At most New Year's Eve parties, the caviar is gone before midnight. It's the one thing on the table nobody eats every week, and it's also the thing hosts most often get wrong: one small tin for twelve people, or a kilo for a dinner of four. This guide covers the practical side. How much caviar to buy for your number of guests, what it works out to per person, how to serve it when half the party is out on the terrace, and when to order so it's in your fridge before the 31st gets busy.
How much caviar per guest for New Year's Eve
Start by deciding what kind of night it is, because the amount per person changes a lot:
- Caviar as canapés (a small spoonful on each blini or egg, passed around with other food): 10–15g per guest.
- Caviar as the centrepiece (a tin on ice, everyone with a spoon): 25–30g per guest.
Most New Year's parties are the first kind. People arrive at different times, eat standing up and there's plenty else on the table. Unless the caviar is the whole point of the evening, plan for canapés.
| Guests | Canapés (10–15g each) | Centrepiece (25–30g each) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 50g | 50g |
| 4 | 50g | 125g |
| 6–8 | 125g | 250g |
| 10–12 | 250g | 250g + 125g |
| 15–20 | 250g | 500g |
| 25–30 | 500g | 1kg |
What New Year caviar costs per guest
A big party with caviar canapés usually costs less per head than a small caviar dinner, partly because larger tins are cheaper per gram. A 50g tin of Osetra is AED 7.50 a gram; a 1kg tin is AED 6.25.
| Your party | What to buy | Total | Per guest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dinner for 2 | 50g Beluga | AED 495 | about AED 248 |
| Dinner for 4 | 125g Osetra | AED 900 | AED 225 |
| Canapés for 8 | 125g Imperial Osetra | AED 1,075 | about AED 134 |
| Canapés for 20 | 250g Osetra | AED 1,725 | about AED 86 |
| Canapés for 30 | 500g Osetra | AED 3,300 | AED 110 |
Every type and tin size is on our caviar price list for the UAE.
Which caviar to choose for a New Year's party
For canapés, choose Osetra or Imperial Osetra. The pearls are firmer than Beluga's, so they keep their shape on a blini that sits on a tray for a few minutes. The nutty flavour also stands up well next to crème fraîche and egg.
For a small table, choose Beluga. Its large, soft pearls are at their best straight from a freshly opened tin, eaten off a spoon. That works for four people around a table; it's wasted on a canapé tray.
For the midnight moment, add a 50g tin of Royal Gold. The golden pearls look striking when the lid comes off, and it gives the countdown a small ceremony. A practical pairing for a party of 20 is a 250g tin of Osetra for the canapés plus 50g of Royal Gold opened at midnight: AED 2,375 in total.
Not sure about the difference in taste? Our Beluga vs Osetra comparison covers it.
Serving caviar at a Dubai New Year's party
December evenings in Dubai are mild enough that many parties move outside, to a terrace, a garden or a boat out to watch the fireworks. Caviar still needs to stay cold, between -3°C and 0°C, so a few habits help:
- Keep the tin in the fridge until people arrive. Then set it on a bowl of crushed ice and top up the ice as it melts.
- Make canapés in small batches. Prepare the blini, crème fraîche and eggs in advance, but add the caviar a tray at a time, every 20–30 minutes, instead of plating everything at 9pm.
- On a yacht or at the beach, carry the tins in a thermal bag with ice packs and open them on board.
- Use a non-metal spoon. Silver and steel can leave a metallic taste. A mother of pearl spoon is the traditional choice.
Four easy canapés that work for a crowd:
- Small blini with a little crème fraîche and caviar on top.
- Halved hard-boiled eggs with a spoon of caviar on the yolk.
- Baby potatoes, boiled, halved and topped with sour cream and caviar.
- Squares of toasted white bread with a thin layer of unsalted butter and caviar, the way it's served at a Russian New Year table.
Champagne is the classic pairing. For an alcohol-free table, very cold sparkling water does the same job of refreshing the palate between bites. More ideas are in our guide on how to serve caviar at home.
When to order caviar for 31 December
We deliver same day across all seven emirates, chilled in an insulated bag with frozen ice packs. Even so, don't leave New Year's Eve caviar until the last afternoon. Roads around Downtown Dubai and other fireworks spots get crowded and some close in the evening, so a late delivery on the 31st is the one most likely to run into trouble.
The easy fix is to have it delivered on 29 or 30 December. An unopened tin keeps in the coldest part of the fridge until the date printed on it, so a day or two early costs you nothing. Once opened, finish it within three days. See how to store caviar for the details.
Caviar as a New Year gift
If you're visiting someone else's party, a 50g tin of Osetra with a mother of pearl spoon (AED 574 together) is a host gift people actually use that same night. For something bigger, there's our Caviar Gift Box. More options by budget are in caviar gift ideas in Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
How much caviar do I need for a New Year's Eve party?
About 10–15g per guest if you're serving it as canapés, or 25–30g per guest if the caviar is the main event. For 20 guests eating canapés, a 250g tin is enough.
Can I buy caviar a few days before New Year's Eve?
Yes. Keep the tin closed in the coldest part of the fridge, between -3°C and 0°C, and it will be fine until the date on the tin. Open it on the night.
Which caviar is best for canapés?
Osetra. Its firm pearls hold their shape on blini and eggs, and it has the lowest price per gram in our range.
Do you deliver caviar in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah for New Year?
Yes, we deliver to all seven emirates. The delivery charge for your area is shown at checkout.