24 Types Of Silverware (With Photos)

Also known as cutlery, dishware, household silver, flatware, tableware, and many other names, silverware often generically refers to spoons, forks, knives, and other utensils used for eating. When it comes to stocking your home, restaurant, or hotel with eating utensils, it’s beneficial to know which types of silverware you need and do not need for certain applications.

In simplest terms, silverware can be broken down into four main categories: spoons, forks, knives, and specialty utensils. Though, within these categories, there are numerous variations, including salad forks, dinner forks, dessert forks, table spoons, tea spoons, dessert spoons, soup spoons, dessert knives, butter knives, steak knives, and so much more.

With such a massive variety of eating utensils available, it can be daunting to navigate the many different types of cutlery. However, this guide seeks to outline the types of silverware to help you learn what specific utensils look like, what they’re used for, and which tools you should include in your own collection.

Dissimilar to both spoons and knives, forks are a somewhat modern invention. While they certainly existed during ancient times, they only had two prongs and were used for cooking and serving rather than eating. Forks didn’t start to catch on until improvements in manufacturing made eating utensils more affordable and common among middle- and lower-class folks.

In the 19th century, forks were highly desirable and began featuring three, four, and sometimes even five prongs. Over time, specialized types of forks were created for specific purposes and nowadays there are nearly countless variations. To help simplify your options, here are some of the most common types of forks and their associated applications:

Salad forks are among the most common types of forks that you’ll find in all kinds of restaurants. If you’ve ever studied proper table etiquette, you may be aware that these forks are commonly used for the first course of a meal – for salads and/or appetizers. When compared to dinner forks, salad forks look similar but are slightly smaller. They are usually between six and eight inches long.

You’ll typically see salad forks alongside a dinner fork and a table knife in most sit-down dining settings. These forks are often characterized by a wide head with four tines, though three-tined options are available as well. In many cases, salad forks are manufactured with reinforced outer tines that have a flat edge for cutting through tough vegetables.

As the name suggest, dinner forks are usually reserved for the main course of a meal. Though, if smaller courses light tapas or a light fare are provided, a smaller type of fork may be used in place of a conventional dinner fork. Regardless, you’ll find dinner forks pretty much anywhere in the world where food is served and eaten on-site.

A dinner fork typically measures between seven and nine inches long, featuring a slim, rectangular head that is designed for spearing bites of food instead of cutting or scooping. They are often manufactured with four prongs of virtually equal thickness, but you may find some three-prong designs. Dinner forks are used alongside table knives to cut the food, as this type of fork is not intended to be used for cutting purposes.

Dessert forks are available in a wide array of styles and sizes. You’ll usually see these forks in mid-range to upscale restaurants. A dessert fork may be narrow or wide, featuring sturdy or delicate prongs, depending on the specific dessert that’s being served. They are generally smaller than dinner forks, measuring between 6.5 and 7.5 inches long.

Berry forks, cake forks, ice cream forks, and pastry forks can all be considered types of dessert forks. This type of fork may have three or four prongs in varying thickness and sharpness. For instance, berry forks have thin, sharp tines for spearing fruit and cake forks usually have three tines and a sturdier construction.

In casual environments, a lunch or salad fork may stand in for a dessert fork to reduce the amount of silverware that is needed and washed.

Oyster forks, on the other hand, have a very unique appearance. In addition to oysters, as their name suggests, these forks are often used for pickles and garnishes. They are small forks that range in size from five to six inches long, with small heads and sharp tines that are designed to spear through slippery food items.

These forks ordinarily have a shorter, slenderer handle that matches the head and makes it easier to eat things like olives, oysters, and other small bites of food. Oyster forks can commonly be seen in cocktail bars, upscale establishments, seafood joints, and charcuterie restaurants. In a luxury dining setting, an oyster fork is positioned to the right of the diner and is the farthest utensil on the table.

Oyster forks, crab forks, lobster forks, snail forks, and fish forks are all forms of seafood forks. Each variation has unique characteristics that complement a specific application. For example, both lobster and crab forks are narrow and long with only two small tines. These tines are sharp and slightly curved for digging into the small crevices of lobster and crab shells. Snail forks also usually have two tines, but their pointed tips are straighter and longer so they can reach far into snail shells.

Finally, fish forks look similar to dinner forks, but they are wider and have a square shaped head. They also commonly feature a beveled outer prong that is designed to slide beneath small fish bones to separate them from the meat.

Larger than any other forks on this list, serving forks measure between eight and 13 inches in length. They are not intended for eating, and are instead designed for scooping or spearing food off of a serving platter and then transporting it to the diner’s plate. Once the food is placed on the plate, the serving fork is returned to the serving platter.

Serving forks typically feature a large, square head with three or four wide, flat tines. Some variations have stamped designs or decorative cutouts on the head of the fork. Meat serving forks, however, feature two, sharp tines and have a more decorative look. Since all guests at a table use the same serving fork, these forks should never be placed in anyone’s mouth.

The only purpose of a serving fork is to move food from a dish, basket, or platter to one’s own plate.

Spoons can be distinguished by their curved head and shallow, rounded bowl. Most often used for consuming soft, gooey, or liquid-based foods like soup, chili, oatmeal, pudding, ice cream, and cereal, spoons can also be used for any type of food that cannot be easily scooped up using a fork. Such foods include quinoa, rice, beans, couscous, lentils, and the like.

Like knives, spoons have been in use for dining for approximately the last 8,000 years or so – before dining tables were even a thing. Today, there are a surplus of spoon options available for a variety of applications. To help shed some light on the subject, here are some of the most common:

Also known as the dinner spoons, table spoons are the most common form of spoon other there. Measuring between seven and nine inches long, these spoons are designed for handling large mouthfuls of food. Their size is intended to match a plate and dinner fork. These spoons feature a wide, shallow bowl that is oval or teardrop with a narrowed tip for digging into soft foods.

Table spoons are commonly used for the majority of eating tasks and are typically placed to the immediate right of the plate on a dinner table. They are used at pretty much every public eating establishment, from coffee shops, diners, and quick-serve restaurants, to more upscale, luxury dining experiences.

Smaller than table spoons, most tea spoons measure between 5.5 and 6.5 inches long. Though delicate, these spoons are still strong enough for daily use and multipurpose applications. As the name indicates, tea spoons were originally used for stirring honey, sugar, and milk into hot cups of tea.

These spoons consist of medium-sized, shallow bowls and are often used for more precise tasks like eating small food portions or stirring beverages. Although they are slightly less common than table spoons, tea spoons can be found at numerous sit-down establishments – ranging from upscale to casual. They are also often used in place of dessert spoons in casual venues.

As the name indicates, bouillon spoons are meant to be used for eating light soups such as bouillon and broth. The bowls are heavily rounded, almost circular, and slightly deeper than conventional table spoons. Their design allows them to hold more liquid, while the shape helps enhance the color and flavor of the soup being consumed.

Most bouillon spoons measure between 5.5 and seven inches long. As these spoons are exclusively used for liquids, they lack a tip and will not work well with foods like rice, stew, chili, or mashed potatoes. Bouillon spoons are usually not placed on dining tables and, instead, are brought out with a specific course and removed afterwards.

Reserved for use with small, sophisticated espresso, coffee, or demitasse cups, demitasse spoons are smaller and more delicate than most other spoons on this list. They are usually around four to 5.5 inches long and are commonly used for spooning cappuccino froth. These spoons add a nice touch of elegance when serving coffee, espresso, hot chocolate, and even alcohol at upscale food service locations.

Though, demitasse spoons are too small to be used for efficient eating. For this reason, you likely will not see them in casual establishments and if you don’t regularly enjoy small cups of beverages like espresso or coffee, you probably don’t need them in your home.

Longer than tea spoon but shorter than an iced tea spoon, dessert spoons measure between 6.5 and 7.5 inches long. Styles can vary but most feature medium-sized, teardrop-shaped bowls with rounded tips that are intended for scooping up small bites of ice cream, custard, pudding, or cobbler. Desserts like cake or pastries are instead used with a dessert fork.

In casual settings, you likely won’t be able to tell the difference between a tea spoon and a dessert spoon. However, in upscale restaurants and at fancy dinner parties, a dessert spoon is placed alongside a table spoon and tea spoon. In fact, in terms of length and bowl size, dessert spoons fall between both of these.

Iced tea spoons are a type of specialized spoon style that are easily recognizable by their small, teardrop-shaped bowl and long, skinny handle. These spoons may be used for eating sundaes and parfaits, but are commonly used for stirring glasses of iced beverages.

Since most other spoon types are too short to reach the bottom of a traditional glass, ice tea spoons can come in handy. They are often found at coffee shops, diners, delis, bistros, and even upscale restaurants. Though, for fast food and self-serve settings, long, thin stir sticks are used instead of iced tea spoons.

Ranging in size from six to eight inches long, soup spoons have a characteristic bowl that is deeper and wider than a standard table spoon. The rounded shape enables eating from the front and the sides. These spoons are designed for holding hot liquid food without dripping or spilling off the edge.

Like demitasse and bouillon spoons, most soup spoons lack a tip since they aren’t used for digging into semi-solid or solid foods. This type of spoon is not meant to be used with a specific type of soup. In casual settings, soup spoons are often used for pretty much any kind of liquid-based food item on the menu including step, soup, chili, cream soup, bouillon, and chowder.

Asian soup spoons are found at Asian style restaurants that serve any sort of soup, whether it’s miso, ramen, or the like. They have a unique shape with an elongated flat-bottom bowl that is sometimes as long as the handle. The handles may be curved or straight, while some feature a slightly hooked tip.

These spoons measure between five and six inches long and are often made of china or plastic. The large bowl allows users to both sip soup and scoop up dumplings and wontons at the same time.

Table knives consist of a variety of different types of knives, exclusively used for eating purposes. Most modern styles of knives feature blunt, rounded types, which came into style after King Louis XIV banned pointed knives at dinner tables to hopefully prevent knife violence. Eventually being imported to the American colonies, these types of knives have been a long-standing tradition in the United States.

With pointed knife bans a thing of the past, there are a couple of variations with pointed tips. However, most modern table knives have blunt tips and fairly dull edges. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most common types of table knives available:

As the name suggests, butter knives were traditionally used for butter. Though, they make an excellent tool for spreading virtually any topping on biscuits, rolls, and other forms of bread. These knives have an exceptionally wide, rounded blade with a tip that is almost circular. Most models are shorter than dessert and dinner knives.

They usually have a decorative appearance, with stamped or embossed designs on the handle. Though not usually found in fast food settings, butter knives are common in diners, fast-casual, and upscale eateries, as well as in the home.

Often mistaken for butter knives, dinner knives are also known as table knives. They feature a blunt blade and rounded tip, though some styles may have a more pointed or serrated blade. Regardless, these knives are not as sharp as steak knives. Dinner knives resemble dessert knives but are more durable.

In settings where a single knife is given with a meal, a dinner knife is the most common choice. Though, if you steak, pork chops, or chicken is served, a steak knife may be provided instead.

A steak knife is a very common type of table knife that you’ll see at steakhouses, as well as semi-casual to upscale restaurants. They usually measure between eight and 10 inches long, with a blade that is longer than the handle. The handle itself is often riveted and may be made out of plastic or wood, while the blade edge may be smooth or serrated.

These knives are available with rounded or sharp tips and are considered to be the sharpest type of all table knives. In terms of appearance, steak knives are very utilitarian looking but there are decorative options for fine dining settings.

While some cheese knives are sharp and feature a pointed tip like steak knives, they are usually not serrated and are much smaller. They range in length from as short as five inches to as long as 14 inches. A type of cheese knife, known as a planer, resembles a pie server with thin edges and a dull blade designed for cutting soft cheeses. Whereas, the planing edge is sharper and Is used for planing thin slices from large blocks of hard cheese.

Other forms of cheese knives feature a curved, scimitar-style blade that may or may not have a double-pointed tip for spearing through cheeses. You usually won’t find these knives at a typical place setting or in a knife set. Instead, they are most commonly seen in banquet and fine dining environments, as well as anywhere that serves charcuterie plates.