The Very Best Outdoor Tableware

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 writerRosie Kellettsays “you truly can’t break them” and notes how nicely they stack and store without scraping or chipping. Olivia Pollock, senior brand director ofEvite, says she finds them even easier to wash than her inside plates thanks to their smooth surface and hefty build. And interior designerAlex Yeskeis another fan: “They feel substantial and have a nice weight to them,” she says.

This set of plates, recommended by writer and recipe developerRebecca 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.

Crow Canyon is one of the better-known brands making enamelware.“These are my kids’ everyday plates, which tells you everything you need to know. They are truly unbreakable,” says recipe developer and cookbook authorCaroline Chambers. “I bring them outside all the time for casual outdoor dining, and they really brighten up any meal. The splatterware pattern is so fun and a little nostalgic.”

Author, forager, and cookMarie Viljoenspecifically called out Crow Canyon’sVintage Raised Salad Plates, and Strategist senior editorJen Troliohas some pieces from an older collaboration. “Enamelware feels substantial and heavy-duty, but I like that it isn’t fragile,” she says.

No matter the design, the brand’s pieces are excellent quality. “I grew up in South Africa, where enamelware is everywhere,” Viljoen says. “This is the most reliable brand I’ve found in the States. It’s elegant and slightly retro. And then they’re just really, really practical. They’re very lightweight; they pack easily; they stack. I bring them on picnics. And all the different designs are pretty.”

For something bolder — and decidedly outdoor-themed — consider this busy-but-beautiful plate recommended by lifestyle writerGrace Atwood. It’s also made from hand-glazed steel, which she says feels “very robust” and is “unlikely to shatter.”

No surprise: John Derian also makes a bold plate, though his are melamine. Strategist senior editorHilary Reidhas owned a set for about five years. In her last apartment, she’d carry them out to an outdoor picnic table, and in her current one she plans to use them on the balcony, now that the weather is warming. “They’re very sturdy-feeling and have been through the wash plenty of times and still basically look new,” she says. “I haven’t noticed any scratches in the melamine, either, and the floral print on them is as vibrant as when I bought them.”

Yeske also uses these melamine plates. 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.

From the same brand comes this recommendation by Viljoen. These are made from stamped tin with a design that “speaks to the outdoors and brings the environment onto the plate,” she says. One warning: It’s better to hand-wash these since they’ll dull if you run them through the dishwasher.

PhotographerJulia Stotzoriginally recommended aThomas Fuches serving setto 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.

Strategist senior writerLauren Roregularly uses Hellerware —bowlsandmugsincluded — inside for her kids. But they bring them onto the back patio, too. “The vibes are unmatched,” she says. “They’re lightweight, colorful, and fun.”

Birchboxco-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.)

I stumbled upon these plates from Hudson Grace and just love them. They’re made from melamine but look like paper plates — a fun twist.

Sometimes the crowd you’re hosting is simply too large for reusable plates. In those cases, paper is a must. While there’s nothing wrong with a simple white option, Chambers says these are “genuinely pretty enough that guests will do a double take, wondering if they’re real.”

Sheet pansalways 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. Chambers does the same. “You can load up an entire spread in one trip: plates, bowls, serving utensils — the works. It’s a game changer when you’re going back and forth to the kitchen,” she says.

While a classic aluminum works perfectly well, Great Jones’Holy Sheet(a standard half-sheet size) andLittle Sheet(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 editorJen Troliouses 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. And recipe developer and cookbook authorDan Pelosiis yet another person who does this.

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.

I used this Year & Day set all through last summer, and I love it. The pieces are made from renewable plant starches and bamboo, which isevenlighter in weight than enamel, an especially nice quality when you’re carrying large serving bowls and platters filled with food. Still, they look well made and feel durable. I put them through the dishwasher a bunch and noticed no signs of degrading.

I also love the splatter designs from Crow Canyon (just imagine this yellow one piled high with corn on the cob). And a practical plus: The moat around the perimeter will help catch liquid if you use it for saucy or juicy dishes.

Toast is best known for its clothing, but it makes a lot of lovely homewares, too, including enamelware. I have this two-toned bowl, which is a great medium size: I’ve used it for salads (green ones, grain ones, slaw) as well as snacks, like the chips I set out at a recent barbecue. The green color on the outside is stunning, but I like that the inside is cream, which makes food look its best.

Awooden salad bowlis inherently durable, and both Chambers and I love this one from Quince. The larger sizes are currently sold out, but the 12-inch will hold a green salad for around three people, give or take; works well for other sides like grain and pasta salads; and could even be used as a bread bowl. “This bowl is beautiful, it lives on my counter (storing fruit and onions), and it comes outside with me every single time I’m feeding a crowd,” Chambers says.

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.

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.

Duralex makesglasswarewe love (it’s our best-overall pick for drinking glasses, generally, and I use my own set inside daily). But the items are so durable they can easily be taken outside without worry.“It’s really, really hard to break them,” Viljoen says. “You can also stack them into these towers and then wrap them in a napkin, which makes them so easy to carry.”

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.

In addition to her Crow Canyon plates, Chambers also owns the splatterware mugs. They’re comfortable to carry outside for coffee or tea in the morning, and she says she even uses them for wine sometimes. If you prefer a handleless vessel for that, there aretumblers, too.

Yeskesays it’s helpful to have a tray to carry dishes, glassware, candleholders, and vases from inside to outside (and then back in again at the end of the night). “And it would even look pretty if you left it out — like on a little side table as a bar,” she adds. One more idea from me: Use it as a serving platter. I like the idea of lining it with akitchen clothand using it as a wide bread basket.

The exact drink dispenser Chambers recommended is sold out, but this one is similar and just as useful. Hers has become an essential for outdoor entertaining. “I fill it with ice water and some citrus slices and set it out so guests never have to go inside for a refill. It sounds like a small thing but it completely changes the flow of a party. No one’s getting up; no one’s asking where the water is. It just handles itself.”

While you don’tneeddedicated silverware for dining outside, pastry chef and cookbook authorNatasha Pickowiczsays 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.

Same goes for serveware: Youcanuse whatever you would normally use inside. But I do especially like these tongs, which come recommended by Pelosi. They’re not too precious, but still cute, and you don’t have to keep track of matching sets.

“When I’m hosting a big group outside, these are everything,” says Chambers, who stores three in her garage. “Instead of people spreading out and splitting off into different areas, everyone can sit together at one long table, which is so much more fun. My trick: I put acheap white folding-table coveron first to hide the legs, then layer a prettier tablecloth on top. It looks completely intentional and put together, and no one ever knows there’s a folding table underneath.”

Chambers wasn’t the only one to mention the power of a tablecloth. Several of the people I talked to, including Pickowicz and Yeske, sang its praises, too. 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 stylistChloe Walshtold us about this enamelpitchera 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 have one too and love it. It actually lives out in the open on a bookshelf when not in use because I think it’s so cute.

If you like the idea of a transparent pitcher for water or a batch cocktail, try this acrylic version. It has a substantial handle with a nice shape to it and is made to look like glass.

While a cooler isn’t exactly for the table, it can be an incredibly handy thing to have. Pelosi sets one out, filled with ice and drinks, when he has people over. “Seriously, the ice won’t even start to melt for, like, five hours if you leave [the lid] closed,” he says. “It’s a good way to save fridge space.”

Or do what I doand opt for a cheaper steel beverage tub. I bought mine from my local hardware store, but this one looks exactly the same. The ice does melt faster than it would in a closed cooler, but I just keep a few fresh bodega ice bags in the freezer to replenish. Plus I like the way it looks when guests can see all the drinks out in the open.

Though she eats outdoors at home,Viljoen is especially expert at picnics; she regularly organizes guided foraging walks that end with big meals eaten outside. For larger groups, she likes these disposable bamboo plates, which look decently nice and can be composted at the end of the day.

Vicki Sawyer’s napkins (of which there arequite a few designs) have true-to-life birds and plants — but with some whimsy in the depictions. “They’re just pretty and fun, and they speak to the outdoors,” Viljoen says.

Viljoen’s picnic blanket of choice is a kikoi. She says everyone in South Africa has one, and you can find many versions (there are nearly 40 designs on this site, and she says you can find them on Amazon, too). They’re machine washable (just skip the tumble dry, she says) and long-lasting.

If you want a different style ofpicnic blanket— the kind that rolls up and fastens with a handle for carrying — we like this brand best. It’s thicker and more substantial than a kikoi, so whichever one you choose just comes down to personal preference.

And finally, Viljoen recommends carrying food in U-Konserve’s stainless-steelstorage containers(which Strategist senior writerLauren Roand senior editorWinnie Yangboth love too). “They’re incredibly well designed in terms of not taking up space — like, they stack really well,” she says, “but store a surprising amount of food.” Plus once their silicone lids are off, she points out, they’re “surprisingly photogenic.”