Serving platters
Serving platters for your table setting—from large colorful platters to individual serving plates featuring fish, fruit, and animal motifs. Hand-painted ceramics from Quail and Caja Company, classic designs from Bloomingville, and expressive Italian artisanal platters.
Use them for seafood, fruit, cheese, bread, or as decoration on the kitchen table. Many are dishwasher-safe.
A good serving platter makes the difference between an ordinary lunch and a table your guests remember. At Dims Studio you'll find serving platters in hand-painted ceramic and stoneware, from large seafood and fish platters to colourful platters shaped like lemons, lobsters and vegetables. The platters come mainly from the Dutch and Danish brands &Klevering and Caja Company, as well as Bloomingville, Kersten and Rice. Here's a guide to types, motifs, materials, sizes and brands, so you can find the platter that suits your table.
Types of serving platters
Serving platters come in many shapes, and at Dims Studio the range is built around colourful motif platters rather than neutral, plain ones. Below you'll find the types that recur throughout the collection.
Seafood and fish platters
The largest group in the range is platters with seafood and fish motifs, often shaped so the platter itself resembles the animal. Here you'll find the seafood platter with red lobster in stoneware and the lobster platter in ceramic and porcelain from &Klevering, the red shrimp platter and the crab platter in ceramic from Caja Company, plus a range of fish platters such as the snapper fish platter, the plaice platter, the perch fish platter, the triggerfish platter and the rainbow fish platter in stoneware from &Klevering. Caja Company also makes several fish-shaped spoon rests, including in blue and rainbow-coloured versions. This platter type is an obvious choice for a seafood evening or a fish dish as the main course.
Oyster and mussel platters
For serving oysters and mussels there's a dedicated group of platters and bowls, such as the oyster platter and the oyster bowl in ceramic from &Klevering and the seafood platter in ceramic from Caja Company. The platters often have a slightly concave shape that gathers the shells, and work well as part of a spread with several smaller platters.
Citrus and fruit platters
The lemon motif recurs in many variations. &Klevering offers the lemon platter, and Caja Company a whole series in different sizes, including the large lemon platter, the lemon and olive platter and the lemon platter in ceramic, plus a lemon bowl that also comes in three sizes. The orange motif comes both as the orange platter from &Klevering and the orange spoon rest from Caja Company. The range also includes fruit platters with strawberry, grape, pomegranate, plum and berries, with Caja Company's strawberry and grape platters especially popular for the dessert table.
Vegetable platters and spoon rests
A smaller but distinctive group of platters is shaped like vegetables. Here you'll find the artichoke platter, the garlic and sage platter, the asparagus platter, the olive platter, the courgette spoon rest, the leek platter, the carrot platter and the white asparagus platter, all in ceramic from Caja Company. These platters are typically smaller and work well as a spoon rest by the stove or as a small spread for tapas and starters.
Candy and sweet platters
For sweets and pastries, &Klevering has a series of candy platters in three sizes: the candy platter in ceramic, large, the candy bowl, medium, and the candy bowl, small. The platters have a deep, round shape that's easy to take from, and are a colourful alternative to an ordinary bowl on the coffee table.
Types compared
| Platter type | Motif/expression | Works well for | Examples in the range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seafood and fish platters | Shaped like lobster, shrimp, fish | Seafood evening, fish as main course | Seafood platter with red lobster, snapper fish platter, plaice platter |
| Oyster and mussel platters | Concave shape for shells | Spread with several platters, starter | Oyster platter, seafood platter |
| Citrus and fruit platters | Shaped like lemon, orange, strawberry | Dessert table, fruit on the kitchen counter | Large lemon platter, orange platter, strawberry platter |
| Vegetable platters | Shaped like artichoke, asparagus, carrot | Tapas, starters, spoon rest | Artichoke platter, asparagus platter, olive platter |
| Candy and sweet platters | Deep, round bowl | Sweets, pastries, coffee table | Candy platter large, medium and small |
Materials: ceramic, stoneware and porcelain
Most serving platters at Dims Studio are handmade in ceramic or stoneware, and a few come in porcelain. The material affects both expression, weight and care.
Ceramic
Ceramic is the most common material in the range. The platters are often hand-painted, which gives small variations in colour and glaze from platter to platter, so each one is unique. This applies, among others, to the entire series of lemon, fruit and vegetable platters from Caja Company.
Stoneware
Stoneware is a denser and more robust type of ceramic, fired at a high temperature. Several of &Klevering's fish platters, such as the snapper fish platter and the seafood and fish platter in stoneware, are made from stoneware, giving them a solid feel and making them well suited to frequent use.
Porcelain and dolomite
A few platters, such as the shrimp platter in porcelain and the lobster platter in porcelain from &Klevering, are made from porcelain, which has a thinner and lighter edge. Others, such as the perch fish platter and the triggerfish platter, are made from dolomite, a type of ceramic with a slightly matte expression.
Colour and glaze
The platters from &Klevering and Caja Company share a strong, glossy glaze in clear colours such as yellow, orange, red, blue and green. The glaze is what gives the platters their distinct motif, and it also makes the surface easy to clean, since food and grease don't settle into the clay itself.
How to care for your serving platters
- Check the individual product description for whether the platter is dishwasher safe. Hand-painted platters keep their colours best when washed by hand.
- Avoid sudden temperature changes, as this can cause cracks in the glaze, especially on stoneware.
- Let the platter dry completely before stacking it with other platters, so the glaze doesn't get scratched.
- Use plastic or stainless steel cutlery with a light hand when taking food from the platter, to protect the hand-painted surface.
Serving platters for lunch, seafood evenings and the dessert table
Which platter suits you best depends on what it's used for.
Seafood evening and fish dish
For a seafood evening, a large seafood or lobster platter is a natural centrepiece, ideally paired with a couple of smaller oyster or mussel platters around it. &Klevering's fish platters are well suited to a whole roasted or steamed fish served directly on the platter.
Lunch and brunch
The lemon and fruit platters are ideal for a Sunday brunch, where a large lemon platter can hold cheese or fruit, while the smaller vegetable platters work as spoon rests or as platters for olives and pickled vegetables.
Dessert table and tapas spread
For dessert or a tapas spread with several small dishes, the smaller platters and spoon rests in the range are well suited. Several platters can be arranged together on the table, so guests can help themselves from different dishes.
Everyday use
Many of the platters are robust enough for daily use and work just as well as a bowl for breakfast fruit or a spread for dinner on an entirely ordinary weekday. See also our range of fruit bowls if you're looking for a platter specifically for fruit.
Sizes of serving platters
The size of the platters in the range varies from small spoon rests and side dishes to large platters designed for whole seafood spreads. The white fish platter in ceramic from Caja Company, for example, comes in two sizes, medium and large, while the fish platter in ceramic, large, comes in 40 x 17 cm and 50 x 20 cm. Caja Company's lemon bowl comes in three sizes from 18 x 13 cm to 26 x 20 cm, and the vine leaf platter comes in 13 x 12 cm or 17 x 16 cm. Most other platters in the range are delivered in one size, which you'll find listed under the dimensions on the individual product.
How to choose the size
| Situation | Recommended size |
|---|---|
| Centrepiece for several guests | Large platter, e.g. fish platter in ceramic, large, or large lemon platter |
| Starter or spoon rest | Small platter or spoon rest, e.g. olive platter or courgette spoon rest |
| Daily use for lunch | Medium-sized platter, e.g. one of the smaller lemon platters from Caja Company |
| Dessert or sweets | Candy platter in medium or small size |
Brands behind the serving platters
The range brings together serving platters from a handful of brands, each with its own expression.
&Klevering
The Dutch brand &Klevering is behind many of the figurative fish and seafood platters in stoneware and porcelain, including the snapper fish platter, the plaice platter and the candy platter series. &Klevering's platters share a graphic, hand-painted expression with easily recognisable motifs.
Caja Company
Caja Company is the brand with the most platters in the range and supplies mainly the lemon, fruit and vegetable platters in ceramic. The platters have a warm, handmade expression and are often available in several motifs within the same series, so you can put together multiple platters.
Kersten, Bloomingville and Rice
Kersten contributes a few lobster platters in ceramic, while Bloomingville offers platters such as the Soline platter and the Chips bowl in stoneware in a more understated, Nordic design language. Rice supplies, among other things, a small flower bowl in several colours.
Selected by dims studio
Under Selected by dims studio you'll find Italian ceramics from Ceramiche F.L. Orgia, including the cat bowl in several colours, which shows the more artistic and handmade side of the range.
How to style serving platters when not in use
A colourful serving platter doesn't only have to come out when guests are visiting. Many of the platters from Dims Studio are so decorative that they work just as well as a permanent part of the kitchen or dining room look all week round.
Platters as part of the kitchen decor
Stand one of the larger platters, for example the large lemon platter or the fish platter in ceramic, large, upright on an open shelf or leaning against a tiled wall. The platter then works as a piece of colourful art, while remaining ready for use the next time fruit or a spread needs serving.
Spoon rests by the stove
Several of the vegetable and lemon motifs, such as the orange spoon rest, the lemon platter with spoon rest and the courgette spoon rest, are designed to sit by the stove as a permanent home for wooden spoons and spatulas. They add colour to a work area otherwise often dominated by steel and white.
Combine several platters
Because many of the platters from the same series, especially Caja Company's lemon and fruit platters, come in several motifs and sizes, they can be combined on a dining table or a serving tray. Try mixing two to three motifs within the same colour family, for example yellow and orange citrus and orange platters, for a cohesive look without it becoming too uniform.
Gift ideas with serving platters
A serving platter is a gift that's both decorative and useful. The smaller and medium-sized platters, such as the strawberry platter, the olive platter or one of the small lemon platters, are ideal as a hostess gift or housewarming gift, because they're easy to wrap and fit in most kitchens. For a bigger gift, for example a wedding gift or a birthday gift for someone who loves hosting dinners, a large seafood or lemon platter can be combined with a set of plates or glasses from the range. See also our range of hostess gifts for more ideas.
Which serving platter should you choose?
| Situation | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Seafood evening with guests | Seafood platter with red lobster or lobster platter in porcelain as centrepiece |
| Whole roasted fish as main course | Snapper fish platter or plaice platter in stoneware |
| Sunday brunch with fruit and cheese | Large lemon platter or strawberry platter in ceramic |
| Tapas or starters | Vegetable platters such as artichoke platter or asparagus platter |
| Sweets or pastries on the coffee table | Candy platter in medium or large size |
| Gift for someone who loves colourful kitchenware | One of the smaller lemon or fruit platters from Caja Company |
Frequently asked questions about serving platters
Which material is best for a serving platter?
It depends on the use. Stoneware and porcelain are dense and robust and well suited to daily use, while hand-painted ceramic gives the most personal expression, but should often be washed by hand to preserve the colours.
Are serving platters dishwasher safe?
It varies from platter to platter. Always check the description of the individual platter, and choose hand washing if in doubt, especially for hand-painted platters with detailed motifs.
Which platter suits seafood?
For seafood, a large seafood or lobster platter works well as a centrepiece, ideally paired with smaller oyster or mussel platters on the side.
How large should a serving platter be?
For several guests and as a centrepiece, the platter should be large, ideally 40 cm or more in length. For starters, spoon rests and daily use, a smaller or medium-sized platter is often enough.
Can you use a serving platter as a fruit bowl?
Yes, many of the platters, especially the lemon and fruit motifs, work well as a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter. See also our dedicated range of fruit bowls.
What's the difference between a platter and a bowl?
A platter is typically flatter and wider, while a bowl has higher sides and is deeper. In the range the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, as several products, such as spoon rests and small bowls, can function as both.
Which platters suit fish dishes?
&Klevering's fish platters, such as the snapper fish platter and the plaice platter, are shaped specifically to serve a whole fish and work well as a main course on the table.
Are the hand-painted platters all unique?
Yes, hand-painted platters, among others from Caja Company, can vary slightly in colour and glaze from platter to platter, which is a natural part of the handmade expression.
Which brands supply serving platters at Dims Studio?
The range mainly includes &Klevering and Caja Company, as well as platters from Kersten, Bloomingville, Rice and Italian ceramics under Selected by dims studio.
Can serving platters be used as decoration?
Yes, many of the colourful platters also work as decoration when not in use, for example standing against a wall or leaning on a shelf in the kitchen.
Where do I find platters specifically for cakes?
For cakes we have a dedicated category with cake platters, which have a different shape from the flat serving platters.
Where can I see the full range of platters and bowls?
You'll find the full range of platters and bowls under platters and bowls, where you can also browse fish platters, oyster platters and tapas platters.
Can a serving platter go in the oven or microwave?
Most of the hand-painted ceramic platters in the range are intended for serving at room temperature, not for heating in the oven or microwave. Always check the individual product description if in doubt, as the glaze can be damaged by high temperatures.