In fancy dinner parties, the presentation is just as important as the food itself. The whole affair would still feel underwhelming if the food is made by professional chefs, yet served on plain wares and cutleries.
In this case, you can count on these 10 top-tier Italian dinnerware brands to help make your dinner parties more enthralling. The craftsmanship and opulence of Italian luxury dinnerware will impress your guests every time they are set on the table!
Top 10 Best Italian Dinnerware Brands to Stock Up Your Dining Room
1. Laboratorio Paravicini (1995)
When it comes to ceramic plates and wares, Laboratorio Paravicini is one of the most famous.
Founded by Costanza Paravicini in the 90s in the Lombardy region of Italy, the firm has been producing hand-crafted ceramic dinnerware for decades. They offer both decorative pieces as well as actual dinnerware.
Many pieces come with beautiful serigraphs that are applied by hand, then glazed to ensure that they’re non-toxic. This process is the reason why the brand has become so well-known. Nobody really does it this way anymore since it’s so difficult.
The fact that Laboratorio Paravicini continues to use it just shows just how masterful the artisans in their workshops are.
2. VIETRI (1983)
VIETRI isn’t an Italian brand proper. Nevertheless, it owes much of its heritage to Italy.
VIETRI was founded by an American family – Susan, Frances, and their mother, Lee Gravely. The trio took a vacation to Italy in 1983, where they got the opportunity to tour a dinnerware factory in Vietri sul Mare. The experience was an inspiration to all of them and served as the foundation upon which VIETRI – named after the town Vietri sul Mare – was founded.
These days, VIETRI is one of the largest exporters of Italian-inspired dinnerware to the US. From artisan-made ceramics and dishware to mouth-blown glassware, VIETRI has a lot to offer in its collections. Each piece is handcrafted in Italy, then distributed.
Among its most well-known collections is the Belezza Stone collection, which is composed of Tuscan stoneware. With this collection, your dinner parties will definitely be second-to-none.
3. Braganti (1960)
Braganti is a high-end manufacturer that specializes in silverware. The company’s sets are incredibly sought after and, unfortunately, they don’t come cheap. A few pieces in Braganti’s collections can easily cost thousands of dollars.
A great example of the company’s big-ticket products is the Frutta Cup with Tray. It is made entirely by hand and comes with meticulously-sculpted detailing of fruits and leaves around the cup. If you want one, you’ll need to spend about $39,100.
Braganti was founded in the 60s in San Frediano, which is the artisanal district of Florence. The company still holds onto its Florentian traditions to this day and continues to craft beautiful silverware for those who can afford it.
4. Striulli Vetri d’Arte (2002)
When it comes to fine, made in Italy glassware, none can match the prestige or artisanship of Striulli Vetri d’Arte. Every piece that comes out of their workshop is handmade with Murano glass. Also known as Venetian glass, this type is said to be the finest kind of glass in the world.
It is only fitting that Striulli Vetri d’Arte’s pieces typically fetch a pretty high price. For example, spend $3,690 and you can own a set of Corallo Murrano glasses for six. The set includes six water glasses, six flute glasses, and six wine glasses.
Pricey, yes, but the craftsmanship and beauty are undeniable.
Striulli Vetri d’Arte was founded by Alberto Striulli in Venice, Italy.
5. Kiasmo (2011)
Though a fairly young brand that has just been recently founded in 2011, Kiasmo has had many excellent products. The brand draws heavy influence from Mediterranean culture and arts.
Take their Veia IV vase as an example.
Handcrafted from fine terracotta, it can be a beautiful decor piece on your dining table and helps set the mood for the party. Owing to the high-end material and craftsmanship, this vase fetches a price well over $3,000.
Even “simple” ceramic plates from Kiasmo are often over $100. But, if you consider yourself a connoisseur, the hand-applied patterning and motifs on these plates will be well worth the price.
6. Bartolozzi e Maioli Bottega d’Arte (1938)
A centerpiece can add either elegance or romance to your dining room depending on the design. Bartolozzi e Maioli Bottega d’Arte produces some of the finest wooden centerpieces out there.
The best piece that the firm offers is the Fiore California Wood Centerpiece. It’s a replica of a centerpiece that was made for a Californian mansion in the 80s. But the fact that it’s a replica doesn’t mean it’s cheap. Handcrafted from Austrian pine and decorated with beautiful floral motifs all around, this piece is marketed for $29,000.
Bartolozzi e Maioli Bottega d’Arte was founded by two sculptors in 1938, Fiorenzo Bartolozzi and Giuseppe Maioli.
The firm has been producing premium arts for many exclusive clients, from the Kremlin to the Presidential Palace in Rome. That probably gives you an idea of just how good the company’s works are as well as explains why they’re so expensive.
7. Portego
All Portego-branded products are inspired by Venice and its culture. Even the way that they’re crafted, according to the company, is old-fashioned. As such, you can expect top-class quality from the brand.
At the moment, Portego is most known for its Novissa set. It is a dining set for four, which includes four dinner plates, four dessert plates, four soup bowls, and one cereal bowl. The complete set costs around $1,400.
What makes the set so expensive? Each piece is hand-decorated with the Serenissima ladies – the symbols of Venice.
8. Ginori 1735 (1735)
Ginori 1735 specializes in making designer porcelain. Like its name suggests, it is one of the oldest Italian ceramic workshops with well over 300 years of experience.
The company’s origin dated back to 1735 in Doccia, a small town a few kilometers from Florence. Its name was derived from its founder, Marquis Carlo Ginori.
Currently, the company markets a variety of premium tableware as well as serveware. All handcrafted, Ginori 1735’s pieces tend to both look and feel premium. They will no doubt spruce up your dining room and enliven the party.
Ginori 1735’s wares don’t come cheap, however. For example, a ceramic plate from their Il Viaggio Di Nettuno collection costs around $150 a piece. But if you have a fondness for high-quality Italian-made dinner plates, every cent is worth it.
9. Nova Deruta
Nova Deruta’s focus is on ceramics. Most of the company’s products are aimed at the masses and thus have fairly reasonable costs. However, it doesn’t mean that their products are low-quality by any means.
What sets Nova Deruta apart is the vintage motifs that they use. Their pieces use special motifs native to the Deruta region. The company also uses traditional painting techniques and decals to decorate their pieces. The results are often spectacularly beautiful.
Nova Deruta has over 50 years of experience and was founded in the town of Deruta, Italy.
10. Fratelli Guzzini (1912)
Looking for something that’s a bit more contemporary? Fratelli Guzzini can help you with that.
Unlike most brands on this list that lean toward traditional craftsmanship and designs, Fratelli Guzzini is all about modernism and the latest trends in design. Their products are simple and minimal, but good-looking regardless. For the quality, they’re quite affordable, too.
For example, their My Fusion ceramic plate costs around $14 in total. You’d think by the look of it that it would fetch a much higher price.
Despite the trendy portfolio, Fratelli Guzzini is pretty old as a company. It was founded in 1912 by – you guessed it – Fratelli Guzzini.
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Final Words
No matter if it’s an intimate dinner or a grand gathering of dozens, every dining occasion will be much better with good dinnerware. And, as you’ve learned, these 10 Italian dinnerware brands make the best on the market. They won’t let you (and your guests) down and will create the perfect atmosphere for everyone to enjoy their food.
Which brand already got onto your radar? Tell us in the comment section!