The Café Cutlery range reflects the specific service format of cafés and bars — focused on serving coffee, tea and desserts with an emphasis on elegance and functionality. The café sector is increasingly paying attention to table setting details, as coffee culture becomes more sophisticated and guests have higher expectations for the aesthetics of the service.
Coffee and tea spoons
Coffee spoons are the most frequently used tableware in a café — they are used for serving espresso, cappuccino, latte and other coffee drinks. Coffee spoons are usually smaller than tea spoons (approximately 11–13 cm in length) with a smaller bowl, suitable for the proportions of narrow espresso cups. Tea spoons are slightly larger (13–15 cm) and suitable for tea cups and larger latte or cappuccino formats.
Café spoons are often made from stainless steel with a mirror-polished or matte finish, or an electropolished surface. Vintage and decorative series with ornaments and coloured handles, which suit a stylised interior, are also popular.
Dessert forks
Dessert forks are indispensable in cafés that offer patisserie products, cakes, ice cream and other desserts. A café dessert fork is usually smaller than a main course fork — approximately 15–17 cm in length with 3–4 tines. Patisserie forks with wider side tines are designed for eating cakes and pastries.
Cake knives and servers
Cake knives with a rounded tip and serrated or straight blade offer an aesthetically appealing and practical solution for eating cakes and desserts. Cake servers allow the host to elegantly cut and serve slices of cake and pies in front of the guest. These details enhance the perceived quality of the service.
Long service life and durability
The usage intensity of café cutlery is high — a coffee cup with a spoon can be used up to 100 times a day in a large café. For this reason, professional café items are made from 18/10 stainless steel, which withstands intensive dishwasher cycles without losing colour or showing signs of corrosion. Lower-quality café items quickly lose their shine and develop corrosion spots, which negatively affects the impression of the service class.
Assembling cutlery sets
Café cutlery should be ordered with sufficient reserve — in most cafés, items are in circulation and washed several times a day, so approximately three times the quantity is needed relative to the number of tables in use at the same time. It is advisable to keep items from the same style series so that inventory can be replenished without visual discrepancies in case of replacements.
Style coordination
The style of café cutlery should be coordinated with the overall concept of the cups, dessert dishes and table setting. The minimalist Scandinavian style requires smooth, matte or mirror-polished items without ornaments. Vintage and English tea houses choose decorative series with arabesques, rosettes or gold details. Modern specialty cafés often opt for dark or black items, which contrast with white porcelain cups.
Portion spoons and measuring scoops
Portion spoons and measuring scoops are specialised café items that ensure precise portioning of sugar or condensed milk. A standard coffee portion spoon holds two to three millilitres, which is one espresso portion of sugar. Brass or stainless steel measuring tools add to the aesthetics of the service and promote a positive impression of the company’s attention to detail.
Coffee utensil set
A complete coffee utensil set includes a coffee spoon, dessert fork, cake server and sugar stick or stirrer. A set of items from the same series creates a harmonious ensemble during table service, demonstrating professionalism. Cafés planning to expand their service range should ensure that the chosen series is in continuous production and not a limited edition.
Marking and inventory tracking of items
Café cutlery items are small and at high risk of loss — they can fall, get lost or be accidentally discarded with food. Regular inventory helps monitor the condition of the items and replenish reserves in a timely manner. It is recommended for cafés to keep at least one and a half times more items than the maximum number of seats to ensure sufficient circulation during the washing cycle.
Tea culture utensils
Cafés specialising in tea service use additional utensils — tea strainer spoons, tea bag holders, dessert plates and tea spoons with decorative elements. A high-class tea house offers a much wider range of utensils than a standard café, as different types of tea have corresponding serving traditions. Cafés are increasingly offering a complete tea culture service.
Wear and replacement of items
Café cutlery wears out with intensive use — spoons start to show scratches, lose their shine or develop stains that no longer wash off. Such items should be immediately removed from circulation, as reduced aesthetics lower the perceived quality of the service. Coffee spoons are the most frequently worn out, as they are used the most. Regular planned replacement is more cost-effective than replacing individual items one by one.
Purchasing and ordering
When ordering café cutlery, it is important to choose one supplier or brand to ensure visual consistency across the entire inventory. Some manufacturers offer an open series system, where items can be replenished for several years without design changes. Before purchasing, it is advisable to order a sample set and test the items in a real service situation.
Café utensils and aesthetics
The style of the café interior and the design of the tableware are interconnected — together they create the visual identity of the dining experience. In a modern specialty café, a mirror-polished steel or matte metal spoon looks good on a wooden table. In a classic café with a marble table, an elegant silver-finished cutlery series with decorative ornaments looks best.
Why choose BHS?
BHS – Baltic HoReCa Solutions supplies professional equipment for restaurants, cafés, hotels and canteens: more than 20,000 products from many manufacturers. Our specialists help you choose the right equipment and spare parts for your kitchen or bar.
Delivery
We deliver across the European Union. Delivery time and cost depend on the order volume and destination — contact the BHS team for an exact price and lead time.
