best place for inexpensive china

[ellenesk]

I am starting to think that rather than renting china and silver each time I have a large party, I should just by several dozen of the necessities, and store them.

Any thoughts as to where the best place to to buy a reasonable quantity(4-5 dozen of dinner/ same of salad) china and silverware ( 100 forks, 50 spoons and knives).?

[Jaybert41]

I am starting to think that rather than renting china and silver each time I have a large party, I should just by several dozen of the necessities, and store them.

Any thoughts as to where the best place to to buy a reasonable quantity(4-5 dozen of dinner/ same of salad) china and silverware ( 100 forks, 50 spoons and knives).?

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Try Fish's Eddy in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

[Cleo]

What about Ikea?

[ned]

I second Fish's Eddy but raise you one Crate ad Barrel.

[emmapeel]

I'm sure that restaurant and catering pros will have advice, but I'm not one, so here is my suggestion.

Mikasa has clearance items of simple white china, and I recently had to do some replacements and found them cheap on their website. I bought Tivoli, and it's listed as china. The dinner plates are $4.99 but I think their are too large for your needs, as mine are as large as chargers. The salad plates are $2.99. But if you go the website and search "white" there is so much inexpensive china to choose among the discontinued items.

Edited April 28, 2005 by emmapeel (log)

[SuzySushi]

Also check out restaurant supply houses. They tend to have reasonable prices.

[Curlz]

I'll see your Crate & Barrel (but only during a sale), and I'll raise you one Bed Bath & Beyond, Linens & Things and/or Kohl's. But seriously, if you're looking for plain sets (all white or a solid color), any of those (or Ikea) would do the trick, and they're forever mailing out 20% off coupons, so go to their web sites and sign up!

There are also some 'name' outlets you can try on line or in person--Mikasa in Secaucus (less than 5 miles out the Lincoln Tunnel in--GASP--NJ); Dansk in Flemington, and Crate & Barrel--but it's just off of Exit 8A--waaay down the NJ Turnpike. Well worth the ride if you can get down there, though! Restaurant supply places are also a good idea, but again, you're going to find more 'basic' stuff there. I guess it would help to know your taste--simple, solids, or patterns?

[ellenesk]

Just to circle back. Ended up with 10" plates from fishs Eddy $2.00 each, no delivery fee, and 18/10 stainless from Bowery Kitchen(who had the best prices around). Forks and Spons ran about $15.00 per dozen, knives slightly higher.

[Jaymes]

See you've already bought some stuff, but if you're in the market for more, definitely go to a restaurant supply house, just as Suzi says. I've got at least 4 doz dinner plates, salad plates, glasses, silverware....all purchased for a song at restaurant supply houses.

[M. Lucia]

I just wanted to add that if you are looking for more interesting pieces of inexpensive dinnerware (not just plain old white), I'd recommend Pearl River Mart, on Broadway above Canal. Mostly asian-style, but a huge selection at good deals. It's where Gourmet and Food and Wine source a lot of their dishes for magazine photos.

Does anyone else have good sources for inexpensive interesting, unusual, or antique dishes?

[Pan]

I just wanted to add that if you are looking for more interesting pieces of inexpensive dinnerware (not just plain old white), I'd recommend Pearl River Mart, on Broadway above Canal.[...]

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A few blocks above Canal, near Broome St.