13 Picnic Essentials To Make Your Al Fresco Dining Deliciously Chic

Photo: Courtesy Of Togo Sun

Picnic season is officially here. Get around it with these stylish, Instagram-worthy outdoor eating essentials – from handwoven rugs and nifty portable platters to playful plate sets and a bag to pack it all in.

Words by Sanam Goodman And Simone Richardson · Updated on 23 Feb 2025 · Published on 23 Jan 2025

Peek Neek Chocolate and Burrata Thicky rug

$249

Crafted from handwoven yarn made from recycled plastic bottles and produced by a family-owned weaving business in India, Peek Neek’s Thicky rug is spill- and stain-resistant and deliciously stylish. The best bit? The rugs are soft enough to use indoors, perfect for a floor party when the weather isn’t on your side.

Buy at Peek Neek

Hommey napkins (set of four)

$25

Aptly named Picnic Stripes, the abstract textile design of these funky napkins is calling out for grub-filled park hangs. Crafted from 100 per cent organic cotton, it feels buttery soft to touch but also comes in handy for any wipes, spills and tears shed from laughing too much.

Buy at Hommey

Togo Sun outdoor platter

$89

Have your platter and eat it too with Torquay label Togo Sun’s food-grade silicone outdoor platter. It’s got ample sections to fill with all your favourite picnic nibblies and comes with a handy organic bamboo lid that doubles as a chopping board and extra serving space. Available in two retro colourways.

Buy at Togo Sun

Winestains picnic stake

$45

Don’t trust the precious contents of your wineglass to uneven turf. Shove in a picnic stake from Adelaide-based label Winestains and let the clever holder keep it safe instead. Handcrafted from recycled wine barrels, each trusty stake comes with a special postcard telling you all about its winery of origin.

Buy at August and Alvina

Kip & Co Golden Marble enamel plate set

$29

Melbourne homewares label Kip & Co knows a thing or two about stylish dining, and this enamel plate set is no different. Add a swirl of colour to your picnic with these blush pink plates – easy to eat off and clean. But if bowls are what you’re after, there are a few sizes to choose from too.

Buy at Kip & Co

Fieldbar drinks box

$249

The Fieldbar drinks box is your chic sidekick to summer arvos. Fill it with aperitifs, tinnies or even your favourite sparkling (with 50 hours of “champagne cold” performance) so you don’t have to skip on bar-quality bevvies on the grass. Choose from six stylish colours strapped with a leather handle for comfortable carrying.

Buy at Fieldbar

Huski wine cooler

$85

The classy cousin of the humble stubby holder, this stainless steel wine cooler from Kiwi brand Huski is a picnic necessity. It fits just about every wine and champagne bottle, keeping it cool for up to six hours. That means no more outings cut short by warm drinks.

Buy at Huski

Indigo Love Flemington jug

$45

Picnics are for kicking back, not clocking on. Bulk-mix your spicy Margarita or Pimms cocktail – or let your H ₂ O infuse with mint and lemon – in an artful vintage-inspired jug. If amber’s not your vibe, the South Australian homewares label has pink, green, clear and blue alternatives with matching tumblers, wine and Martini glasses aplenty.

Buy at Aura Home

Sage & Clare Nisha Terry tote bag

$69

Spills and condensation fear not: lush terry towelling is the (absorbent) secret to lugging around your picnic goodies. Aussie boho-chic label Sage & Clare designs a choice of Palm and Rosewater hues for a fresh and summery take on the standard park tote.

Buy at Sage & Clare

Harris Farm Markets guacamole and chips kit

$20

What’s an al fresco soiree without chips and dip? If you’re in Queensland or NSW (and soon the ACT), the family-owned Harris Farm Markets has put together everything you need to make the holy guacamole of dips, plus organic scoopers to chow it down with, of course.

Buy at Harris Farm Markets

Finska outdoor throwing game

$70

In between all the feasting and yapping, could a game of Finnish skittles be on the cards? Finska is the Aussie label bringing ancient Nordic log-tossing to the southern hemisphere. Each piece is made from eco-friendly birch – and celebrates the timeless nature of games that travel across generations.

Buy at Planet Finska

Zorali insulated can cooler

$35

Bid disappointingly warm sips adieu with this cool and compact stubby holder from Aussie hiking label Zorali. There are two muted hues to choose from so you can blend into earth-toned surroundings – and its double-insulated wall means ice-cold tipples whatever the weather.

Buy at Zorali

Styleware Entertainer gift pack

$69

Love bringing fancy salads to your picnics? You can’t look past the “toss and serve” Entertainer set from Styleware – Perth-based purveyor of sophisticated food containers and accessories. Made in Australia with non-toxic plastic, this chic duo is dishwasher-, fridge- and freezer-friendly.

Buy at Aura Home

A version of this article first appeared in Domain Review, in partnership with Broadsheet.

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