Catering Dishes

Catering Dishes – Trade Wholesale UK

Ascot Wholesale stocks over 1,100 lines of catering dishes – serving dishes, sharing platters, gratin dishes, tapas formats and speciality presentation pieces. All at trade pricing, all available without a minimum order.

Browse by type below, or use the filters on the left to narrow by brand, material, size or colour.

Serving Dishes & Sharing Plates

The most-ordered format in this category. Serving dishes and sharing plates handle everything from family-style mains to tapas starters and buffet service.

Oval serving dishes are the workhorse. Available from around 20 cm up to 40 cm+, they suit roasted meats, whole fish, vegetable sides and shared mains. Churchill’s Simplicity White and Steelite’s Craft range both carry strong oval lines in vitrified porcelain – chip-resistant and dishwasher-safe.

Sharing platters are wider and flatter, designed to spread food across a larger surface. Rectangular formats from 27 cm × 20 cm up to 35 cm × 25 cm are the most common. Used in tapas restaurants, mezze menus, and any venue running a sharing-plate format. DPS Academy Classic and Utopia’s Copenhagen collection both carry well-priced rectangular platters sold in cases of 6.

Tapas dishes – smaller individual formats, typically 10 cm to 15 cm. Used for dips, olives, small bites and side accompaniments. Available in ceramic, porcelain and stoneware. These are the catering plates for sale that café and tapas operators order most frequently in bulk.

All formats are available as wholesale plates for catering – sold by the case at trade prices, with no minimum order.

Gratin & Oven-to-Table Dishes

Gratin dishes go from oven to table, which means they need to handle both heat and presentation. Not every dish in this category is oven-safe – check the product page if this matters for your service.

Individual gratin dishes – typically oval, 15 cm to 20 cm. Used for single-portion baked dishes: gratins, crumbles, baked eggs, individual lasagnes. Dudson and Churchill both carry oven-safe individual formats in their Cookware and Forno lines.

Large gratin and baking dishes – 25 cm to 35 cm, designed for sharing or table service. Ceramic construction with a heavier body weight that retains heat well. Popular in gastropubs and hotel restaurants running a carvery or sharing-format menu.

Cast iron and enamel dishes – for venues where the cooking vessel is part of the theatre. Heavier, slower to heat, but they hold temperature well and look strong on the table. Available in several colourways including black, copper and cream enamel.

These formats are the core of restaurant tableware wholesale for operators who want an oven-to-table format – fewer transfers, better heat retention, stronger table presence.

Presentation & Speciality Dishes

For venues where the dish itself is part of the visual offer.

Slate-effect dishes – ceramic pieces with a matte, dark finish that reads as slate. Lighter and safer than real slate, but gives the same visual contrast against pale food. Churchill’s Natural Slate and Slate Effect lines are the most-ordered options here.

Textured and rustic dishes – reactive glazes, rough-edged stoneware, and organic shapes. Dudson’s Harvest and Churchill’s Stonecast Raw collections are the go-to for this look. Strong in gastropubs, farm-to-table venues and modern British restaurants.

Rectangular presentation dishes – elongated formats for composed starters, sushi, or charcuterie boards. Sizes from 20 cm × 10 cm up to 40 cm × 15 cm. Available in white porcelain, black ceramic and textured stoneware.

Coloured and patterned dishes – for venues with a defined visual identity. Steelite’s Craft and Utopia’s Terra Porcelain carry the strongest coloured options – matte black, terracotta, sage green and deep blue.

This is where high-quality white catering crockery sits alongside more characterful formats – the range covers both ends of the spectrum.

Who Buys Catering Dishes from Ascot?

We supply catering crockery to a wide range of operators across the UK:

• Restaurants and gastropubs – serving dishes, sharing platters and oven-to-table formats for table service
• Hotels and banqueting venues – large-format oval dishes and rectangular platters for buffet and banquet service
• Tapas bars, mezze restaurants and sharing-plate venues – smaller individual dishes and tapas formats in bulk
• Event caterers and contract caterers – high-volume orders of durable, stackable formats across multiple dish types
• Cafés and casual dining venues – individual gratin dishes and presentation pieces for brunch and lunch menus

If you’re buying restaurant crockery for a new site or refreshing an existing range, our team can advise on quantities, formats and brand selection. We supply catering crockery suppliers across the UK hospitality sector.

Why Buy from Ascot Wholesale?

• Trade pricing on every order – same wholesale rate whether you’re buying one case or a full pallet
• Over 1,100 catering dish lines – serving dishes, gratin dishes, tapas formats, presentation pieces and speciality styles
• Trusted brands – Churchill, Steelite, Dudson, Utopia and Artis, all stocked at trade prices
• Replacement-friendly – most lines available as individual cases so you can top up without buying a full set
• No minimum order – order what you need, when you need it, at the same trade rate
• Free delivery on qualifying orders – see delivery page for current terms

Browse the full range of Catering Crockery or shop related categories: Plates · Bowls · Ramekins

FAQ – Catering Dishes

What catering dishes does Ascot Wholesale stock?

We stock over 1,100 catering dish lines, including oval serving dishes, sharing platters, tapas dishes, individual and large-format gratin dishes, oven-to-table pieces, slate-effect presentation dishes, rectangular formats and coloured stoneware. All are available at trade pricing with no minimum order. Brands include Churchill, Steelite, Dudson, Utopia and Artis.

What is the difference between a serving dish and a sharing plate?

A serving dish is typically deeper with raised sides – designed to hold food in a sauce or cooking liquid, and often used to bring food to the table from the kitchen. A sharing plate is flatter and wider, designed to spread food across a larger surface for guests to help themselves. Both formats are available in round, oval and rectangular shapes.

Are your dishes oven-safe?

Some are, some aren’t – it depends on the specific product. Gratin dishes and cast iron formats are generally oven-safe and are labelled as such. Standard ceramic and porcelain serving dishes are not always rated for oven use. Check the individual product page for oven-safe confirmation before ordering for an oven-to-table application.

Are your dishes suitable for commercial dishwashers?

Yes. All ceramic and porcelain catering dishes in this category are selected for commercial use and are fully dishwasher-safe. They’re built to withstand daily high-temperature wash cycles without chipping or crazing. Cast iron and enamel formats may have specific care requirements – check the product page for details.

Which brands do you stock?

We stock Churchill, Steelite, Dudson, Utopia and Artis across our catering dishes range. All brands are selected for their commercial durability and trade value. Use the Brand filter on the left to browse by manufacturer. All lines are available at wholesale trade pricing.

Do you stock slate or textured presentation dishes?

Yes. We stock slate-effect ceramic dishes from Churchill’s Natural Slate and Slate Effect lines, as well as textured and reactive-glaze stoneware from Dudson’s Harvest collection and Churchill’s Stonecast Raw range. These are popular in gastropubs, farm-to-table restaurants and modern casual dining venues.

Is there a minimum order quantity?

No. There is no minimum order quantity on any catering dish in this category. You can order a single case to test a format or place a large bulk order – the trade price is the same either way. Most lines are sold in cases of 6 or 12, which reduces your cost per unit at volume.

Do you offer trade accounts?

Yes. Trade accounts are available to all hospitality businesses – restaurants, hotels, cafés, catering companies, contract caterers and event venues. A trade account gives you access to wholesale pricing, flexible payment terms and dedicated account support. Contact our team to get set up.