Dinnerware is the collection of dishes, plates, bowls, and serving pieces used for eating meals. A basic dinnerware set usually includes dinner plates, smaller salad plates, bowls for soup or cereal, and sometimes cups and saucers. Some sets also come with serving platters, gravy boats, and other specialty pieces for presenting food at the table.

Dinnerware can be made from different materials. Everyday dinnerware is often ceramic or stoneware, sturdy enough for daily use and dishwasher-safe. Fine china is a more delicate type of dinnerware, often white and translucent, that families might use for special occasions like holidays or formal dinners. Melamine dinnerware is plastic-based and nearly unbreakable, making it popular for outdoor picnics or camping.

The word distinguishes these eating dishes from flatware (forks, knives, and spoons) and glassware (drinking glasses). When someone says they're shopping for new dinnerware, they mean the actual plates and bowls, not the utensils you eat with. A complete table setting includes all three: dinnerware to hold your food, flatware to eat it with, and glassware for your beverages.