Enjoy These Beautiful Italian Pasta Bowls from Italy

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Whether for personal use, as a gift, or a decorative collection piece, Italian pasta bowls are an expression of true appreciation and love for Italian culture. These bowls are one more exciting and special way of bringing a piece of Italy into our homes!

Finding Italian Pasta Bowls – It’s About Design, Style, Price and Origin

However, not all pasta bowls are created equal. Factors like quality, size, design, price and origin all play a part in finding the best pasta bowl for you.

Let’s get started so you can start enjoying your special dinnerware today!

Authentic Hand Painted Pasta Bowls by Italian Artisans

These bowls are handmade by local Italian artisans that are employed to hand paint each individual pasta bowl or other dinnerware item. They are typically not sold as sets, but are offered as part of collections.

These are most likely your higher priced option that can range from the slightly below $50 to $150 on upwards per piece!

I cannot express enough how incredible these pieces of artwork are!

These are made of ceramic and are usually fairly thick… just like pottery. I’ll show some pictures below and some companies that specialize in these.

The craftsmanship and attention to detail to each individual item is astounding!

In fact, some companies are so specialized and custom, that they create their bowls or other kitchenware items on a per order basis! I find it wonderful that in a world of mass-production manufacturing that the Italians still use local craftsmen to design and create these amazing Italian ceramic bowls.

Modigliani from Umbria

Modigliani has a wide variety of styles, in their dinnerware collections. All handmade and handpainted from Italy. They are located in the region of Umbria in Italy.

Companies like Modigliani will often include a Certificate of Authenticity that accompanies each handmade Italian collection they offer such as shown by Modigliani below.

As I mentioned above, many handmade and painted pieces are offered as part of a dinnerware collection. Sometimes these collections or sets are limited while others are not.

Here is a picture of the Rosso Collection that Modigliani produces. There are more pieces than what is shown, you can view the entire collection on Amazon where they also have an online storefront.

[button link=”https://amzn.to/2QzDVby” type=”big”] SEE THE MODIGLIANI COLLECTION HERE![/button]

At the time of this writing each of the pieces below average about $20 a piece. Prices are subject to change so make sure to check the price on each item.

To give a sense of variety, here is another more modern Italian plate (not necessarily a “bowl”) that is part of the POP Collection, also by Modigliani. This plate at the time of this writing (and subject to change) on Amazon was $27.

I could literally paste pictures of their collections but there are so many to choose from and all of them are gorgeous! I recommend visiting their Amazon storefront to see all the collections.

But I’ll paste ONE more! This collection is called Sogno Toscano (Tuscan Dream). It is a beautiful landscape motif and the collection is huge! It includes even a matching clock! You can also get matching tiles, water jug, canisters and other items for decor or for actual use.

Here’s an oval shaped dinner plate (they call it a plate, even though it resembles a serving size pasta bowl in my opinion), and an example of other pieces in the collection. The plate shown here is listed at the time of this writing at $43.

[button link=”https://amzn.to/2QzDVby” type=”big”] LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? HERE’S MORE![/button]

As you’ll see prices can vary. The more intricate the design is or the quality of the materials, it will naturally increase the price as well.

That leads me to talk about another company that also sells their unique pieces through Amazon.

Ceramiche d’art Parrini From Florence

Take for example, Ceramiche d’art Parrini which has been creating handpainted pasta bowls, plates and dinner sets made in Italy since the late 1970s and you can see the amazing detail below. They also provide the option for customization requests.

Their company is located in Florence, Italy which is in the region of Tuscany.

To give an idea of their attention to detail, here is one of their serving bowls below (top down view and side view). It is $169 at the time of this writing (price subject to change). Dimensions: 11,02 inch x 11,02 inch 3.14 inch height.

[button link=”https://www.amazon.com/s/?k=ceramiche+pasta+bowls=B0191RJ8W8|B019NCWYN6|B01DQTPATC|B01MFC70GW|B01D4Y4EHS&tag=pasta-bowls-20″ type=”big”] SEE MORE CERAMICHE BOWLS AND DINNERWARE HERE![/button]

I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t include another design or two by Ceramiche. This item below includes lemons in their design with the yellow with the, it is absolutely stunning.

The bowl is a small serving bowl approximately 8.66″ x 8.66″. This one at the time of this writing goes for $89.00. I was not able to tell if it was part of a larger colleciton, but you can buy additional items with the same design on Amazon.

ceramiche-lemon-serving-bowl-8.66-inches

beautiful ceramiche italian serving bowl

If you prefer the same design in a larger size bowl, they sell one that is 11.80″ x 10.23″ x 3.14″ here.

Ceramiche D’art Parrini sells a varitey of other dinnerware and decor items such as handmade ceramic spoon rests, appetizer trays, tiles and more absolutely gorgeous pieces of artwork that many people use for decorative purposes instead of serving food.

However, you can use them with food as they are advertised as lead-free and safe for the microwave and dishwasher.

Deruta, Italy & Sicilian Pastaware

Update: Last I checked this vendor was out of stock on many of their items, so I’m keeping them here for awhile in case they soon become available!

Deruta is in Umbria and also produces handmade Italian dinnerware. The Italian Pottery Outlet has a storefront on Amazon where you can view and purchase these amazing pieces of work.

[button link=”https://www.amazon.com/s/?k=modigliani+pasta+bowls=B00YGHBMKA|B00YGI64ZW|B00Y9H59OW|B010PAR7GY|B00Y9H4VLO&tag=pasta-bowls-20″ type=”big”] BUY PASTA BOWLS MADE IN ITALY[/button]

While they don’t list the items by collection name, you have over 100 pieces you can browse through. From geometric as I’m showing below to cute whimsical scenes of workers picking peaches and other scenes and designs.

This bowl shown here is $117 at the time of this writing. Remember that each piece is unique so there may be slight variations in color, brush stroke, etc.

Another hand-painted pasta bowl from Deruta, Italy is the Deruta Raffaellesco Fluted Soup/Pasta Bowl shown below. In the picture it looks like a plate but you can see it is actually more like a bowl. At the time of this writing it was $95.

The Italian Pottery Outlet also features hand painted plates handmade from Palermo, Sicily! They have a nice collection and the prices for these places are about $50 each at the time of this writing. Here is a fun one of grape stompers and a gelato street vendor plus lots more in their Amazon store!

Hand-painted Bowls Will Have Subtle Differences

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing hand-painted pottery of any kind, is that while each piece is individually handcrafted, you will notice differences between each piece, and that means what you receive may not exactly match the original image of the item you found online.

It also means, if you order a set of five handpainted plates, they may not all be 100% identical, perhaps due to a heavier brush stroke, or the artisan had to adjust the color palette.

This is normal and should be expected. It is not a defect!

In fact, this is actually why these pieces are so appreciated and treasured because it only attests to the authentic and unique aspects of handmade items. It also explains why these particular companies are much more expensive than their mass-produced counterparts.

The Difference between Hand-painted/Hand-made/Made in Italy

It is easy to assume that handpainted and made in Italy mean the same thing. However, there are manufacturers of pasta bowls and pasta dinnerware that mass produce from inside Italy, but each piece has a printed design…. even if the printed design is based off an actual painting or hand-drawn piece of art.

[button link=”https://www.amazon.com/s/?k=modigliani+pasta+bowls=B00YGHBMKA|B00YGI64ZW|B00Y9H59OW|B010PAR7GY|B00Y9H4VLO&tag=pasta-bowls-button-20″ type=”big”] BUY PASTA BOWLS MADE IN ITALY[/button]

I’ve had a hard time finding companies the are Italian mass producers of pasta bowls or dinnerware. I’m rather disappointed actually. It’s also common that people may think that if something is labeled, “Italian pasta bowl” that they are by default made in Italy, even if they are not looking for hand-painted ones.

This doesn’t mean they are not great pieces of dinnerware to have or will be less appreciated. But for authentic Italian bowls, you need to make sure they are literally “made in Italy”.

I’ll keep looking and updating this page.

Designs with Words, Scripts, Lemons and Vegetables

A popular favorite among pasta bowl designs are the use of Italian words like pasta or ingredient names, some with or without images inside or around the bowl or along the rim. Even if they aren’t made literally in Italy, the Italian-ness of the design can easily compensate for the lack of origin.

These are typically less expensive and can come in sets under $50. They range from extra large bowls to small bowls to serving bowls.

Words are generally written in Italian, and may be a phrase, or simply words like basilica, aioli, and other typical Italian ingredients.

Rosanna is a company that produces a variety of plates inspired by Italian culture as shown below with pasta themes and veggie themes, they are available on Amazon. Many of their bowls are made of porcelain.

Notice the use of words like pasta, Italy, etc., along with images. This particular set shown below is less than $30 at the time of this writing.

Additionally, just as popular are the use of images of either ingredients found in Italian cooking such as herbs or fruit like lemons or tomatoes, or images of Italian landscapes such as vineyards or even chefs as shown below.

Certified International

Certified International is another popular designer and maker of pasta bowls with a wide range of styles for very affordable pricing. Some of their designs are based off of handpainted designs and are printed, although not handmade individually.

They have some creative and fun designs like this one with Chefs. This set runs a little above $30 at the time of this writing. This set includes an 8″ serving bowl and 4 8″ pasta bowls. I mean, who doesn’t love the overweight jolly Italian chef??!!

Here below is a popular set of 9.5” bowls in a set of 4. This set is made of ceramic and includes four 9″ bowls. It is made of ceramic.

Certified International has a wide selection of various Italian-inspired designs. Here is another set that is beautiful and looks liek a watercolor of Italian scenes and landscapes. It is a set of 4 measuring approx 9″.

Mikasa

Mikasa also has a line of pasta bowls on Amazon with beautiful lemons that gracefully adorn each plate. You can almost smell the fragrance of the lemons just looking at the set! This set includes 4 bowls and a large 13 inch serving bowl.

At the time of this writing, the set was approximately $70. I am not guaranteeing that price, it can change at anytime.

Mikasa Italian pasta bowl set with lemons

I chose to include another image of the bowls, a side view so you can actually see the depth of the smaller individual bowl. These measure 9 inches. I love this size bowl. I wish more companies showed images like this to give the reader a better idea of the depth of the bowl.

Side view of the pasta bowl with lemons by Mikassa

Mikasa also has an olive themed pasta bowl set which I recommend looking at too!

Finding Italian Serving Bowls & Platters From Italy

There are a bunch of pastaware/dinnerware items from Italy as I listed them at the start of this article. However those who do not care for the handpainted designs, may be more concerned with origin, rather than handcrafted in Italy.

Sur La Table (on the table)

I did find that Sur La Table has a Nova Deruta line of pasta bowls and dinnerware that are Made in Italy. But no actual “individual serving pasta bowl” that I could find. I’d recommend confirming with them or seeing it in writing as some designs say “inspired by Tuscany”, and don’t really mention where the actual origin.

But at the time of this writing, the following serving plates and platters were indeed from Italy. So make sure you confirm if origin is important to you.

Here is a round serving platter with dimensions of 18¾” x 14″.

Sur La Table Nova Deruta 12 inch pasta bowl shown below is another favorite. Pasta serving bowls are great for holding large amounts of pasta or even salads!

And here is a matching serving platter from the same collection:

Modern Italian Pasta Bowl Styles

Modern pasta bowls are exactly that… modern. Some of them you’d think should be in the NY MoMA. While these may not look exactly like traditional or authentic pasta bowls, they still have a special place in many kitchens.

These bowls shown below are not made in Italy. Some are from China, but the designs are still beautiful and fun.

These are made by companies such as:

Royal Doulton

This company has numerous multicolor pasta sets as shown in the image below. The pasta bowls are a set of 4 and are 9.1″ in diameter. At the time of this writing, the price was $37.

Royal Doulton used to be made in Britain, but has moved their production on these items at least to China. Regardless of origin, they are still stunning pieces.

Amethya

Here’s another company I recently discovered call Amethya. They have a beautiful stoneware collection of pasta and salad bowls on Amazon as a set of 6! What I like about these bowls are the size which is approximately 10 inches across and a good depth for a bowl of spaghetti!

Here’s an image of this graceful yet modern pasta bowl collection in various colors shown below. Keep in mind these are stoneware, not ceramic.

White Pasta Bowls

I decided to include this as its own category because of its popularity. White pasta bowls can fit either the modern white style that are plain and simple, or for a style that is more of an old-country style.

It also is what a lot of people want to mimic what is often used in Italian restaurants.

Either way, these designs don’t have any words or scripts or images. They are simple and at most will have a textured imprint along the rim giving it its own old-world charm.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. This particular one shown below is by Cozy and Smart a company that uses German materials but are actually made in Russia (go figure!).

Here’s another set of 9.5″ made of porcelain. This comes in a set of 4 which has high reviews on Amazon.

Pasta Bowl Set vs. Individual Items

There are advantages to purchasing actual pasta bowl sets rather than a collection of individual items.

Sets can include Italian plates, bowls or serving dishes, or a combo of all three.

[button link=”https://www.amazon.com/s/?k=italian+pasta+bowls=B00YGHBMKA||B00YGI64ZW|B00Y9H4VLO||B0191RJ8W8||B019NCWYN6||B01D4Y4EHS||B00DLMH5C0|B00CLYHDCG|B00CLYHBUU|B005O9Z89A|B077YQLGKD|B0015MO3DW|B016JR1BRI|B00IYSSA8Y|B075T7JBPG|B075T9D8QR|B07PFZBJ37&tag=pasta-bowls-20″ type=”big”] SEE BEAUTIFUL PASTA BOWLS HERE[/button]

I have found that most sets contain four or five pieces where they may include 4 regular pasta bowls plus a serving bowl. Or all are the same item. So make sure when you are searching for a set of pasta bowls that if you want all pasta bowls that this is exactly what you are getting.

Many people will look to purchase individual plates or bowls, but in the end decide on an actual set which is typically more cost-effective than purchasing the items individually. You may find this the best option for your needs as well.

Italian Pasta Bowls for Wedding, Bridal Gifts or other Special Occasions

Pasta bowl sets can make excellent gifts, especially for those getting married! This is where purchasing a set of Italian dinnerware is another ideal option for bridal or wedding gifts.

Many newlyweds will appreciate not only the Italian themed dinnerware but having an entire set at once is a great way to start off a special marriage.

I have found for special occasions such as birthdays, holidays or anniversaries, the hand painted serving bowls or pasta bowls are always received with gratitude. If the person you are buying them for is unfamiliar with the beauty of handpainted craftsmanship, their appreciation will only be magnified once you fill them in.

I will warn you however, that since many of these handpainted dinnerware items are so stunningly beautiful, don’t be surprised if you notice they are being used as decorative pieces instead of holding a big bowl of pasta for dinner!

Lastly, if you’re purchasing pasta bowls for a gift, consider the personal style of the recipient. A classic all-white elegant design may not be what your friend or relative may enjoy, while a bright mult-colored design may fit their preference perfectly.

Where to Buy?

I have found the best luck at Amazon as there are a number of sellers/merchants that have more than just pasta bowls but entire lines of Italian kitchenware. This includes companies from Italy that have storefronts on Amazon.