Restaurant and food vocabulary in English: 25 essential words
A1–B125 words
Ordering food is where beginners meet real English first. These twenty-five words cover reading a menu, ordering, dietary needs and paying — enough to get through a meal anywhere in the English-speaking world without switching languages.
Where you will use it: Restaurants, cafés, menus and grocery shopping.
Food and restaurants — The word list
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| starter | A small dish served before the main course.“I'll take the soup as a starter.” |
| main course | The largest dish of a meal.“The main course comes with vegetables.” |
| the bill | The paper showing what you owe (US: the check).“Could we have the bill, please?” |
| takeaway | Food bought to eat elsewhere.“We ordered a takeaway instead of cooking.” |
| medium rare | Meat cooked lightly, still pink inside.“I'd like the steak medium rare.” |
| side dish | A smaller dish served with the main one.“Which side dish comes with it?” |
| book a table | To reserve a place at a restaurant.“I booked a table for two at eight.” |
| dairy-free | Containing no milk products.“Do you have a dairy-free option?” |
| refill | Another serving of the same drink.“Coffee refills are free here.” |
| tip | Extra money left for service.“We left a ten percent tip.” |
| course | One part of a meal.“It was a three-course dinner.” |
| leftovers | Food that remains after a meal.“I took the leftovers home.” |
| appetiser | A small dish eaten before the main meal.“We shared an appetiser.” |
| set menu | A meal with a fixed selection and price.“The set menu includes dessert.” |
| specials | Dishes offered for a limited time.“What are today's specials?” |
| still water | Water without bubbles.“Could I have still water, please?” |
| sparkling water | Carbonated water with bubbles.“They ordered a bottle of sparkling water.” |
| allergy | A harmful reaction to a food or substance.“I have a serious nut allergy.” |
| vegetarian | Containing no meat or fish.“Is this soup vegetarian?” |
| well done | Meat cooked completely through.“I'd like my burger well done.” |
| portion | The amount of food served to one person.“The portions here are generous.” |
| ingredients | The foods used to make a dish.“The ingredients are listed on the menu.” |
| service charge | A fee added to the bill for service.“The bill includes a service charge.” |
| split the bill | To divide the cost between diners.“Shall we split the bill equally?” |
| receipt | A printed record showing what you paid.“Could I have a receipt, please?” |
Useful learning tips
- Learn in small groupsTake five words at a time and review them before adding more.
- Say the examples aloudReading each sentence aloud connects spelling, sound and meaning.
- Write your own sentenceUse each word in a true sentence about your life or work.
How to study this list
Add five or six of these words a day rather than the whole list at once, keep the example sentence on the card, and review them when they come due. WordNest schedules each word across seven growing intervals — same day, then 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days — so the list is still with you months later. Read how spaced repetition works if you want the reasoning behind those numbers.
Studying food and restaurants pairs well with our travel English vocabulary, English collocations list and office English words, or browse all free English word lists.
Related guides
Questions about this list
How can I practise Food and restaurants?
Start with five words and say each example aloud. Then recall the word from its meaning and review it over several days.
Where can I use Food and restaurants?
Restaurants, cafés, menus and grocery shopping.
How many words are in this list?
This list contains 25 English words with definitions and example sentences. It is a starting set, not a complete syllabus.
Turn this list into flashcards
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