9 best serving dishes for everything from Sunday roasts to nibbles

The most thoughtful hosts know how to serve with flair. Whether that’s a few nibbles at an impromptu house gathering, afternoon tea or a slap- up Sunday roast, the secret weapon is a suitable serving dish – or two or three – and it’s best to be prepared.

Serving dishes come in all shapes and sizes. Just look at the creative ways the trendiest gastropubs and eateries have taken the art of serving to a whole new level. (Side of chips on a slate tile, anyone?)

In a world where anything goes, choosing a serving dish that best suits your household’s needs is no easy feat.

At home, tableware should be functional, with practicalities such as storing and dishwashing taken into account.

But we do love a highly decorative dish that holds its own – one that can be kept out on display, whether or not it’s filled with foodstuff.

We put our pick of the best serving dishes to the test at our table, looking for durability (a serving dish needs to withstand being handed around), practicality, and above all, style.

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