I Tested 10 Serving Platters—My Top Five Picks Plated Up Food Beautifully

A serving platter elevates food in more than one way: it literally lifts it up, making it easy to scoop or fork a serving, and it also elevates the aesthetics of whatever’s inside it. Funny enough, the word platter is derived from the Anglo-French word plat, meaning plate, though back then the word was often used to reference a vessel for serving meat (whole roasted Swan, anyone?). This still rings true today, with many families dusting off their platters during the holidays to hoist a turkey onto the table. But platters can go beyond plating poultry; salads, pasta, roasted vegetables, meatballs, and more are all platter-friendly dishes. 

Reviewing platters, like lots of tableware, is challenging because aesthetics are subjective—not to mention there are a bajillion options out there. That’s why, for this review, I focused on maneuverability and ease of use first and foremost, with good looks as a bonus (and all of our winners happen to look very nice, in my opinion). My top picks were easy to carry around and a pleasure to serve from, and all of them had classic looks, so there is an option for any kitchen.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best All-Purpose Platter

Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Serving Platter

$35 at Williams-Sonoma

This platter range is sold in a set that includes three sizes (small, medium, and large), but you can also buy a single platter of your preferred size (I liked the medium, which measured 16 inches long). These no-frills platters match any decor, and the wide, bowl shape made containing and scooping mess-free. I also liked the handles, which allowed for easy maneuvering. 

The Best Large Serving Platter

Le Creuset Serving Platter

$75 $53 at Amazon $75 at Sur La Table $75 at Wayfair

This eye-catching platter comes in a variety of colors, and the wide handles ensure a solid grip. Since it features a flared, raised edge, I didn’t have to worry too much about spills when moving the platter from the kitchen to the table. 

The Best Small Platter

Made In Serving Platter

$89 at Amazon View on Madeincookware.com

A simple, classic design made any food I served on this platter look trés chic. It also had a flared, raised edge, which kept any liquids contained. This platter has held up over the course of many, many dinner parties since I first tested it.

The Best Flat Serving Platter

Costa Nova Roda Stoneware Portuguese Serveware

$65 at Food52

While a flat platter wasn’t the best in terms of scooping with a serving spoon (food kinda slid around), this was still a great option for foods that you serve with tongs, like roast chicken or brisket. It had a raised edge, ensuring no spills during takeoff or landing.

The Best Serving Platters for Small Bites

Our Place Gather Platters

View on Fromourplace.com

While these platters were small and their shallow edge made them not-so-great for serving heaping, messy mounds of food, they shone when it came to small bites: think crudo, charcuterie, or even little canapes. Their petite size made them ideal for passing around.

The Tests

• Ease of Use and Cleaning: During testing, I noted how easy each platter was to load up, serve from, and maneuver from the kitchen to the table. I also noted how easy the platters were to hand wash, and how they fared after a run in the dishwasher, if applicable. 
• Pasta Salad Test: I loaded up the platters with two pounds of store-bought pasta salad (with 1/4 cup of vinegar mixed in to make it runnier), maneuvered them from the kitchen to the dining room table, and served scoops from them. 
• Durability Test: I scratched each platter 10 times with a metal serving spoon to see if any marks appeared. 
• Staining Test: I brushed each platter with a mix of yellow curry powder and oil, let them rest for 30 minutes, then hand-washed them and checked if they retained any stains or odors. 
• Roast Chicken Test (Winners-Only): I carved a 3- to 4-pound roast chicken on each of my favorite serving platters, arranged the meat, and maneuvered the platter from the kitchen to the dining room, noting if there were any spills. Afterward, I served up pieces of chicken with tongs. 
• Extraneous Tests (Winners-Only): During testing, I grabbed my favorite platters for one-off uses, like serving charcuterie, a fruit and tomato salad, meatballs and red sauce, and Caesar salad. 

What We Learned 

Platter Size Was Important (and Bigger Wasn’t Necessarily Better) 

Platter sizes varied surprisingly widely, with extremes on both ends. While smaller platters, like the 9.25- and 13.5-inch long dishes from Our Place, weren’t great for bigger, messier meals, they did find purpose with smaller bites, like crudo or hors d’ouevres, or even just for serving a smaller group of people (in a similar vein, the Made In was the perfect size for serving a Caesar salad for two). My favorite all-purpose platters from Williams Sonoma came in three sizes (12.25, 16, and 18.5 inches long), though I preferred the versatility of the 16-inch long platter. There were also some ginormous platters like the Nashi Home Tortoise Shell Resin Organic Platter (which was 18 by 18 inches) and the Range Oval White Outdoor Melamine Platter by Leanne Ford (a whopping 22.25 inches long), which were just too big and unwieldy to be practical (not to mention cleaning them was like wrangling a greased watermelon). The Nashi also added heft to the equation (it weighed five pounds, 5.5 ounces—the heaviest of the bunch) and was awkward to hold and maneuver. 

Handles Made Carrying Even Easier

While not essential, platters with handles—like the Williams Sonoma and Le Creuset—were generally easier to carry and felt more secure. There was less risk of tripping and dropping the platter, or an errant guest bumping into you and knocking the platter out of your hands. The only con to platters with handles was that foods (and juices) sometimes fell through the gaps. 

A Bowl-Shape Was Best for Runny/Juicy/Messy Foods

Platters with sloping sides and a slight bowl shape, like the Williams Sonoma and Made In, were great for containing messy meals (think pasta salad, meaty Sunday sauce, panzanella). This feature also made them ideal for serving using a spoon, since the spoon’s curve could swoop in and hug the curve of the platter. 

Flat Platters Had Pros and Cons 

While flat platters, like the Costa Nova, weren’t great for serving via scooping (food just kind of slid around), they did find purpose in serving charcuterie, crudo, and other small, contained bites that you pick up with your fingers, a fork, or chopsticks. The other nice thing about flat platters was that they doubled as serving trays for things like crudo, charcuterie, or canapes. The Our Place platters, which were flat and shallow, were great for fancy cheeses and cured meats. 

Deeper, Flared Edges Ensured Less Spillage 

If you’re looking for a platter to serve messy things like heaping, dressed salads or roasted meats, I recommend going for platters with deeper, flared edges (at least one-and-a-half inches deep). Shallower platters with short edges often spilled foods, be it a stray macaroni from pasta salad or the juice from a carved chicken (before you cry foul, yes, I did rest it before carving). The Made In defied this rule, however; it featured a depth of only 0.5 inches, but also sported flaring edges that channeled juice/liquids back into the center of the platter.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Serving Platter

Depending on your use case, I found bowl-shaped, deep platters were best for messy or large foods, like panzanella or spaghetti and meatballs. Handles were a nice bonus, though not a requirement, and I preferred roughly 15- to 16-inch long platters for overall versatility. If you have lots of cocktail parties or are a charcuterie-for-dinner kind of person, a flat platter might be better suited to your needs. But whatever road you take, a good platter should be durable and not scratch or stain after a few uses. 

The Best Serving Platters

The Best All-Purpose Platter

Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Serving Platter

$35 at Williams-Sonoma

What we liked: This versatile white platter comes in three sizes, all of which performed well, though I preferred the medium-sized platter (which was 16 inches long). I also loved the concave shape, which made serving with a spoon easy and kept any liquids contained at the bottom of the platter. Though small, the handles made maneuvering a carefree, spill-free task. 

What we didn’t like: The handles were a little small, and one of the platters arrived with a smudge of something black that wouldn’t wash off. They’re also surprisingly costly for rather plain platters. After frequent long-term use, I did get a small chip on the corner.

Key Specs

• Materials: Glazed earthenware
• Length: Small is 12.25 inches; medium is 16 inches; large is 18.5 inches
• Depth: Small and medium are 2 inches; large is 2.75 inches
• Weight: Small is 2 lbs, 11.4 ounces; medium is 3 lbs, 1 ounces; large is 4 lbs, 7.7 ounces
• Cleaning and care: Microwave-safe; dishwasher-safe

The Best Large Platter

Le Creuset Serving Platter

$75 $53 at Amazon $75 at Sur La Table $75 at Wayfair

What we liked: The wide handles on either side of this platter made transport comfortable and nearly mess-free (I may have had a little dribble of chicken juice leak out from the handle hole). I also liked the flared, raised edges, which helped prevent food from sliding off when serving.

What we didn’t like: The grooved, flared edges caught food and were slightly more difficult to clean than smoother platters. This platter was also on the heavier side at nearly five pounds, and some chicken juice escaped through the handle holes (though it was a mere drip). It’s also pricey.

Key Specs

• Materials: Enameled stoneware
• Length: 16 inches
• Depth: 2.75 inches 
• Weight: 4 lbs, 12 ounces
• Cleaning and care: Broiler-, oven-, and microwave-safe; dishwasher-safe

The Best Small Platter

Made In Serving Platter

$89 at Amazon View on Madeincookware.com

What we liked: This classy, bistro-esque platter was fabulous for serving smaller amounts of food, and its flared, raised edges helped keep things contained. The slight bowl shape also made it easy to serve with a spoon.

What we didn’t like: This platter was petite, making it better for smaller dishes—something like a roast turkey would stick out over the edges. The glazed bottom also made it more apt to slide around on a smooth table when serving. It’s also one of the pricier platters in the lineup.

Key Specs

• Materials: Porcelain
• Length: 13.25 inches
• Depth: 0.5 inches
• Weight: 2 lbs, 7 ounces
• Cleaning and care: Oven-safe Up to 580°F; freezer- and microwave-safe; dishwasher-safe

The Best Flat Platter

Costa Nova Roda Stoneware Portuguese Serveware

$65 at Food52

What we liked: With a broad, flat design and tall-ish lip, this platter was ideal for serving tong-friendly things like roast chicken, slabs of sliced brisket, or even stuffed peppers or tomatoes. The flat bottom also made it versatile, and it could easily be used to house a cheeseboard or canapes, though it was a little heavy and large to pass around. 

What we didn’t like: The flat bottom of this platter was less ideal for serving with a spoon, which pushed food around rather than scooping it up cleanly. It was also a tad heavy and a bit pricey.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stoneware
• Length: 15.75 inches
• Depth: 1.5 inches
• Weight: 3 lbs, 14.7 ounces
• Cleaning and care: Microwave-safe; dishwasher-safe

The Best Platters for Small Bites

Our Place Gather Platters

View on Fromourplace.com

What we liked: These cute, colorful little platters shone serving small bites. Their shallow edges made it easy to pick at charcuterie or fork a piece of crudo, and they were also nice and light, making passing them around (literally) low-lift. Their petite presence also made them easy to clean by hand or tuck into the dishwasher. 

What we didn’t like: These are not the types of platters you would use for roast chicken, meatballs, or anything large and messy; their shallow little lips can’t handle it.

Key Specs

• Materials: Ceramic stoneware
• Length: Large is 13.5 inches; small is 10.75 inches 
• Depth: Both are 0.5 inches
• Weight: Large is 2 lbs, 11.8 ounces; small is 1 lb, 8.2 ounces
• Cleaning and care: Microwave- and oven-safe up to 350°F; dishwasher-safe

The Competition 

• Food52 Serving Platter, by Jono Pandolfi: While this wasn’t a horrible platter, the edges were shallow and the unfinished, rough bottom was unpleasant to handle. The large option, which isn’t ultra big (it’s around 14.25 inches long) is also quite expensive, at $132. It also seems to no longer be available.
• Nashi Home Tortoise Shell Resin Organic Platter: While perhaps the medium-sized platter would be better, the large one I tested was too big and too heavy (it weighed more than five pounds). It also didn’t have much in the way of edges, so food just slid all over.
• Fortessa Tableware Solutions Camp Melamine Dishes, Dinnerware & Serveware: While these were durable platters (and came in two sizes), they looked more like a platter you’d use to serve your kid chicken nuggets than one you’d plate up summer tomato tonnato salad on. Not that that’s a bad thing, but they weren’t exactly the showstopper/all-purpose serving vessel I was looking for. Plus, they’re not microwave-safe, whereas most other platters were. 
• Range Oval White Outdoor Melamine Platter by Leanne Ford: This massive platter could easily hold a big ‘ol cut-up watermelon, but would dwarf anything else served in it. It was also too big to fit in my sink during cleaning and scratched faintly. 
• Ekobo Recycled Bamboo Serving Tray: There was nothing particularly bad about this platter except that, well, it wasn’t really a platter (I guess that should have been obvious since it has the term ‘serving tray’ in its name). Instead, as the name suggests, it was more of a tray, not unlike one you might find in a cafeteria (but nicer). While it was good for passing around cocktails, it was just too big and shallow to be practical for everyday serving, though it would do a good job holding tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa.
  

FAQs

What can I use a platter for?

Platters, depending on their size and shape, are great for serving large amounts of food to guests at a party, or even just to hold your Tuesday night Caesar salad for two—and look nice doing it. Flat platters can also be used to hold canapes, appetizers, and charcuterie. 

What is the best size platter?

Platters around 16 inches long and at least 1.5 inches deep were the best. That said, I did like some smaller, shallower platters for serving charcuterie and appetizers. 

What is the difference between a plate and a platter?

Asking the tough questions, are we? While one could use a platter as a plate, it would likely be too large and the edge—even if fairly small—would get annoying after a while (especially if you’re cutting something, like steak). Platters are larger, longer, and often have a curve or some kind of lip/edge to prevent food from spilling. Plates tend to be flatter and smaller. 

Why We're the Experts

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Serious Eats.
• She has tested dozens of kitchen items and written many reviews for the site, including on tortilla presses, wine openers, and knife rolls.
• For this review, Grace tested 10 serving platters by using them to serve pasta salad and roast chicken, and by examining their durability and maneuverability.