Discover the Best Italian Dinnerware Brands

Why should you create a table setting using Italian dinnerware?

Fancy dinner parties are always extravagant when hosted by the world’s elite. And while the food is undoubtedly as delicious as it is expensive, the dinnerware is often even more impressive than the course itself. When it comes to putting together a fancy dinner, Italian dinnerware, and Italian pottery can make the difference between a successful event and a dull one.

The world’s top-tier luxury dinnerware brands create fancy china that plays a key role in some of the world’s most luxurious dinners. However, Italian dinnerware brands are undoubtedly some of the best in the world, and we wanted to find out exactly what sets them apart from the rest.

We’re going to have a look at some of the most expensive Italian dinnerware brands, and we’re going to tell you exactly how much their most expensive items go for. With a focus on dinnerware, silverware, plates, glassware, and centerpieces, get ready for our list of the best Italian dinnerware brands for a luxury dinner!

1. Braganti, Florence (Silverware).

Braganti is a synonym for luxury dinnerware, as some of the items in its collection cost tens of thousands of dollars. True, not everyone can afford to spend that much on a centerpiece or ice bucket, but keep in mind that Braganti specializes in high-end silverware, hence the price.

The company was founded in the 1960s as part of the artisanal district of San Frediano, Florence. In 2010, Braganti was purchased by the Del Conte company. The brand still manufactures silver artifacts and lavish dinnerware centerpieces to this day, all while respecting an ancient Florentine tradition.

One of their most expensive items is the Frutta Cup with Tray, which would set you back $39.100. This tray is manufactured entirely by hand for the buyer in about 9 days, and it boasts a selection of chiseled decorations representing fruit and leaves.

As part of the same collection, a Frutta Round Plate costs about $850, while the Frutta Oval Risotto Tray costs $2.330. Braganti’s most expensive offering to date is probably the Delfini Fountain, which is priced at a whopping $139.000.

The official Braganti website offers some general contact information, but if you want to browse through the brand’s collection and actually make a purchase, Artemest offers some very good pointers, so you should probably check them out.

2. Laboratorio Paravicini (Italian Ceramic).

Costanza Paravicini opened her own lab in the 90s in Lombardy, Italy. She specializes in both decorative and functional dinner plates, which she creates entirely by hand. Therefore, whether you’re looking for centerpieces or actual plates, Laboratorio Paravicini offers some exceptional porcelain dinnerware. These days, Costanza works closely with her daughter Benedetta Medici, and the results of this hard work are instantly recognizable.

In order to make sure that her designs won’t fade and won’t be toxic, Costanza puts all of her hand-applied serigraphs under glaze. Admittedly, this is a very challenging technique that nobody really employs anymore. When it comes to pricing, her plates cost as low as $63 a piece, but a 12-piece set could sometimes set you back $1,400.

There are middle-ground offerings as well, such as the Set of 6 Birds of Paradise, which costs about $380.

3. Cesa 1882 (The world’s most expensive ice bucket).

One of the most important parts of any serveware collection is the ice bucket. Believe it or not, some of these buckets can cost as much as a decent car, and we’re not talking about ice buckets made out of gold and embellished with precious stones.

Featuring a rather simple design inspired by 20th-century Art Déco artworks, the world’s most expensive ice bucket comes from Cesa 1882. Put together entirely by hand in Italy using high-quality silver, the Novecento Ice Bucket with Lid costs $28.300.

What makes this ice bucket special apart from its ridiculous price? Well, the top of the lid and the handles bear the shape of nested trapezoids. This is a nod to Cesa 1882’s Novecento Collection, which is probably the best Italian dinnerware set at the time of writing. Moreover, the lid and the insulated container flaunt a polished surface complemented by diagonal ridges.

As its name suggests, CESA 1882 is a historical silverware brand founded in Alessandria, in Piedmont. Each piece flaunting the Cesa 1882 brand is forged by hand by expert silversmiths who must follow 38 steps in order to achieve a perfect result.

Aside from the world’s most expensive ice bucket, the company also offers what could very well be the most expensive champagne bucket in the world. Dubbed Acropole, this bucket costs almost $17.000, and it was inspired in its design by Neoclassical art.

4. Striulli Vetri d’Arte (Glassware Sets).

How much are you willing to pay for a fine glassware set? Probably not a few thousands of dollars, and yet such sets do exist, and they sell well. For instance, this Striulli Vetri d’Arte glassware set costs $4.900. It is one of the most expensive glassware sets in the world, if not the priciest, and it includes a Corallo Pitcher complemented by 6 water glasses, six wine glasses, and six flute glasses.

Each item is handmade in Italy using high-quality Murano Glass. Just in case you’re not familiar with this type of glassware, Murano is one of the most renowned types of glass in the world, and it is manufactured in Venice.

As for Striulli Vetri d’Arte, the company belongs to Alberto Striulli, who strives to respect the city’s 700 years of heritage in glass blowing. One of his most renowned works to date is the Rigadin. This is a straight ribbed pattern created by blowing incandescent glass into a mold called Bronzin. Striulli Vetri d’Arte also creates chandeliers such as the Ca Talenti, which would set you back $5.500.

5. Kiasmo (Serving Bowls and Vases).

Kiasmo is a relatively new brand that specializes in art, design, fashion, architecture, and Italian pottery. Founded in 2011 in Lecce, in Apulia, the company’s creations draw heavily from Mediterranean culture, particularly the luxury products. Yes, a “simple” vase or serving bowl bearing the Kiasmo brand could set you back as much as $3.000, and a fine example is the Veia IV Bowl that you can admire below.

This expensive oval bowl includes only the finest terracotta, and while it boasts a rather simple design, it is incredibly versatile. It can be used on a dining table for food or as a centerpiece that holds various decorative objects. Its base features a tan color that contrasts nicely with a series of black decorations and white spots.

As for the vase, feast your eyes on the Veia III Vase, which costs about $3.400 and boasts the same impressive build quality based on high-end ceramics. The shape of the vase resembles an old amphora without handles. As for its decorations, they consist of stylized scenes in black that contrast nicely with a tan background. We also noticed a series of semi-circular motifs that start off larger at the center of the vase and become gradually slower as they reach the top.

6. Portego (Complete Ceramics Set).

One of the newest Italian dinnerware brands on our list is Portego, so let’s have a closer look at what it has to offer. The company is based in Veneto, Italy, and it specializes in modern products with a classic flair. For example, lead designer Chiara Andreatti managed to create a superb collection based on the unique aesthetics of the Venetian Lagoon. Moreover, Chiara was also able to revive an old traditional technique from Vicenza, so there’s definitely some potential there.

What makes Portego really stand out is the complete Novissa ceramics set that currently flaunts a sticker tag of $1,400. The set is intended for four people, and it comprises one tray as well as 4 dinner plates, 4 chargers, 4 soup bowls, 4 dessert plates, and a cereal bowl. Alternatively, the brand also provides white dinnerware options if you need it.

The price might sound quite intimidating at first, but you’re actually getting quite a bit of value. That’s particularly true since each of these pieces flaunts silkscreen decals with hand painted details representing local traditional Serenissima ladies. Fun fact: Novissa actually stands for “girlfriend” in the Venetian dialect.

7. San Lorenzo (Trays).

Italian dinnerware brand San Lorenzo traces its roots back to Milano in the 1970s. The company has worked with many respected designers and architects such as Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Lella and Massimo Vignelli, and Franco Albini throughout the years. However, San Lorenzo is best known for excellently crafted luxury items, including credit card holders, flasks, and dinner trays.

One interesting (and very expensive) item that caught our eye is the Rectangular Tray by Afra And Tobia Scarpa. With a price tag that almost reaches $12.000, this is one of the most luxurious dinner trays in the world right now. It was originally designed in 1973, and it was created using pure 925/1000 silver. It works just fine as a vide poche in an entryway, or as a tray for finger food or drinks. Its rectangular design is nothing to write home about, but its heritage and build quality surely contribute to its immense worth.

8. Bartolozzi e Maioli Bottega d’Arte (Wood Centerpiece).

Obviously, Braganti is the most expensive Italian brand when it comes to centerpieces, but we decided to focus on a wood centerpiece for a change. The Fiore California Wood Centerpiece represents the fine work of Bartolozzi e Maioli Bottega d’Arte, and it costs $29.000. It was put together using Austrian pine, and it boasts various floral motifs that stand out in relief. Interestingly enough, this piece actually mimics an original, which was created in the 1980s for a lavish Californian mansion.

As for Bottega d’Arte, it took shape following a friendship sparked between Fiorenzo Bartolozzi and Giuseppe Maioli in 1938 on the Italian countryside. The two sculptors became very good friends, and throughout the years, they created exceptional works of art for the Italian President’s palace in Rome, and for the Kremlin in Moscow.

In our opinion, the Fiore California Wood Centerpiece works wonders as a home décor element.

9. Vietri (A complete dinner set).

If you’re looking for Italian dinnerware that won’t burn a hole in your pocket, you might want to have a look at Vietri. This might very well be the best-known Italian dinnerware brand on our list, mainly because it offers everything you could possibly need for an elegant dinner. We’re talking about entire collections such as Rufolo, Modello, Bianco, Forma, and Viva by Vietri.

Vietri’s flagship dinnerware collection is Campagna, and it includes Service Plates for $67, Salad Plates for $38, Pasta Bowls for $40 and Oval Platters for $140. Each piece boasts exceptional vibrant colors and unique representations of animals such as pigs, fish, and chicken. Furthermore, each item is hand painted by skilled artisans on the Amalfi Coast.

Vietri was founded by Susan, Frances, and their mother, Lee Gravely in 1983 following a trip to Italy. These days, owning a Vietri dinnerware set definitely comes with its own set of bragging rights, and the best part is that you can always visit the brand’s official website and browse through its wonderful collections yourself.

10. De Vecchi Milano 1935 (Pitchers).

The last brand on our list is by no means the least interesting, as De Vecchi Milano 1935 is one of the world’s most respected silversmith workshops. It was established in 1935 by Piero De Vecchi himself, who was incredibly passionate about the Futurist movement from a very young age.

This passion transferred over to De Vecchi’s pitches, vases, and candelabras, all of which boast unique, futuristic, and edgy designs. In 1962, Piero’s son Gabriele took over the company, and he began using silver as his main material. The design language remained largely the same, however.

Your luxury dinnerware collection would definitely benefit from a lavish pitcher from De Vecchi Milano, and if you’re looking for the absolute best, you should be prepared to pay quite a hefty sum. The Trebok Pitcher costs $4.350, and it was put together using 925 silver and olive wood for its handle.

What makes this pitcher stand out is that it forces water to jump from one spout to the next before reaching the glass. This is the same movement seen in natural streams. As part of a limited edition, the Trebok Pitcher receives just 99 units every year, which makes it incredibly exclusive.