MAG 15 Food and Restaurant Vocabulary
well-done (adjective)
(of meat) thoroughly cooked The meat was so well-done it had no flavor.
sour 2 (adjective)
(of food, especially milk) having gone bad because of fermentation
patio (noun)
outdoor seating We closed the patio because it looks like it's going to rain.
melt (verb)
warm to soften (i.e. cheese/butter) First, melt two tablespoons of butter in the microwave.
à la mode (adjective)
with ice cream Would you like your apple pie à la mode?
à la carte (adjective)
without a side dish Is it possible to get the steak à la carte? I don't eat potatoes.
apron (noun)
a cloth covering worn over the clothes while cooking or bringing food
pitcher or jug (noun)
a container with a spout to pour water, beer, or other beverages out of We'll take a pitcher of beer with four glasses.
bottle opener (noun)
a device used for opening beer bottles that don't twist off All of the servers keep bottle openers on their key chains.
wine opener (noun)
a device used for opening wine bottles
separate checks (adjective + noun)
a different bill for each member/group sitting at a table We asked for separate cheqks but it all came on one bill.
alcohol, liquor (noun)
a distilled liquid such as rum or whiskey This beer has 5% alcohol.
non alcoholic beverage (adjective + noun)
a drink that resembles a certain drink without the alcohol Can I order a non alcoholic beer?
wine list (noun)
a menu of all of the wine you can order from the glass, litre, or bottle You will notice that we have a lot of local wine on our wine list.
designated driver (noun)
a person in a party who agrees not to consume alcohol in order to drive everyone home safely Is there a designated driver in your party or are you taking a taxi?
busboy (noun)
a person who helps out in a restaurant (especially clearing and setting tables) Ask the busboy to help you bring out all of the food.
comment card (noun)
a piece of paper that customers are given to record their dining experience When she asked for a comment card I knew she was going to complain about the food.
winery (noun)
a place where wine is made, tasted, and sold There is another winery up the hill that you might enjoy stopping at.
booster seat (noun)
a plastic unit that fits on top of a chair to help small children reach the table Will your child be needing a booster seat today?
complaint (noun)
a problem with service or food The guest brought his complaint to the manager.
reservation (noun)
a request to have a table saved for a certain amount of people We don't take any reservations; it's first come first served here.
portion (noun)
a separate amount of food I only want a small portion of pasta.
coupon (noun)
a slip of paper that offers the customers a discounted rate Your coupon is only valid for food, not for alcoholic drinks.
microwave (noun or verb)
a small appliance that heats and cooks food quickly We can heat your dinner in the microwave if you like.
lemon, lime wedge or slice (noun)noun
a small segment of lemon or lime put on the rim of a glass I'd like a lemon wedge for my ice water please.
highchair (noun)
a tall chair with a plastic tray designed for a baby The party is for ten plus a highchair.
sommelier (noun)
a wine waiter Does your restaurant have a sommelier?
ingredients (noun)
all of the different foods that are combined in a recipe I'll check the ingredients to make sure there aren't any nuts.
liqueur
an alcoholic beverage made from a distilled spirit that has been flavored with fruit, cream, herbs, spices, flowers or nuts and bottled with added sugar or other sweetener Can I offer you a coffee liqueur to go with your dessert?
cocktail (noun)
an alcoholic drink Would anyone care for a cocktail on this warm sunny day?
fast-food (noun)
an eatery that offers quick inexpensive food We don't provide table service. This is a fast-food restaurant.
wine tasting (noun)
an occasion on which various different wines are tasted and evaluated. If you are interested in trying some wines you should go attend our wine tasting today.
discount (noun)
at a cheaper cost We got a discount because we are regular customers.
draft (noun)
beer from a keg that pours out of a tap We have a selection of local beers on draft.
free refills (adjective + noun)
beverages that can be filled again without any cost Have all of the soda you want; it's free refills here.
black coffee (adjective + noun)
coffee without any milk Should I bring some cream, or do you take your coffee black?
fry (verb)
cook over an element in oil Don't fry the vegetables too long or they will go soggy.
deep fried (adjective)
cooked in a large pot of oil Most of the appetizers on our menu are deep fried.
grill (verb)
cooking over iron slats that allow for oil and fat to drop down The healthiest way to prepare meat is on a grill.
pour (verb)
dispense liquid from a container Can I pour you folks another glass of water?
beverage (noun)
drink Can I bring you some beverages while you look at the menus?
gratuity or tip (noun)
extra money given as a thank you for service When we have a large party we're allowed to add a 15% gratuity to the bill.
counter (noun)
flat area often used for placing dishes on or preparing food I left one of the salads on the kitchen counter by mistake.
delivery (noun)
food brought to the home Do you have delivery or do we have to come in to eat?
specialty (noun)
food item that a restaurant is popular for
toppings (noun)
food items that go on top of other food items to add flavor What type of toppings would you like to have on your pizza?
garnish (noun)
food that is added to a plate for appearance or color(i.e. parsley or fruit) Don't forget to garnish all of the entrees that go out.
take-out or to-go (noun)
food that is packed up and eaten at home You can either eat in or order food to take-out
complimentary (adjective)
free of charge The desserts are complimentary because the dinner took so long.
over charge (phrasal verb)
give a customer a bill that is too high (by mistake) I think you over charged us for our drinks; we only had one each.
make change (verb)
give customers money back from a payment We can make change if all you have is large notes.
party (noun)
group of people at or waiting for a table A party of twelve just walked in without a reservation.
sour 1 (adjective)
having an acid taste like lemon or vinegar
dishwasher (noun)
he staff member/machine that washes the dirty dishes Can you bring the dishwasher these pans to clean?
spicy (adjective)
hot flavor Any item with three chilies beside it means that the dish is very spicy.
specials (noun)
items that were prepared particularly for a certain day and are usually at a reduced price Would you like to hear the specials before you decide on lunch.
rare (adjective)
lightly cooked, so that the inside is still red This steak is too rare for me to eat.
salad dressing or dressing (noun)
liquid topping for salads Would you like Italian or French dressing?
waiting list (noun)
list of groups who want a table to eat at We have a twenty minute waiting list tonight.
recipe (noun)
list of ingredients and instructions for preparing a certain type of dish Our chef is so talented that he almost never bothers with a recipe.
straw (noun)
long hollow plastic stick for drinking out of Can I please get a straw for my ice tea?
serve (verb)
look after a customer, bring food, drinks or other items to a customer Is there someone in charge of serving out on the patio?
appetizing (adjective)
looks pleasing to eat I'm afraid these pancakes don't look very appetizing.
order (verb)
make a request to a server Is everyone ready to order lunch now?
check on (phrasal verb)
make sure the guests are satisfied You should always check on your guests about two minutes after you serve the meal.
combo, combination (noun)
mixture The combo platter has veggies, ribs, and chicken fingers.
dry (adjective)
no sauce I'll have dry toast with two eggs.
mild (adjective)
not spicy I'd like a half dozen mild chicken wings.
on the rocks (preposition + noun)
on ice I'll take a whiskey on the rocks.
shot (noun)
one and a half ounces of alcohol served in a small glass (shot glass)
burnt (adjective)
overcooked to the point of turning black My toast is burnt.
restroom (noun)
place for people to use a toilet and wash hands The restrooms are to your left and down the stairs.
shade (noun)
place outside that is not in the sun We'd like to sit on the patio if there is any shade.
dirty dishes (noun)
plates that customers are finished with I'll just clear these dirty dishes and make some room for you.
kettle (noun)
pot for boiling water for tea I'll put the kettle on and make some fresh tea.
clear (verb)
remove finished or unused items from a table You need to clear this table and set it for four.
defrost or thaw (verb)
remove frozen food from the freezer to prepare Don't forget to defrost some pies for tomorrow.
on the side (preposition + noun)
request for a food item to NOT be put on top of another food item For the nachos, can we have the sour cream on the side?
breaded (adjective)
rolled and cooked in bread crumbs The shrimp is breaded in our homemade batter.
seasoning (noun)
salt, herbs, or spices added to food to enhance the flavour
greet (verb)
say hello and welcome customers to the establishment Your priority as a hostess is to greet the guests at the door with a smile.
buffet (noun)
self-serve tables of food that are set out for the customer to pick and choose from The plates and everything you need are up at the buffet.
bread basket (noun)
slices of bread and butter served before and with a meal I'll bring you a bread basket to hold the kids down until dinner.
creams (noun)
small plastic container of cream for coffee Will you need more than two creamers for your coffee?
appetizer or starter (noun)
small snack before a meal Would you like some garlic bread or another appetizer to start?
barbecue (noun / verb)
southern style of cooking over a grill The barbecue wings are our specialty.
host, hostess
staff member in charge of greeting and seating customers in a restaurant Please wait and the hostess will seat you.
waiter, waitress
staff member in charge of taking orders and serving food and beverages When I got promoted from a hostess to a waitress I started making tips.
bartender (noun)
staff member that mixes, pours, and serves alcoholic beverages I do part-time work as a bartender in a local pub.
chef (noun)
staff member who is professionally trained to prepare food Our head chef is one of the best cooks in town.
cut off (phrasal verb)
stop serving a customer any more alcohol I cut off the man with the beard because he'd had too much to drink.c
boil (verb)
style of cooking that involves placing food in a deep pot of extremely hot water We usually boil the potatoes first so that they will cook faster.
dessert (noun)
sweet treat after a meal I think we're too full to have dessert tonight.
bar stool (noun)
tall seats that customers use at the bar The guest fell off his bar stool before he even ordered a drink.
entrée, main course (noun)
the largest part of a meal (after appetizer, before dessert) The entrées are after the lunch specials on page 6 of the menu.
last call (noun)
the last chance for a person to get an alcoholic drink before the establishment closes We'll have two more screwdrivers for last call.
bill or check (noun)
the slip of paper that tells the customer how much to pay Table 3 would like you to bring them their check.
charge (verb)
to add a fee I will have to charge you an extra dollar to add ice cream.
silverware, utensils (noun)
tools for eating with (fork, knife, spoon) In a fine dining restaurant the staff has to polish the silverware.
booth (noun)
type of seating in which people sit side by side on a cushioned area We'd prefer a booth if you have one available.
condiments (noun)
types of sauces that are added for flavoring (i.e. mustard) All of the condiments you should need are on the table.
doggie bag (noun)
unfinished food that is packed up for the customer to take home I can't finish my steak, but I'll take a doggie bag.
debit (noun)
use bank card to pay directly from bank account Can we pay by debit here, or do you only take credit cards?
awful (taste) (adjective)
very bad taste The customer said that her pasta was awful.
delicious (adjective)
very good taste The cookies were so delicious they were gone in half an hour.