Plan on 30 g of caviar per person when it is served as a course or on its own, 10 to 15 g when it is a canapé or a garnish, and about 50 g for a proper tasting. Here is how those amounts turn into tins, for two guests or twelve.
How much caviar per person: the short answer
These are the amounts we plan with, and the ones our caviar calculator uses:
- Canapés or a garnish: 10 to 15 g per guest. The caviar is one part of a bite, on a blini, a potato or an egg.
- A course, or caviar served on its own: 30 g per guest. This is our standard, and the amount to plan for a starter.
- A proper tasting: about 50 g per guest. The caviar is the occasion, tasted slowly by the spoonful, often more than one kind.
If you are unsure which applies, plan for the course: 30 g each.
How many grams for your table
Multiply the amount by the number of guests. The table has done it for you.
| Guests | Canapés or garnish, 10 to 15 g each | A course, 30 g each | A proper tasting, about 50 g each |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 20 to 30 g | 60 g | 100 g |
| 4 | 40 to 60 g | 120 g | 200 g |
| 6 | 60 to 90 g | 180 g | 300 g |
| 8 | 80 to 120 g | 240 g | 400 g |
| 10 | 100 to 150 g | 300 g | 500 g |
| 12 | 120 to 180 g | 360 g | 600 g |
From grams to tins
Most Attilus caviars come in tins of 30 g, 50 g, 125 g and 250 g; Beluga comes in tins of up to 125 g. Above 250 g, caviar comes in plastic packs rather than tins: Royal Siberian and Royal Oscietra come in 500 g and 1 kg, and Amur Fusion in 500 g.
Seen the other way round, this is what one tin serves:
| Tin | A course, 30 g each | Canapés, 10 to 15 g each |
|---|---|---|
| 30 g | 1 | 2 to 3 |
| 50 g | 1 | 3 to 5 |
| 125 g | 4 | 8 to 12 |
| 250 g | 8 | 16 to 25 |
For a proper tasting, count a 50 g tin per guest, or a 125 g tin for two.
Always round up: choose the tin, or tins, that add up to at least the weight you need, never less. A few examples:
- Two people, as a course: 60 g, so two 30 g tins.
- Four people, as a course: 120 g, so one 125 g tin.
- Eight people, as a course: 240 g, so one 250 g tin.
- Two people, a proper tasting: about 100 g, so two 50 g tins or one 125 g tin.
- Twelve people, canapés at 10 g each: 120 g, so one 125 g tin.
To put a price on it: at the time of writing (October 2026), a 125 g tin of Royal Siberian is £120, which is £30 a head for four as a course. Our piece on how much caviar costs explains why other species cost more.
One large tin, or two smaller ones
For a larger table, two smaller tins often serve better than one large one. The second tin can stay sealed until it is needed, and a sealed tin keeps far longer than an open one: once opened, caviar is best eaten the same day, and within two days at most. Our guide to how long caviar lasts has the detail.
Two tins can also be two caviars, which turns a course into a tasting. The Tasting Set does this with three 30 g tins, Royal Siberian, Royal Oscietra and Amur Fusion: 90 g in all, enough for three people at 30 g each. If you are choosing caviar for the first time, our guide to which caviar to try first may help.
What changes the amount
- The part caviar plays. One canapé among several needs less than a course, and a course less than a tasting, which is why the amounts above change with the role.
- Who is coming. Guests who already know and love caviar are the reason the tasting measure exists.
Ordering ahead
Unopened, and kept between 0 and +4 °C, an Attilus tin keeps for about three to four months from packing; check the best-before date on the tin. So the caviar for a dinner can be ordered ahead and kept in the coldest part of the fridge until the day. Open it shortly before serving, not the night before.
Every tin also carries its CITES code, which names the species, the source, the country, the year, the plant and the lot. How to read the lid explains each part.
To run the numbers for your own table, use our caviar calculator.
In this piece: Royal Siberian, Royal Oscietra, Amur Fusion and the Tasting Set.
Words: the Attilus team. Photograph: Timofei Zhbanov (TimmyFoodUK), from the Attilus library.
Questions
How much caviar per person for a starter?
30 g per person, our standard for caviar served as a course or on its own. For canapés or a garnish, 10 to 15 g each; for a proper tasting, about 50 g each.
How many people does a 50 g tin of caviar serve?
One person as a course, with a little to spare, or one proper tasting. As canapés or a garnish, three to five people.
Is 30 g of caviar enough for two?
As canapés or a garnish, yes: 15 g each. As a course, two people need 60 g, so two 30 g tins.
How much caviar do I need for 10 guests?
100 to 150 g for canapés, 300 g as a course and about 500 g for a proper tasting.
Should I open all the caviar at once?
No. Open one tin at a time and keep the rest sealed in the fridge. An opened tin is best finished the same day, and within two days at most.