. Usually, a home set of dishes does not include this device, but if the hostess wants to surprise her guests, then it is definitely worth buying this stylish accessory. The size of this plate can be any, the main thing is the shape. The kokil is always made in the form of half a shell. Oysters, vegetable caviar, small salads, vegetable stew are served in dishes.

chill plate
This plate, which looks like a pearl oyster shell, is designed for serving appetizers such as salads, oysters or stews.

Serving plate

This type of dish is the easiest to recognize. The plate is divided into several sections inside, each of which contains a different dish. In some cases, each section contains one of the ingredients of the dish. For example, one section contains sauce, another contains shrimp, a third contains olive oil, etc. Before the meal begins, the hostess or someone present mixes the ingredients and seasons the dish.

serving plate
A menagerie is a collection of several containers with a common base.

Alternatively, each guest puts the required amount of ingredients on their plate individually. Also, various types of side dishes, dressings, meat, and even sweets or fruits can be served in the menagerie. The plate can be of any size, as can the number of sectors. There are dishes with removable and fixed segments.

plate menagerie photo
These sections are used to place different types of salad or appetizers, and thanks to the divisions, they do not mix.

Salad bowl

This tableware is for both a festive table and a regular family dinner. Salad bowls differ in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes. They are produced as large salad bowls, to which a special cutlery is served (tongs or a serving spoon), and very small ones, served individually to each person present. A salad bowl can be a round or oval dish, a square plate, a boat or a beautiful stemmed wine glass.

square salad bowl
This deep plate is used for serving salads, salted, pickled and fresh vegetables.

Herring maker

Special dishes for serving salted herring or canned fish. This is an elongated shallow container. The size of the dish is 25-35 cm in length, 15-20 cm in width. The shapes can be different. There are herring dishes in the shape of a fish, a boat, or simply rectangular and oval.

herring-girl
A herring dish is an elongated oval plate for serving salted herring and cold canned fish.

Caviar plate

A small, almost flat container, usually no larger than 15 cm in size, used to serve fish caviar. Almost always present at banquets and other special occasions.

caviar plate
Small plates with caviar will also decorate a home feast.

Egg plate

A very interesting dish, designed for serving boiled eggs. The shape of such a plate can be absolutely different. It can be a regular round, square, oval dish, or a plate in the form of some bird (usually a chicken), a butterfly, a flower, etc. The main feature of such a plate is the presence of depressions on the bottom, in which it is convenient to put boiled eggs.

egg plate
Also served in containers are halves of eggs stuffed with some kind of filling.

Saucer

Small plates that are placed under a tea (coffee) cup. Diameter - 10-20 cm. Sometimes used as individual small dessert plates. Of course, this is a violation of etiquette, but at a warm family feast this option is quite acceptable.

saucer for a cup
The main difference between a saucer and a plate is the size and shape of the dish.

Socket

Small but deep containers with a diameter of up to 10 cm. They are used to serve honey, confiture, jam, etc. The contents of the rosette should be taken with a spoon and added to the dessert, which is in a special plate. When serving dessert, the rosettes are placed around the table so that each person present can easily scoop up the sweet contents.

socket
A small saucer, a piece of teaware for serving jam and honey.

Ice-cream bowl

A popular type of tableware. The bowl is usually deep and has a small diameter (up to 10 cm). Most often, it resembles a bowl on a leg. It is customary to serve jelly, ice cream, fruit salad, berries, etc. in this container.

ice-cream bowl
Ice cream bowls are a popular serving dish for ice cream and desserts.

Features of choosing beautiful plates

When choosing plates for a festive table, first of all you need to pay attention to the following points.

table setting photo
Tableware for table setting requires a special approach in terms of proper placement.
  • The material from which the utensils are made. A good option would be porcelain. This is a classic that is not subject to the influence of time, high-quality porcelain will never go out of fashion. Such dishes will give a festive look even to an ordinary family tea party. The only downside is that the price of such dishes is quite high. If the budget is limited, it is worth giving preference to earthenware or ceramics.
porcelain plates
Plates made from these materials are beautiful and environmentally friendly, although they do not withstand mechanical stress well.

Advice! If you plan to use the dishes every day, then you should take a closer look at heat-resistant glass plates. They can be heated in a microwave oven, and these containers are quite durable.

  • Color. For classics lovers, we can recommend pure white dishes. Food on white plates always looks attractive. Colored dishes are suitable for youth parties, and for special events where people of different ages will be present - white with an unobtrusive pattern or thin gilding.
Provence tableware set
For a hall or room in the Provence style, plates with a characteristic floral pattern in purple, blue, and lilac tones will look good.
  • Shape. Round or oval containers are not the only option for a feast. Nowadays, you can buy dishes of various shapes.
table set
The main thing is that all the products are in harmony with each other.

Advice! It is better to save square dishes for special occasions, as it is not very convenient to eat from them every day.

Of course, it is necessary to check such criteria as environmental safety of the purchased plates, functionality, availability of all necessary certificates. It is recommended to buy dishes only from proven manufacturers who have earned positive feedback from users.

beautiful table setting
Today, tableware for serving is presented in a wide range.

Proper table setting, a beautiful tablecloth, delicious food and competent serving of each dish will create a pleasant impression on the guests. And one of the main roles in this is played by the choice and arrangement of plates. That is why this moment requires special attention from the host.

VIDEO: Dinnerware Guide – Types of Plates.

50 photos of beautiful and unusual plates for serving: