For centuries, the romantic notion of dining outside has captivated people around the world. The Parisians take their morning coffee perched at cafe tables on the sidewalks. The Malaysians slurp laksa at outdoor hawker centers, and the English flock to pubs for a pint at picnic tables. Americans are no exception. We love to dine al fresco.
While you can eat outside at many restaurants, there’s something magical about a picnic. Packing a basket full of your favorite picnic foods, cheese and wine, and then heading out into nature to find the perfect place to lay down your blanket sounds like a dream but can become a quick reality with the proper tools.
One of the most important things you need to make a picnic is a picnic basket. Such a basket should hold:
- Food
- Utensils
- Plates
- Glasses
- Wine or other bottled drink
- Bottle opener
- Other miscellaneous accessories like a corkscrew, blanket or cutting board
These baskets should also be easy to carry to your intended picnic spot.
If you don’t already have a viable basket at home, we’ve rounded up the 14 best picnic baskets available. Read on to discover the right choice for your next outdoor dining adventure.
1. Picnic Time Piccadilly Willow Picnic Basket
BEST OVERALL
The Picnic Time Piccadilly Willow Picnic Basket has everything you need to make a picnic for a group of two. The set includes two plates, cutlery, a corkscrew, two glasses and a natural wicker basket. In addition, the basket is fully lined with a checked polyester patterned fabric for protection and style. Plus, it features compartments for the different contents you need to carry. But, perhaps the best parts of this basket, are the leatherette accents for holding everything in place and the roll-up silverware holder.
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2. California Picnic Store Woodchip Basket
BEST VALUE
You don’t always need dozens of bells and whistles in a picnic basket. Sometimes, you just need a solid basket to fill with your own utensils and culinary creations. If that’s the case, consider the California Picnic Store Woodchip Basket. Woven from natural woodchip, this basket features strong, movable handles as well as a gingham pattern liner for style and to protect your basket from food or drink spills. Plus, when you’re not using this basket for transporting food, you could also use it for storage or display around the house.
3. Olli Ella Mini White & Brown Rattan Picnic Basket
BEST MINI
For small picnics or simply transporting snacks while you’re on the go, the Olli Ella Mini White & Brown Rattan Picnic Basket does the job and looks amazing at the same time. This basket is handwoven from rattan and available in several different colors. It was designed with kids in mind by the two sisters who founded Olli Ella. They use sustainable materials to create useful items from classic designs with a hint of childhood whimsy thrown in.
4. Allcamp Outdoor Gear Picnic Basket
BEST NON-WICKER
Whether you don’t like the wicker look or you prefer to picnic in modern settings (like your kid’s soccer game, for example), the Allcamp Outdoor Gear Picnic Basket is the ideal companion. This original design features a flexible, aluminum frame with a rugged, polyester canvas around the outside as well as a moveable handle. The set includes two ice packs to keep your food and drink cool. Plus, it can fold down flat when not in use. In other words, this basket is a modern take on the traditional woven ones that take up so much room for something you only occasionally use.
5. True Metro Wine Tote
BEST TOTE
Sometimes all you need is wine. That’s why the True Metro Wine Tote keeps things simple by providing everything you need to enjoy a bottle of wine on the go but not much more. The insulated tote has a top-carrying handle and space for two bottles inside. Alternatively, carry one bottle and a few snacks where the second bottle should go. On the front, a front-opening compartment holds two glasses, two napkins, a corkscrew and a bottle stopper. As an added bonus, this tote is available in eight different color combinations from all black to lime green.
6. Picnic Time Blue & White Stripe Picnic Basket
MOST TRADITIONAL
If you’re looking for a picnic basket that makes you feel like you’re living out a French fairytale, the Picnic Time Blue & White Stripe Picnic Basket is the choice for you. Imagine loading up this basket with your favorite picky foods, a baguette, a bottle of wine and a picnic blanket, then throwing it over your arm as you walk through the meadow to the perfect picnic spot. The simple yet well designed basket features a split lid, so accessing all your goodies is simple, even when you’re hungry. And, it has a removable lining so that you can easily clean up any accidental spills after your picture perfect picnic.
7. Willow Picnic Basket Set for 2
BEST DESIGN
The design details of the Willow Picnic Basket Set make it as beautiful as it is functional. The woven willow basket boasts a fabric lining, leather straps and gorgeous, silver-plated hardware. The hinged lid is even held in place by the leather straps to prevent any accidental spillage during transportation. In addition, the basket comes with a premium picnic set of two wine glasses, two knives, two forks, two spoons, two napkins, two plates, salt and pepper shakers and a corkscrew. Furthermore, the 15-by-11-inch basket can hold all of that plus your food and drink with ease.
8. ONIVA Mickey Mouse Moreno Wine and Cheese Tote
BEST NOVELTY
We don’t know what the rules are at Walt Disney these days on bringing food and beverage into the park, but now you can take Mickey Mouse with you every time you dine outdoors thanks to the ONIVA Mickey Mouse Morena Wine and Cheese Tote. This cute back includes everything you need for a romantic outing, such as a cutting board, a cheese knife and a corkscrew. Inside the insulated bag, there are three compartments that are ideal for carrying three bottles of wine or a combination of wine and picnic foods.
9. Picnic Time Corsica Insulated Wine Basket
BEST FOR WINE
The elegant yet classic design of the Picnic Time Corsica Insulated Wine Basket makes it ideal for picnicking anywhere you might be seen, like at a polo match, at a social event or in the park. The set includes the wicker basket, a corkscrew, a cutting board and a cheese knife. In addition, the basket boasts two divided compartments to hold two wine bottles or other bottled beverages. We recommend filling the basket with cheeses and fruits of your choice and grabbing a bottle of wine for a romantic date with this picnic accessory on your arm.
10. INNO STAGE Wicker Picnic Basket for Four
BEST SET FOR 4
Escape reality on a vintage-inspired retreat with the INNO STAGE Wicker Picnic Basket for Four. This willow basket features a flip-top lid, a fully-lined interior and leather straps to keep everything in place. It also comes with four plates, four wine glasses, four cutlery sets, salt and pepper shakers and one stainless steel corkscrew. If you’re looking for a wedding or anniversary present, this picnic basket is a great option.
11. Sunflora Picnic Backpack
BEST BACKPACK
Carrying a picnic basket on your arm isn’t always practical, especially if you need to take a longer walk to your picnic site. For such instances, having a picnic basket, like the Sunflora Picnic Backpack which you can carry on your back, is ideal. This backpack comes with everything you need to throw a picnic for four people, including four dinnerware sets, a fleece blanket and a wine carrier. There’s even a cutting board, a cheese knife and a bottle opener. As an added bonus, the bag is also temperature controlled thanks to a custom lining that maintains both warm and cold temperatures for longer than normal wicker baskets.
12. MikelCustoms Picnic Basket Wine Carrier and Table
BEST BUILT-IN TABLE
Sometimes, eating off a blanket on the ground isn’t the best idea. The MikelCustoms Picnic Basket Wine Carrier and Table solves this problem by including a built-in table. The 16-by 18-inch wooden table top is actually the basket in disguise as it’s formed by flipping the basket upside-down and folding the sides out. This picnic basket doesn’t come with cutlery or dishes, but it can be customized to include a name or a logo. This is a great solution for outdoor concerts or events when you want to have a nice meal but can’t carry around an entire table.
13. Picnic at Ascot Original Insulated Picnic Cooler
BEST COOLER
Perhaps the most unique picnic basket on our list in terms of shape, the Picnic at Ascot Original Insulated Picnic Cooler dazzles with its soft cooler. The made-in-the-USA basket opens at the top to reveal a large, insulated space that acts as a cooler under the sturdy top carrying handles and the over-the-shoulder strap. Inside the fold-down panel on the front, the basket comes with four melamine plates, four cotton napkins, four wine glasses, four sets of flatware, a corkscrew, salt and pepper shakers and a cutting board. This picnic set also includes a pass-through option for bottles, so you don’t have to open the entire cooler just to get out a fresh beverage.
14. Picnic Time Windsor Picnic Basket
BEST SPLURGE
You can think of the Windsor Picnic Basket as the Swiss Army Knife of picnics. That’s because it has everything you’ll ever need to host a delightful picnic, except for the food, of course. The basket comes with four plates, four wine glasses, four cutlery sets, a cheese knife, a corkscrew, two food storage containers, salt and pepper shakers, a cutting board, a wine duffel and a picnic blanket to match. The basket itself is adorned with a plush corduroy interior and genuine leather straps. It also boasts a suitcase-like handle for convenient carrying.
Everything You Need to Plan a Romantic Picnic With Your Partner