bistro
Americannoun
-
bistros
plural
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a small, modest, European-style restaurant or caf é.
-
a small nightclub or restaurant.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bistro
1920–25; < French bistro ( t ), originally argot, first attested in the sense “proprietor of a tavern” (1884); of obscure origin
Compare meaning
How does bistro compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A bistro is a cozy little restaurant. The word comes from Paris, of course, but there are bistros all over the world. Bistros started in the boarding houses of Paris, where landlords would serve food to the public in order to make some extra money. The history of the word itself is slippery, but it might be related to the French word bistouille, slang for “bad alcohol.” Or maybe the Russians brought it when they wanted food bystra, or fast. Who knows? We do know that a bistro is a small restaurant that grown-ups like. There’s no room for crayons.
Vocabulary lists containing bistro
"Stranger in the Village"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A solution ex machina prevented it from closing, but instead of maintaining the status quo, everybody committed to leveling it up to a Michelin star-worthy bistro.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
The croissant I ordered was fine, but the atmosphere was lovely — open and airy with a communal wood table inside and green and white bistro chairs outside.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
He wants to hang a sheet from the chalet to project films into a summer open air cinema, and open a bistro where they could offer cookery classes.
From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2026
Standing on a bistro chair in the crowded Manhattan bar, Bores urged supporters to treat the fight in his district as a fight for the country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
Together we walked a few dozen feet to a small cafe where everyone was sitting around a few small bistro tables.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Its chef, Joe Cash, an alum of New York’s Per Se and Copenhagen’s Noma, took inspiration from both French bistros and American steakhouses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
To do so, I stay away from bistros in fancy neighborhoods, which charge too much and often cook up mediocre food.
From Barron's ● Mar. 8, 2026
The wrap that has quietly risen to ubiquity in café fridges, trendy bistros and airport grab-and-go kiosks.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2025
But for the mom-and-pop shops in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades — the dry cleaners, tattoo parlors, bars, bistros and stores that sold antiques, flowers, books, pottery and macaroons — the devastation is more personal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2025
In Paris, our cab let us off in the Marais district, a place of narrow streets and sidewalks, of bistros, shops, and small hotels.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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