restaurant
Americannoun
-
restaurants
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of restaurant
An Americanism first recorded in 1820–30; from French, noun use of present participle of restaurer, from Latin restaurāre “to restore, reestablish”; cf. re- ( def. ), store
Compare meaning
How does restaurant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A restaurant is a place — usually inside a building — where you go to eat food, which, most of the time, you must pay for. Restaurant comes from the French restaurer, which means "to provide food for." Restaurants will provide food for you if you've got the cash, and most of the time they'll even let you sit down right there and eat it. Common examples of restaurants include burger joints, cafeterias, pizzerias, sandwich shops, steak houses, seafood shacks, (some) hot-dog stands, ice cream parlors, taquerias, Chinese takeout, (some) bakeries, and fine-dining establishments.
Vocabulary lists containing restaurant
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:
Insider tip: Ride the Roundhouse Express gondola from the River Run base to the historic Roundhouse restaurant for a fondue lunch with panoramic views of five mountain ranges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
With my husband onboard, we chose a venue: the Penthouse, a swanky restaurant atop Santa Monica’s Huntley Hotel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
The ground floor will house abc kitchens, a restaurant concept combining elements of Vongerichten’s abcV, abc cocina, and abc kitchen.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
Drawn by the opportunities for travel and meeting people that a career as a chef offers, Marwah already dreams of opening his own restaurant in India.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
But beyond the tables, where the entrance to the restaurant ought to have been, there was scaffolding, and beyond that, heavy darkness, shadows even Molly knew better than to touch.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
The tower’s location will also place residents within walking distance of the upscale boutiques, restaurants, and cultural attractions that have helped transform the surrounding neighborhood into one of Miami’s most sought-after destinations.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
Indian chefs who have worked at prestigious restaurants, including overseas, teach their respective specialties: Indian, European, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine, as well as bakery and pastry-making.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
Brundo is asking $15 million for the property that spans more than an acre on the edge of Melrose Hill, a niche neighborhood at Melrose and Western avenues known for its trendy restaurants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
The facilities at the DC course are more modest, offering food court-style dining rather than amenities such as white tablecloth restaurants and upscale locker rooms.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Everything fascinated him— street signs, traffic, traffic lights, speed bumps, speed limits, medians, fast-food restaurants, police cars, fire trucks.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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