Supermarket porcelain bowls chip the first time your elbow nudges them against the tap, and cheap earthenware absorbs dishwasher water until the bottom grows mould. Fired at 1,180°C on the Portuguese Atlantic coast, Costa Nova’s poke bowls are pressed from 90% recycled stoneware clay that shrugs off daily abuse.
The Costa Nova poke bowl set is a six-piece collection of 18-centimetre wide-rim bowls handcrafted in Vagos, Portugal from Ecogres – a proprietary stoneware clay formulated from recycled factory ceramic waste and local natural sediment. Vitrified in single-firing kilns, the bowls feature an unglazed tactile exterior base and six distinct matte interior glazes.
Although the name “poke bowl” comes from Hawaii, a wide, shallow ceramic bowl is really the most practical vessel for how Europeans actually eat on a weekday evening – warm grains, roasted root vegetables, broth, pasta, or salad eaten with a single fork.
Made near the fishing village of Costa Nova do Prado, these bowls bring authentic Atlantic texture into our guide to Mediterranean kitchen design trends and ideas as well as our vintage European kitchen essentials.
Portuguese Ecogres stoneware vs standard earthenware & bone china
| Tableware material | Chip & scratch resistance | Water absorption | Thermal versatility |
| Costa Nova Ecogres stoneware | Very high (vitrified at 1,180°C; resists steel cutlery marks) | < 0.5% (completely non-porous; never gets heavy in the dishwasher) | Oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe |
| Low-fired earthenware | Low (edges chip easily when stacked) | High (absorbs moisture through unglazed foot rings) | Prone to crazing and cracking in hot ovens |
| Fine porcelain / bone china | Brittle under direct impact | Non-porous | Loses heat quickly on the dining table |
Tactile grip and compact cupboard stacking
What makes this specific set pleasant to hold is the contrast between the two surfaces. The outside of the bowl leaves the raw, sandy Ecogres clay exposed so it never slips in wet hands, while the inside is sealed in satin-matte coastal colours (ocean blues, sea salt white, and warm terracotta).
Despite their heavy visual presence, the foot rings are recessed so all six bowls stack into a single 16-centimetre column in a small cupboard.
- Origin: Portugal (crafted in Vagos, Aveiro district)
- Dimensions: 18 cm (Diameter) × 6.7 cm (Height) – Capacity: 810 ml per bowl
- Material: 90%+ recycled Ecogres stoneware clay (reclaimed kiln heat manufacturing)
This Costa Nova poke bowl stoneware set is also available on Amazon.
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