Mosaic Fig Dinner Plates, Set of Four

27cm is standard dinner plate size. These are for eating off.

They are proper dinner plates, not chargers or display pieces. 27cm is the standard size for a main course, so they slot straight into a cupboard alongside what you already have.

All four carry the same design. A single mosaic image repeated, which is what makes them read as a set on a laid table rather than as four unrelated plates.

3.2kg for four means about 800g each, which is substantial for a dinner plate. That weight is characteristic of stoneware and it is why they feel solid rather than flimsy.

They stack normally and go in the dishwasher, so there is no reason to keep them for best.

The mosaic is drawn tessera by tessera, not as a flat illustration of one.

Look closely and every individual tile is rendered separately, with the irregular edges, varying tones and slightly uneven grout lines of a real mosaic floor. The cream ground is laid in concentric rings of tesserae radiating outward, which is exactly how a Roman floor mosaic was set.

The subject is a fig branch: two deeply lobed leaves either side of a central stem, with a whole fig and a cut one showing its red interior. Figs and fig leaves are among the commonest motifs in Roman and Byzantine floor work, so the reference is genuine rather than decorative shorthand.

The palette is restrained, dark olive and slate for the leaves, terracotta and deep plum for the fruit, with flecks of ochre and sage through the foliage. All against a warm cream that keeps the whole thing quiet.

That restraint is why the design survives a meal. A busy plate disappears under food and looks cluttered without it. This one has a clear cream border and enough space around the motif that it reads either way.

• Every tessera drawn individually, with real mosaic irregularity
• A genuine Roman motif, figs and fig leaves as used in classical floor work
• Concentric tesserae radiating out from the centre, as a real floor was laid
• A restrained palette that does not compete with what is on the plate
• Food, dishwasher and microwave safe, so they get used rather than saved
• 27cm standard dinner size, fitting straight into an existing cupboard
• Substantial stoneware at around 800g each
• Good enough to display, on a shelf or a plate rack between meals

These are the pattern on the table. Plain linen, plain glassware and simple serveware around them, so the mosaic is the only thing asking for attention.

Four patterned plates and four plain ones in a matching cream makes a table of eight look collected rather than bought as a set of eight. It is also cheaper.

The design works best under food that leaves the rim clear. Anything served in the centre of the plate rather than spread across it.

On an open shelf or in a plate rack, face out. A plate with a design this considered has no reason to be stacked face down in a cupboard.

The olive in the leaves or the terracotta in the fruit, picked up once in a napkin or a serving bowl. Once, not three times.

Dishwasher safe, which is the main reason a set like this gets used rather than saved for guests. Standard cycle, nothing unusual required.

Microwave safe for reheating. Stoneware holds heat, so a plate out of the microwave will be hotter than the food on it.

Not for oven or hob. Dinner plates rather than cookware.

Avoid sudden temperature changes. Do not take a plate from the fridge straight under a hot grill, which is how any fired ceramic cracks.

Use the right cutlery. A serrated steak knife dragged across any glazed plate will eventually leave grey metal marks. They lift with a little bicarbonate paste, but a smoother blade avoids them.

Stack with care, or put a cloth between them if they are stored stacked for long periods. Stoneware rims chip against each other.

The set ships packed together for ceramic. Current timescales and charges are set out on our delivery page.

Need more than four for a larger table? Ask us. Reach us via our contact page or live chat.

If they are not right, our returns process is straightforward, and everything is covered by our guarantees and warranties.

Our price match promise stands if you find the same piece for less elsewhere. Fitting out a restaurant or a holiday let? Ask about trade accounts.