20 Hosting Essentials for Throwing an Epic Dinner Party

Retro Goblets

IVV Italian Retro Cocktail Glasses

$68 at Food52

Sometimes, setting the mood for an epic dinner party is as simple as breaking out “the good stuff.” You know what we mean: the glassware you don’t use often, the bottle of whiskey you save for special occasions, and the truffle oil you only indulge in every once in a while. Those little elements, when combined, make for a memorable evening. 

If you’re looking for glassware that screams special occasion, these retro goblets are it. Designed and handmade by master Italian glassmakers, they have a low foot and faceted surface that glimmers under candlelight. While they’d make for a worthy place to sip a special occasion wine from, they’re even more charming when put to work housing individual desserts, like an indulgent chocolate mousse or fancy hot fudge sundae. Either way, we bet your guests will love using these jewel-toned beauties.

A Charcuterie Board

J.K. Adams 1761 Round Cutting Board With Handle

$90 at Amazon $95 at Wayfair $105 at Sur La Table

When hosting a dinner party, it’s always a good idea to have a few bites already out for guests as they arrive. Not only are they bound to be hungry, but it’ll give them something to congregate around and buy you a bit of time to finish cooking the main course. And where palate primers are concerned, nothing comes together easier than a great charcuterie board. 

Whether you want to cater yours toward the evening’s menu, the season, or your locale, it’ll all look appealing on this round ash wood charcuterie board from J.K. Adams. The versatile pick has a rustic vibe and plenty of surface area. It also functions as a cutting board. There are no edges, so you can pile it high with all the brie, cheddar, and goat cheese your heart desires while still having room for dried fruits and nuts. While it may look hefty, it’s not cumbersome to carry (and it has a handle), so it moves where the conversation goes. Just don't forget to add the right cheese knife, too.

Fun Placemats

Chilewich Heddle Placemats

$140 at Food52 View on Chilewich.com View on Lumens.com

Placemats have earned a reputation as a decidedly formal addition to a tabletop scene, but they can be plenty of fun, too. From vibrant colors and perky patterns to unusual shapes (like the every-trendy scallop), the right placemat can be a less frou-frou substitute to a full tablecloth, while still allowing you to add texture to the tablescape and protect your table’s surface from wear and tear. 

In our quest for the best placemats, we found Chilewich’s easy-care design and immediately changed our mind about how formal — or fun — a placemat can be. The durable mat is woven using vinyl and polyester yarn (made partially of vegetables) for a surface that can be wiped clean using just a sponge and some dish soap. The vibrant pattern is equally as compelling, having been modeled after Bauhaus textiles, with an emphasis on graphic shapes and intricate weaving for a tabletop addition that will draw all the eyes and compliments from your guests.

A Stoneware Dinnerware Set

West Elm Kanto Stoneware Dinnerware

$224 at West Elm

There’s just something about stoneware dinnerware that instantly transports guests to a high-end restaurant. Maybe it's the rustic, handmade nature; maybe it’s the earthy colorways — whatever the cause, stoneware dinnerware is an easy way to add a touch of sophisticated and effortless style to your tabletop during your next dinner party. It’ll also make all your food look amazing, even if you let the lasagna recipe get a little too crispy. 

West Elm’s Kanto collection earned a top spot on our list of the best stoneware dinnerware thanks to bespoke details like uneven edges and a textured exterior — all without a high-end price tag. Each set is available in a selection of nature-inspired colors and comes with four small bowls, four pasta bowls, four dinner plates, and four salad plates. Every piece in this collection is dishwasher-safe, so you can load up your machine and get back to the party.

Colorful Cocktail Glasses

Arhaus Rosalie Cocktail Glasses

View on Arhaus.com

Your dinner party tablescape offers nearly endless opportunities for customization and personalization, and one of the best ways to convey the evening’s theme is through your choice of glassware. Traditional wine glasses may allude to a menu filled with family-style Italian favorites, while vessels with a squared-off shape hint at more modern, experimental bites.

These fluted coupe glasses from Arhaus bridge the gap between sophistication and sass, helping you craft a dinner party scene that is elegant without being too formal. The set of four — which was named to our list of the best colorful glassware — comes with different jewel-toned hues, bringing a lively jolt to even the most basic white dishware set. The coupe shape is also surprisingly versatile, lending itself to any drink served up (or without ice).

A Spill-Resistant Tablecloth

Eider & Ivory Linen Tablecloth

$42 at Wayfair

It’s no secret that dinner parties can come with their fair share of messes but, as a guest, there’s nothing worse than worrying you’re going to damage precious table linens or break an heirloom wine glass the entire evening. Assuage your guests’ fears (and your own) by investing in a stylish tablecloth that does the work for you, allowing you to up the presentation of your tablescape without having to worry about protecting it from your clumsiest friend (and their third glass of wine).  

This classic tablecloth is timeless and durable — not to mention completely waterproof, a quality that earned it a spot on our list of the best linen tablecloths. Available in versatile shades of gray, beige, and brown, it’s made of tightly woven faux linen fabric that is resistant to wrinkles, stains, and fading. In the (very likely) instance that one of your guests does get a little something on the tablecloth, the liquid will bead atop the fabric without sinking in, allowing you to quickly sop it up and get on with your evening.

A Big Salad Bowl

Pottery Barn Chateau Handcrafted Acacia Wood Salad Bowls

$59 at Pottery Barn

With a change in the seasons comes a change in our meals, away from the hearty stews and braised meats of fall and winter and into the lighter, fresher salads and grains of summer. You’ve been working all week on acquiring the ingredients for the perfect show-stopping salad — and even longer tending to the vegetables in your garden — so naturally, you need a big ol’ bowl that will do your greenies justice at your next dinner party. 

Enter this handcrafted salad bowl from Pottery Barn. Made entirely of stunning Acacia wood and available in three finishes (brown, white-washed, and black), it’s the ideal rustic backdrop to your farmer’s market bounty. Choose from three different diameters to cater to whatever you’re serving up, or snag several to create a cohesive and stunning family-style scene. A note: These are handwash only, but they’re so pretty we didn’t think you’d mind.

A Pretty Pitcher

Sophie Lou Jacobsen Wave Pitcher

View on Sophieloujacobsen.com $195 at Modaoperandi.com $147 at Design Within Reach

Nothing gets things started like a great house cocktail. We’ll be so bold as to say no dinner party is complete without one (nonalcoholic drinks included). Serving a signature sip as your guests arrive is a great way to set everyone at ease and cultivate a celebratory atmosphere. And when said drink is poured from a beautiful pitcher? Well, that’s even better. 

This sculptural glass pitcher by artist Sophie Lou Jacobsen is playful and whimsical. Made from delicate but durable dishwasher-safe glass, it features a trendy wave handle and generous 48-fluid-ounce capacity, helping you serve everything from lemon water and sweet tea to batched cocktails. It comes in a slew of punchy color combinations (like blue and pink, green and blue, and pink and amber), so finding a version that coordinates best with your tablescape or bar cart is a cinch.

Pasta Bowls

East Fork Pottery Everyday Bowl

View on Eastfork.com View on Urbannatural.com View on Shopsaltandsundry.com

We’re not of the mindset that you need a niche dish for every type of food — after all, who has the room (or time) for that? However, if there’s one piece of specialty dishware we can get behind, it’s a pasta bowl. Because here’s the thing: They’re for so much more than just pasta. Sure, they make a great vessel for tagliatelle or penne alla vodka, but they’re also a great way to serve up stew, grain bowls, or even a hearty salad. They're especially useful when throwing a dinner party with multiple saucy dishes on the menu. 

Small-batch ceramics company East Fork has mastered the art of the pasta bowl, earning their version a spot on our list of the best pasta bowls we've tested. It has an ideal depth-to-width ratio, with a microwave- and dishwasher-safe finish that looks great paired with other stoneware. Break out a set during your next Italian-themed dinner party or for serving up short ribs atop buttery mashed potatoes.

A Stove-to-Table Dutch Oven

Smithey Dutch Oven

$225 at Food52 View on Smithey.com $300 at Crate & Barrel

The sign of a great dinner party is a host having just as much fun as their guests. The key to achieving that oh-so-illusive balance? Relying on an effective hands-off cooking method. A Dutch oven is a great way to do just that, allowing you to slowly braise an impressive cut of meat or bake up a gooey mac and cheese with little to no active effort on your part. 

When searching for a party-worthy Dutch oven, you want a piece that boasts a large capacity and excellent heat conduction while still looking pretty enough to hold court on your table come dinner time. This 5.5-quart heirloom-worthy beauty from Smithey does just that, earning it a place on our list of favorite Dutch ovens. It’s made from solid cast iron and comes preseasoned with grape seed oil so you can get to cooking up your signature roast right away. The deep sides and domed lid also make it the ideal choice for deep frying or whipping up a loaf of no-knead bread; the cooper-hued exterior will deepen over time, lending a rustic appeal.

Serving Utensils

Sabre Bistrot Serving Set

$62 at Amazon $66 at Food52 View on Bignightbk.com

Nothing ruins a perfectly curated tabletop scene more than having to scavenge into your utensil drawer to find any old meat fork or slotted cooking spoon to serve your guests with. Instead, why not splurge on a few sets of serving utensils that will do your delicious dinner justice? That way, you can successfully plate that stunning piece of fish instead of it sliding off of a too-small spoon halfway to your guests’ plate. 

This serving set from Sabre is classic and elegant, evoking the feel of a classic French bistro and making dinner handoff just a bit more stylish. The two-piece set comes with a fork and spoon, each measuring a little over 10 inches in length, which is an ideal size to serve up everything from flaky fish and hearty chicken thighs to delicate twirls of spaghetti. The acrylic handles are riveted for extra durability and come in a slew of standout shades, from preppy tortoise and bold red to airy sky blue and classic ivory.

Stackable Drinking Glasses

West Elm Drinking Glasses

$28 at West Elm

Cocktails may get the most commotion as you’re planning your dinner party, but every place setting should have a glass of water at the ready, too. Guests will need one to cleanse their taste buds in between dishes and, frankly, a properly set table looks incomplete without one. While you can easily get away with selecting the most basic style on the shelf or using a combination of all the glassware you’ve been collecting since college, we recommend looking to your upcoming dinner party as an excuse to splurge on a complete glassware set. 

These basic but better glasses from West Elm earned high praises on our quest for the best drinking glasses, thanks to their unique shape that allows them to stack seamlessly and securely. They’re available in 10- and 14-ounce sizes, four colors, and two different set sizes (four or eight glasses). With this set, it's easy to build out a new glassware collection or add to an existing one.

Candle Holders

Terrain Antiqued Brass Candlestick

$28 at Anthropologie $34 at Shopterrain.com

There’s one surefire way to add instant ambiance to your upcoming dinner party and it involves, well, fire. Simply put, there’s not a single person who doesn’t look great under the glow of candlelight, and guests will appreciate the extra attention you’ve paid to cultivating a cozy and welcoming environment for your soirée. While live flames are always appreciated, faux are just as welcome — either way, you’ll need a few stunning candlesticks to house them in. 

When deciding on a candle holder that will suit whatever dining scene you dream up, you can’t go wrong with a classic brass style. These picks from Anthropologie are designed to look like a lucky antique find, a stylish attribute that helped them earn top honors on our list of the best candle holders. The smallest of the bunch is just 4 inches tall, so it will still be easy for your guests to converse across the table, even if they’re housing full-sized tapers. Looking for a mix-and-match vibe? Work in a few medium and tall sizes an eclectic, enveloping glow.

Tapered Candles

The Floral Society Lovely Taper Candles

$60 at Food52 View on Thefloralsociety.com

Whether we’ve just convinced you to add some candle holders to your hosting collection or you already have a few favorites, you’re going to need some beautiful taper candles to go with them. Shopping for quality candlesticks can be surprisingly challenging — you want a sturdy style, with a base that fits securely into your candlestick and a saturated color that won’t melt off the surface on your first burn. 

Luckily, we’ve found just that in these effortlessly classic candlesticks from The Floral Society. Sized to 12 or 18 inches and made from high-grade paraffin wax, they’re designed to burn drip-free, so they won’t ruin your favorite tablecloth or add an unexpected garnish to a nearby dish. These candlesticks won top honors on our list of favorite tapered candles, thanks in large part to their standard-size base and saturated color options — ranging from vibrant saffron to soft petal pink — each of which is dipped 35 times for superior, long-lasting color.

A Salt and Pepper Holder

Arhaus Gela Salt and Pepper Holder

View on Arhaus.com

Pass the salt, please! If you don’t have a physical answer to that request that doesn’t include the store-bought plastic container your fleur de sel came in, you’re going to want to spring for a solution ahead of your next dinner party. Nothing ruins a tablescape quicker than a generic spice bottle, and salt and pepper urns are a small yet thoughtful touch for your guests.

These modern vessels from Arhaus come in a set of two, so your pepper won’t be left behind come dinner time. Each stone spice holder is crafted from black or white marble and comes nestled securely in a brass tray to lessen the risk of spilling. Both bowls are a little over 3 inches deep, allowing them to hold a generous amount of salt (or crushed red pepper), so you won’t have to get up mid-conversation to refill either vessel.

A Vase

Jono Pandolfi The Weekend Vase

View on Jonopandolfi.com

Your focus may be on the dishware and menu, but it’s the little moments that will make your dinner party truly memorable. A fresh flower arrangement communicates more than just the fact that you’re a thoughtful host—it says, “I was so unruffled by having you all over that I had time to pull together this bouquet of buds from my very own garden.” Or something like that.

No matter what your chosen blooms say about you, you’ll need a great vase to put them in — and that’s where this Jono Pandolfi pick comes in. The brand is already beloved for its handmade dinnerware, which can be found on the tables of high-end restaurants all over the country. This vessel — fittingly dubbed “The Weekend Vase” — has the same simplistic appeal of their iconic dishware, with a dark brown clay body paired with a bit of white glaze for a rustic yet refined look. (It also happens to be a great host gift, too.)

A Scented Candle

Anecdote Candles Bottomless Mimosas Candle

$34 $25 at Amazon View on Anecdotecandles.com $24 at Macy's

Think about one of the first things you notice when walking into someone’s home. Probably how it smells, right? If guests are headed to yours for a dinner party, the hope is that they’re hit with a waft of garlic or the scent of a yummy mirepoix simmering away — but if you’re cooking fish, frying up wings, or making any number of other stenchy dishes, their initial sniff may not be a great one. 

Lucky for your first impression (and their noses), some great kitchen candles exist. We combed the market for our favorite kitchen candles, including among them this zesty candle from Anecdote. It boasts notes of grapefruit and orange (which are known to tackle tough food smells), layered with bergamot and greens for a delicate and nuanced flame that will lightly scent your kitchen before, during, or after your meal.

Gold Flatware

Arhaus Murray Five Piece Place Setting in Gold

View on Arhaus.com

Finding great flatware for dinner parties is deceptively difficult. There’s a lot to think about, from a Goldilocks size that’s not too big and not too small to a design that will feel weighty and luxe in the hand, to a finish that is dishwasher safe — an attribute that’s especially hard to come by if you want gold flatware. 

We did the work for you, rounding up a comprehensive list of the best gold flatware on the market. Our number one spot went to Arhaus’ stunning Murray collection, which toes the line between modern and classic, making it a fit choice for any host regardless of entertaining style. Each utensil in the five-piece place setting is hand-forged in India and finished with a hammered look that makes them appear perfectly timeworn. They’re dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to worry about laboring over the sink after everyone has left.

An Ice Bucket

Pottery Barn Bleecker Ice Bucket

$89 at Pottery Barn

The key to being a great host is giving the little moments as much attention as the big ones. From hand-written place cards to fresh towels in the powder room, every touchpoint throughout the evening is an opportunity to spoil and delight your guests. Another great opportunity to upgrade the everyday? Surprise — it’s with your ice bucket. 

Cocktails and cold drinks are a must for any dinner party, but heading for the refrigerator dispenser every time you need a few cubes kind of ruins the moment. A traditional ice bucket is a great way to keep ice handy on your table or bar and allows guests to help themselves instead of having to ask you each time. This mid-century modern-inspired Pottery Barn design made our list of the best ice buckets thanks to its sleek glass body and glam gold accents. It also comes with tongs and holds an impressive amount of ice, which means fewer refills for you.

A Tabletop Fire Pit

Solo Stove Mesa XL Tabletop Fire Pit

$100 $80 at Amazon $100 at Wayfair $99 $80 at Walmart

An outdoor dinner party already has all the makings of a memorable occasion, but you can kick things up another notch by adding a showy touch in the form of a firepit. A far cry from the rustic bonfires you used to light while camping, this compact vessel from Solo Stove allows you to tote your flame anywhere you see fit, from the bistro table out back to the Adirondack chairs on your front porch. 

Sized to an approachable 8 inches tall, this tabletop portable fire pit is powered by wood or pellets and comes with a collapsible stand that makes it safe for use on any surface. The brand’s signature 360-degree airflow design cuts down on the smoke and distributes hot air evenly, keeping guests comfortable and safe no matter which angle they’re seated at. It’s the perfect unexpected touch to an outdoor BBQ, neighborhood s’mores night, or romantic double date.