While there’s no singular quality that makes a great dinner plate, you know when you have ... or something lighter, like porcelain? Do you want a matte finish or a shiny one?

Plates in this pattern usually go for around $30 per dinner plate. A metallic glaze gives these Noritake porcelain dishes an iridescent effect that became popular in Europe in the late 19th century.

We talked to a pasta expert about his favorite pasta bowls, and he recommended these Manoir soup plates from Villeroy & Boch.