Specialty Bowls

Specialty Restaurant Bowls: What You Need to Know

Specialty bowls are a broad category, containing all different kinds of restaurant bowls, from unique shapes to uncommon materials. Broadening the scope of your dinnerware can transform certain menu items into experiences instead of just meals. Showcase your most extravagant items with a special bowl that draws attention, and other guests will take notice as it's brought from the kitchen.

Creating a spectacle of your extravagant dishes will enable your servers to merchandise for you by simply carrying it out. If you can find the right specialty bowl here, you could potentially make every order an event. Beyond the unique, eye-catching bowls, we also carry a wide array of practical bowls, including nappie bowls.

Common Questions About Specialty Bowls

What exactly is a nappie bowl?

Nappie bowls are typically shallow, flat-bottomed bowls that are stable and stackable. With wide, shallow bases, these bowls are great for thick foods, such as oatmeal, as the wide opening gives diners easy access to the whole bowl. Found in various colors and styles, nappie bowls are simple, useful additions to any dinnerware set that's intended for soups or stir frys.

What materials are specialty bowls made of?

Melamine, stoneware, and metals are the three main materials used to create specialty bowls. Each material is best suited for specific uses, which we'll go over below.

Melamine is a type of plastic frequently used for all types of dinnerware. It's lightweight, durable, chip resistant, and can be sanitized in both high- and low-temp commercial dishwashers. Melamine can be made into unique shapes because it's a plastic, making it a favorite for eye-catching display bowls. Melamine doesn't carry the same air of elegance as other materials, but it can be attractive, functional, and economical all at once. Most mid-tier and casual restaurants make good use of melamine in their dinnerware.

Stoneware is a blanket term that encompasses ceramic, porcelain, and china. Stoneware is usually heavier than melamine and often can be used in a microwave, so if that's a sizeable part of your foodservice, opting for stoneware would make more sense than melamine. Ceramic specialty bowls have weighty feels and unique textures that fit well in mid- to high-tier establishments. Porcelain – a fully vitrified style of ceramic – is the highest tier of material and best complements fine dining establishments. Most stoneware is dishwasher and microwave safe, but you should consult the specifications page of the product you're considering to verify.

Metallic plates can be any of a number of alloys, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Aluminum and stainless steel are the most common metals used in dinnerware, as both are resistant to corrosion. Metal pieces tend to stand out in dinnerware, making them perfect for a presentation or special use. Stainless steel is more expensive than aluminum, but it also withstands frequent use well, which typically makes it last longer than aluminum. If you're going to use these bowls for every guest, stainless steel might provide a better return on investment, but if use will be infrequent, aluminum won't set you back as much initially.