Choosing the best and most romantic picnic basket for two can be difficult.
That’s why we’ve all the research for you and put together a list with the most romantic, practical and beautiful picnic baskets out there.
Picnic baskets are perfect for dates, Valentine’s Day, Weddings, Anniversaries, and any other special occasions.
They also make wonderful and thoughtful gifts for couples.
In this article, we cover our top picks: from budget-friendly to luxury options.
We also included some backpacks and soft coolers. Even though they don’t look as attractive as the classic willow baskets, one thing is sure: they’re practical, easy-to-carry, lightweight, and often better insulated.
PS: If you’re interested to see more options, check our latest article on the best picnic baskets available on the market here.
- Key Features To Look For:
- Best Picnic Baskets for Two | Our Picks
- 1. Picnic Time Picadilly
- 2. Picnic Time Canterbury English Style
- 3. Picnic at Ascot Cheshire English-Style
- 4. Barrel Picnic Basket by Picnic Time
- 5. Picnic at Ascot Insulated Cooler
- 6. Picnic Time Heart Willow Deluxe
- 7. AO Coolers Canvas
- 8. Vonshef Premium Picnic Outdoor Backpack
- 9. Picnic Time Corsica Insulated Wine Basket
Key Features To Look For:
Accessories And Table Service For Two Are A Huge Plus
If you want to cut prepping time, then a picnic basket with service for two persons will make picnic planning stress-free.
The more accessories, the better. We favorite the models that came with plates, silverware, cutting boards, napkins etc.
Insulation: Keep Food and Drinks Cold & Fresh
To prevent the food from spoiling, you need a well-insulated space to keep the food and beverages fresh and cold for hours.
If the basket is not insulated, the solution is to add reusable ice-packs – a bit more time-consuming but still effective.
Size: Choose a Spacious Basket
Choose baskets and backpacks that are large enough to fit meals for two persons: appetizers, main meals, snacks, fruits, drinks.
Durability: Choose a Well-Constructed Basket
You need a sturdy basket that will last you a long time. We appreciate items that are solid-built and made of superior materials. You also need to look at the quality of the flatware. Some high-quality features to look for: porcelain plates, stainless steel, waterproof details.
Good Value for Money
You have to get what you pay for. If you pay a higher price, you should expect to get higher quality. Usually, the most expensive sets come with premium quality: porcelain plates, real wine glasses, genuine leather details, thick insulation, waterproof blanket.
Best Picnic Baskets for Two | Our Picks
1. Picnic Time Picadilly
The Picadilly basket is ideal for couples and romantic outings. It also makes a great gift for anniversaries and weddings.
It’s extremely well constructed, made from willow, and the brand promises us that it’s built to last.
Inside you’ll find service for two persons with:
- Melamine Plates
- Acrylic Wine Glasses (Shatter-Resistant)
- Stainless Steel Forks, Knives and Spoons
- Waiter’s Corkscrew
We love the dual-lid design, which is not only good-looking but also practical. It allows you to access the contents quickly.
The interior is fully lined, traditional-looking with red and white colors, but it is not insulated.
To keep the food and drinks cold, you’ll need to throw in some ice packs.
The basket is quite spacious and can fit food, drinks, and snacks for more than two people.
Pros: Sturdy, high-quality flatware, roomy, easy to carry.
Cons: not insulated.
2. Picnic Time Canterbury English Style
The Canterbury is a deluxe picnic basket, built with great attention to details, and comes with plenty of premium accessories.
If you’re looking for a luxurious picnic experience, then you’ll definitely appreciate the genuine leather straps, as well as the porcelain plates and the strong willow construction.
Unlike other models, this set also includes coffee service for two, which is something unique.
Makes it perfect if you want to enjoy a warm cup of coffee or tea in a chilly day.
This makes the set ideal for an early sunrise romantic date.
What’s inside this 2 person picnic basket:
- Insulated Stainless Steel Mugs
- Porcelain Plates
- Wine Glasses
- Stainless Steel Forks, Spoons, Knife
- Cheese Knife
- Cutting Board
- Cotton Napkins
- Bottle Stopper
- Corkscrew
- Salt & Pepper Shakers
- 2 Food Containers
- High Insulated Cooler Bag
- High Insulated Wine Duffel
- Stainless Steel Vacuum Flask
- Fleece Blanket
As you can see, this set comes with a lot more extra accessories than other baskets.
We really appreciate the insulated features: cooler bag, wine duffel, vacuum flask. You can keep the food cold/hot all day long.
It’s also quite spacious, it holds more than enough food, snacks, drinks for two.
It’s nice to see that it also gives you the option for hot beverages, which makes Canterbury a perfect choice even for chilly days.
Finally, it makes a well-thought and wonderful gift for couples, for your loved one, and for special occasions like weddings, bridal showers, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas.
Pros: Excellent premium quality, a large number of accessories including a blanket, coffee service for two, roomy, insulated features.
Cons: Some might find it expensive.
3. Picnic at Ascot Cheshire English-Style
If you’re looking for superior quality, functionality and beautiful romantic design, then the “Picnic at Ascot Cheshire” is what you’re after.
We were pleasantly surprised to see that this attractive piece is also super practical and made to last.
Comes with plenty of deluxe details (like genuine leather straps) & practical accessories.
It includes premium table service for two: ceramic plates, glass wine glasses, cotton napkins, high-quality flatware, salt and pepper shakers.
A thing we really love: it’s insulated! 🙂
It gives you two insulation options to make sure your meals and drinks are kept chilled and fresh:
- Insulated Cooler Bag for Food
- Insulated Wine Pouch
Another wonderful thing is that it comes with a fleece blanket large enough for two persons. Makes a wonderful gift for engagements, bridal showers, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and any other special occasions.
4. Barrel Picnic Basket by Picnic Time
With a unique rounded barrel design, this picnic basket is perfect for a romantic picnic date.
Designed for two persons, includes service for two:
- Porcelain plates
- Real Wine Glasses
- Stainless Steel Forks, Knives, Spoons
- Corkscrew
- Salt & Pepper Shakers
- 100% Cotton Napkins
- 44-inch Tablecloth
A great thing about this piece is that it comes with “Built to Last” Lifetime Pledge. The two lid design is convenient and helps you access the insides quickly and easily.
The basket is surprisingly more spacious than it looks. Some people say it can hold meals and drinks for 3-4 persons.
What we don’t like: it appears to be not insulated. We recommend you to add ice packs to keep contents cold.
5. Picnic at Ascot Insulated Cooler
If you’re looking for great value for the money, then we recommend this insulated cooler from “Picnic at Ascot”.
It comes with pretty much everything you need, plus we like that it is designed to be super practical.
The insulation is well-made to keep the food and beverages cold (or hot) for hours.
It’s easy to carry, perfect for picnics for two in parks, at sporting events, at the beach – anywhere.
The basket comes with service for two:
- Melamine Plates
- Stainless Steel Flatware
- Acrylic Wine Glasses
- Cheese Knife
- Corkscrew
- Napkins
There’s also a special compartment where you can place a bottle of wine/water/juice.
The basket itself is sturdy and made to last. Overall, in our opinion, this is the best cheap picnic basket for two.
PROS: best budget option, plenty of accessories, good insulation.
CONS: glasses and plates feel a bit cheap
6. Picnic Time Heart Willow Deluxe
This heart-shaped willow basket is probably the most romantic picnic basket available on the market.
Perfect for romantic dates, and makes a wonderful gift for couples, weddings, Valentine’s Days, and anniversaries.
The design is superb, romantic, and elegant.
But what about practicality? We were happy to see that this Picnic Time “Heart” line is also very functional.
This elegant basket is very spacious, with a sturdy long-lasting willow construction, and comes with deluxe service for two.
This picnic basket set for 2 comes with superior quality table settings:
- High-Quality Porcelain Plates
- Real Hand-Blown Wine Glasses
- Stainless Steel Flatware
- Salt & Pepper Shakers
- Corkscrew
- Cheese Knive
- 100% Cotton Napkins & Tablecloth
- Hardwood Cutting Board
No plastic or cheap materials were used in this picnic set, a good reason why the price is a bit higher.
We appreciate that the plates are premium porcelain, the glasses are made of real glass, and the fabric is 100% cotton.
A thing we did not like: It is not insulated, you need to take some reusable ice packs to keep the food and drinks chilled and fresh.
PROS: Superior Quality, Elegant, Luxurious Design, Made to last, very spacious, perfect for couples
Cons: Not insulated
7. AO Coolers Canvas
For picnicking on a super hot day, a soft cooler is definitely a better option than a regular wicker basket.
To make sure the food will not go bad, and all the contents are kept cold and fresh, we recommend the AO Coolers Canvas soft cooler.
It’s also space-efficient, can be easily stored just about anywhere.
The interior is insulated and leakproof, holding ice for 24 hours at 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
It does not come with anything else besides the cooler itself.
You can throw inside ice cubes, without worrying about leaks. The exterior is made from a material resistant to impacts, scratches, making it super durable.
Great for beach picnics, outings in parks, concerts, parties, hikes, boatings, festivals.
Pros: Thick insulation, leakproof, durable, impact-resistant
Cons: Does not come with table service.
8. Vonshef Premium Picnic Outdoor Backpack
If you have to walk or hike to reach your picnic destination, consider investing in a picnic backpack rather than in a basket.
A backpack like this one makes the carrying process easy.
The Vonshef model is a modern choice that’s practical, attractive, easy to carry, and also comes with accessories and service for two.
Perfect for hikes, beach outings and outdoor adventures in two.
Inside you’ll find all the essentials like:
- Plastic Wine glasses
- Plates
- Forks, Knives, Spoons
- Cotton Napkins
- Salt and Pepper Shakers
- Plastic Chopping Board
- Corkscrew
- Butter Knife
- Extra Large Picnic Blanket
We like the fact that it is insulated, keeping the food chilled/hot for hours. The glasses are plastic, which can feel a bit cheap, but at least they’re durable.
A great feature is the smart compartmentation, with pockets and separate spaces, making it easy to access the contents.
Unlike other backpacks, this one comes with waterproof features. The blanket and the backpack have waterproof PEVA backings, keeping them dry all the time.
Pros: practical, spacious, lightweight, easy to carry, blanket included, insulated.
Cons: glasses and plates feel a bit cheap.
9. Picnic Time Corsica Insulated Wine Basket
If your menu includes only wine and cheese, then you should consider this Corsica Wine Basket.
We like the fact that it can also hold some additional items like crackers, strawberries or grapes.
Perfect for a romantic outing in two, it looks stylish, unique, elegant and it’s constructed from willow.
Inside you will find:
- Two Divided Compartments
- 6-inch Cutting Board
- Stainless Steel Corkscrew
- Cheese Knife
If you’re into spontaneous outings, this vintage tote might be your new best friend.
Plus, it makes a well-thought gift for cheese and wine lovers.
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