Summer is here — which means so is eating outdoors as much as humanly possible. Whether you’re sneaking out onto your fire escape for a post-work drink or hosting backyard soirées on the regular, the tableware you reach for should be a bit different than the stuff you use inside. Mostly, it should be extra-durable. I’m not saying you’re super-likely to smash plates and glasses when setting your terrace dining table — but the outdoors do, generally, invite a bit more wear and tear than your dining room. Oftentimes, you’re holding a plate in your hand or setting a glass down directly on the ground, a lounge chair, or uneven side table. If you have a pool or play outdoor games, you have to be even more careful.
To find the best stuff — from plates to platters to pitchers — I consulted cooks and hosts with great taste who often eat outside, added my own two cents (I spend a lot of time in my backyard this time of year), and scoured our archives for even more picks that will hold up well all season long — and look good doing it.
Plates
No brand got more mentions than Falcon Enamelware (you’ll see some of its other products below, too). Everything it offers — as the name suggests — is made from ultradurable enamel. And while you might associate the material with speckled camping mugs, the brand really nails taking it to a more elevated place. These plates have a clean, bright-white surface with a minimal rim that comes in four colors.
Cook and writer Rosie Kellett says “you truly can’t break them” and notes how nicely they stack and store without scraping or chipping. Olivia Pollock, senior brand director of Evite, says she finds them even easier to wash than her inside plates thanks to their smooth surface and hefty build. And interior designer Alex Yeske is another fan: “They feel substantial and have a nice weight to them,” she says.
This set of plates, recommended by writer and recipe developer Rebecca Frikser, has a very similar look to Falcon Enamelware’s — but is about two-thirds the price. She uses them on her rooftop where there’s no dining table, so friends are picking them up, moving them around, and balancing them in their laps or in one hand. “I want something that’s not going to break if dropped,” she says.
For something bolder — and decidedly outdoor-themed — consider this busy-but-beautiful plate recommended by lifestyle writer Grace Atwood. It’s also made from hand-glazed steel, which she says feels “very robust” and is “unlikely to shatter.”
Nicky Kehoe’s take on the classic enamelware splatter design is bright and refreshing. Wonder Valley founder Alison Carroll lives seasonally in Maine and often takes food out on her boat. She says whether you are on land or sea, these plates are solid: “They can be stacked and schlepped from boat to beach to table.” There are matching bowls, too.
Yeske also uses these melamine plates, another material that holds up well outside. She says that thanks to the embellishment, they look more like a sophisticated plate that “elevates the table.” She gives them to kids, throws them in the dishwasher, and generally doesn’t worry about them breaking. One note: Yeske says they’re on the smaller side for a true dinner plate, so she pulls them out when serving something simple like a burger and salad, as well as for breakfast and lunch.
Photographer Julia Stotz originally recommended a Thomas Fuches serving set to us last year, saying she loves that the pieces “look uniquely hand-painted.” While it’s currently sold out, you can still buy Fuches’s collection of plates that feature the same design and come in four different bright color patterns. A mix-and-match here would be fun.
Last summer, my mom needed to stock up on a lot of outdoor tableware in Los Angeles after she completed a big backyard project. She settled on these salad plates (which also come in a dinner size and have matching bowls). I’ve used them many times myself while visiting, and a year later, they still look good as new. They’re lightweight and easy to hand-wash, and I particularly like how when stacked, they have an ever-so-slightly irregular rim so they read like fancy hand-thrown ceramics.
Birchbox co-founder Mollie Chen uses these bamboo plates for her 4- and almost-7-year-old kids when they eat outside. (There’s some melamine in there, too.) She has a large size in the above speckles and side plates with an artist palette design — but they come in so many patterns that are both playful for kids and sophisticated enough for adults too. (She and her husband use the smaller size for their own breakfast.)
Serving platters
Sheet pans always make excellent serving trays — but especially so when dining outside where a slightly more informal setup looks purposeful. In fact, they can be useful for more than just finished food: I use them to bring raw ingredients out to the grill and to carry stacks of grill tools, dishes, and snacks to the backyard, too.
While a classic aluminum one would be fine, Great Jones’ Holy Sheet (a standard half-sheet size) and Little Sheets (quarter-sheet size) come in deep and striking colors that take them from purely functional to actually stylish. They’re on the heavier side — but that makes them feel extra-durable to me. The rims are comfortable to grip, too. Senior editor Jen Trolio uses her Holy Sheet to carry and serve as well — and even though she’s been cooking on it for four years, she says it cleans up nicely enough to still look presentable.
These trays from Falcon Enamelware can, in fact, be used in the oven — but I love the look of them so much for serving, I tend to keep the wear and tear I impart on them in my actual kitchen to a minimum. (I reserve them for light and easy-to-wipe-up tasks like toasting nuts and croutons.) This means they’re in tip-top shape for stacking with food and setting on my backyard table. As with the brand’s plates, I love how bright the white is; it makes the food on top stand out. But the colors on the outside mean it’s not totally boring. I use them for all manner of dishes, but find that the rectangular shape is especially conducive to hold longer vegetables like carrots or strips of romaine for burgers. And because of the high sides, they work well for decamping juicy meat like steak directly from the grill.
Another dual-purpose choice are these cake pans (which just so happen to be the very best cake pans, according to multiple professional pastry chefs). One such expert, pastry chef and cookbook author Natasha Pickowicz, says she uses her vast collection (they come in eight different sizes) to set out all sorts of foods when entertaining in her backyard. “I like to put out ingredients for people to build their own burgers, hot dogs, etc. — and I love arranging ingredients in something so utilitarian,” she says. “They contain everything and look neat.” She also notes that they’re useful for serving fresh fruit and oysters over ice.
“No one wants warm cheese and charcuterie,” Atwood says — so to ensure her snacks stay fresh, she sets them using a platter that contains a bottom compartment for ice. This model comes with five, including one in the middle for dip.
Glassware
Most reusable glassware for the outdoors is made from acrylic, a sturdy type of plastic that won’t chip or break if dropped. While Atwood calls herself a “glassware aficionado” and has quite the collection of fancy goblets, she uses these outside, where she has a strict no-glass policy. “They’re at home with my fancier things, totally dishwasher safe, and could pass for crystal,” she says. “I love them and have been recommending them to everyone in my life.”
Yeske likes these versatile tumblers because the “design feels classic and goes with a lot of styles.” She also notes the varying shapes and sizes, so you can use them for larger drinks like water and iced tea, or smaller ones like cocktails and wine. And though some designs come with stems, she says the stemless is especially nice for outside, too.
I love the short tumbler version of these glasses: They’re extremely lightweight but don’t feel cheap, and the fluted edges give them both a good grip and a classy look. Plus, the color options are fun without being too much. They come as a short or tall tumbler as well as a goblet style with a short stem and sturdy base.
Ikea’s Vardagen glasses are made from tempered glass, which means it is technically breakable. But in more than six years of owning them, I’ve never smashed a single one (even on occasions when I’ve literally let one slip out of my hand). Because they’re so inexpensive (about $2.50 per glass), I have a big collection — 18 of them — that has fueled backyard dinner parties for several summers.
Chen also likes to use real glass — and outside, stemless is key. She turns to Iittala’s Kartio tumblers, which she says are “a great size and feel nice and substantial, while not being too hefty.”
Editor’s note: Iittala lists prices in pounds, so the price shown is an approximate conversion in U.S. dollars.
Miscellaneous
Yeske says it’s helpful to have a tray to carry dishes, glassware, candleholders, and vases from inside to out (and then back in again at the end of the night). “I love that this one is a little unique with the stripe,” she says. Plus, it has big handles that make it even easier to grip than the sheet trays I mentioned above. “And it would even look pretty if you left it out — like on a little side table as a bar,” Yeske adds.
While you don’t need dedicated silverware for dining outside, Pickowicz says that this set works particularly well for a couple of reasons. It’s playful and casual, “and the set has a huge range of patterns and colors to go with everything.” And the plastic accents don’t get hot like stainless steel can when sitting out in the sun.
Several of the people I talked to mentioned setting an outdoor table with a tablecloth. Pickowicz likes this “washable, unfussy” one; Yeske has her eye on this linen number from Zara Home; and Atwood has a few versions of the one listed here. “They give you that French countryside château sort of vibe, even if you’re just on your Brooklyn patio,” she says. “And they’re very practical, as the pattern doesn’t show stains nearly as much as a solid does. And they wash well. I just throw mine in the washer and dryer.”
Recipe developer and food stylist Chloe Walsh told us about this enamel pitcher a while back: “If it drops, it won’t shatter,” she says. She likes that it’s lightweight compared to ceramic and glass, so carrying it in and out and lifting it up is easy. And she calls the look “French countryside,” so it feels fitting to use in her garden. I got my hands on one recently, too (it comes in so many colors, but I’m obsessed with the “olive oil” shade), and love it. I even keep it out when not in use because I think it’s so cute.
If you like the idea of a transparent pitcher, here’s yet another recommendation from my mom. It’s made from BPA-free plastic but “looks surprisingly like real glass,” she says. “And it feels substantial to lift and pour from without being too heavy.”
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
