res ‧ tau ‧ rant S2 W2 /ˈrest ə rɒnt $ -rənt, -rɑːnt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1800-1900 ; Language: French ; Origin: restaurer 'to restore' , from Latin restaurare ; ⇨ ↑ restore ]
a place where you can buy and eat a meal
Chinese/French/Mexican etc restaurant
We went to a little Italian restaurant near Leicester Square.
He took her out for a five-course dinner in a fancy restaurant.
The company runs a chain of restaurants.
A new restaurant has just opened across the road.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go to a restaurant
We went to a restaurant in the King’s Road.
▪ take somebody to a restaurant
He’s taking me to a Japanese restaurant in town.
▪ eat at/in a restaurant ( also dine at/in a restaurant formal )
Have you eaten in this restaurant before?
▪ a restaurant serves something
The restaurant serves lunch from midday until two thirty.
▪ a restaurant specializes in something
Restaurants near the waterfront tend to specialize in seafood.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + restaurant
▪ a Chinese/Italian etc restaurant
We booked a table at our local Italian restaurant.
▪ a fast-food restaurant (=where food that can be prepared quickly is served or available to take away)
The High Street is full of fast-food restaurants.
▪ a fish/seafood restaurant
I went to a seafood restaurant by the pier for lunch.
▪ an expensive/cheap restaurant
He took her out to an expensive restaurant.
▪ a trendy/fashionable restaurant (=one that is influenced by the most fashionable styles and ideas)
The hotel is surrounded by elegant boutiques and trendy restaurants.
▪ a fancy restaurant informal (=expensive and fashionable)
In some fancy restaurants, the chefs decorate the salads with flowers.
▪ a posh restaurant British English informal (=where richer people go)
They all earn huge salaries and eat at posh restaurants.
▪ an upscale restaurant American English (=where richer people go)
It's interesting that rabbit has become so popular at upscale restaurants.
■ restaurant + NOUN
▪ a restaurant chain (=one that is owned or managed by the same company or person)
Café Rouge is part of a large restaurant chain.
▪ a restaurant owner/manager
He worked as a restaurant manager at Mario's Pizzas for 10 years.
▪ restaurant meals
There is a choice of bar snacks or restaurant meals.
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THESAURUS
▪ cafe/coffee shop a place where you can get coffee and other non-alcoholic drinks, cakes, and small meals
▪ fast food restaurant one where you can get meals such as hamburgers, french fries etc
▪ self-service restaurant one where you collect the food yourself
▪ diner American English a restaurant where you can eat cheap and simple food
▪ bistro a small restaurant or bar, especially one serving French-style food
▪ cafeteria ( also canteen British English ) a place at work or school where you can collect and eat meals