🍽️ Restaurant Phrases

⏱ 14 min read

Knowing a few restaurant phrases can make ordering food in English much easier. These expressions will help you ask for a table, understand the menu, order food and drinks, make special requests, and pay for your meal. Each English phrase includes translations in several languages.

🪑 Arriving at the Restaurant

🪑 A table for two, please.
use this when you arrive and need a table
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Una mesa para dos, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Einen Tisch für zwei, bitte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Un tavolo per due, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Uma mesa para dois, por favor.
📋 Do you have a reservation?
staff often ask this when you arrive
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Tiene una reserva?
🇫🇷 French: Avez-vous une réservation ?
🇩🇪 German: Haben Sie eine Reservierung?
🇮🇹 Italian: Ha una prenotazione?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tem uma reserva?
📝 I have a reservation under the name...
use this if you booked a table in advance
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Tengo una reserva a nombre de...
🇫🇷 French: J'ai une réservation au nom de...
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe eine Reservierung auf den Namen...
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho una prenotazione a nome di...
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tenho uma reserva em nome de...
📍 Can we sit here?
ask this if you want a particular table
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Podemos sentarnos aquí?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvons-nous nous asseoir ici ?
🇩🇪 German: Können wir uns hier setzen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Possiamo sederci qui?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Podemos sentar aqui?
❓ Is there a table available?
use this when you do not have a reservation
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Hay una mesa disponible?
🇫🇷 French: Y a-t-il une table disponible ?
🇩🇪 German: Ist ein Tisch frei?
🇮🇹 Italian: C'è un tavolo disponibile?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tem uma mesa disponível?

📋 Reading the Menu

📖 The menu, please.
ask for the list of food and drinks
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: El menú, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: Le menu, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Die Speisekarte, bitte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il menu, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O cardápio, por favor.
👍 What do you recommend?
ask the waiter or waitress for a suggestion
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué recomienda?
🇫🇷 French: Que recommandez-vous ?
🇩🇪 German: Was empfehlen Sie?
🇮🇹 Italian: Cosa mi consiglia?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O que você recomenda?
📅 What is the dish of the day?
ask about today's special
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuál es el plato del día?
🇫🇷 French: Quel est le plat du jour ?
🇩🇪 German: Was ist das Tagesgericht?
🇮🇹 Italian: Qual è il piatto del giorno?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Qual é o prato do dia?
🧐 What is in this dish?
ask about the ingredients
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué lleva este plato?
🇫🇷 French: Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans ce plat ?
🇩🇪 German: Was ist in diesem Gericht?
🇮🇹 Italian: Cosa c'è in questo piatto?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O que tem neste prato?
🥗 Do you have vegetarian options?
ask if there are dishes without meat
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Tienen opciones vegetarianas?
🇫🇷 French: Avez-vous des options végétariennes ?
🇩🇪 German: Haben Sie vegetarische Optionen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Avete opzioni vegetariane?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tem opções vegetarianas?

🍽️ Ordering Food

🙏 I would like...
a polite way to start an order
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Quisiera...
🇫🇷 French: Je voudrais...
🇩🇪 German: Ich hätte gerne...
🇮🇹 Italian: Vorrei...
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu gostaria de...
🙋 For me, ...
use this when each person orders something different
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Para mí, ...
🇫🇷 French: Pour moi, ...
🇩🇪 German: Für mich, ...
🇮🇹 Italian: Per me, ...
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Para mim, ...
🛒 I'm going to order...
another natural way to say what you want
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Voy a pedir...
🇫🇷 French: Je vais commander...
🇩🇪 German: Ich bestelle...
🇮🇹 Italian: Prendo...
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vou pedir...
🥣 I would like the soup, please.
a complete example of a polite order
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Quisiera la sopa, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: Je voudrais la soupe, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Ich hätte gerne die Suppe, bitte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Vorrei la zuppa, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu gostaria da sopa, por favor.
🛎️ Can you bring me...?
ask staff to bring something extra
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Me puede traer...?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvez-vous m'apporter... ?
🇩🇪 German: Können Sie mir... bringen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi può portare...?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pode me trazer...?
✅ That's all, thank you.
use this when you have finished ordering
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Eso es todo, gracias.
🇫🇷 French: C'est tout, merci.
🇩🇪 German: Das ist alles, danke.
🇮🇹 Italian: È tutto, grazie.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: É só isso, obrigado / obrigada.

🥤 Ordering Drinks

💧 Water, please.
a short, polite drink order
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Agua, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: De l'eau, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Wasser, bitte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Acqua, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Água, por favor.
☕ I would like a coffee.
a polite way to order a drink
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Quisiera un café.
🇫🇷 French: Je voudrais un café.
🇩🇪 German: Ich hätte gerne einen Kaffee.
🇮🇹 Italian: Vorrei un caffè.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu gostaria de um café.
🍹 What drinks do you have?
ask to hear the drink options
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué bebidas tienen?
🇫🇷 French: Quelles boissons avez-vous ?
🇩🇪 German: Welche Getränke haben Sie?
🇮🇹 Italian: Che bevande avete?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quais bebidas vocês têm?
🔄 Can you bring me another drink, please?
use this when you want a refill
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Me trae otra bebida, por favor?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvez-vous m'apporter une autre boisson, s'il vous plaît ?
🇩🇪 German: Können Sie mir bitte noch ein Getränk bringen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi porta un'altra bevanda, per favore?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pode me trazer outra bebida, por favor?

❓ Questions & Special Requests

🌶️ Is it spicy?
ask if the food has a hot or strong flavor
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Es picante?
🇫🇷 French: C'est épicé ?
🇩🇪 German: Ist es scharf?
🇮🇹 Italian: È piccante?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: É picante?
🚫 I don't eat meat.
a clear way to explain a food preference
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: No como carne.
🇫🇷 French: Je ne mange pas de viande.
🇩🇪 German: Ich esse kein Fleisch.
🇮🇹 Italian: Non mangio carne.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu não como carne.
⚠️ I'm allergic to...
use this to explain an allergy before you order
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Soy alérgico / alérgica a...
🇫🇷 French: Je suis allergique à...
🇩🇪 German: Ich bin allergisch gegen...
🇮🇹 Italian: Sono allergico / allergica a...
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Sou alérgico / alérgica a...
🔍 Does this contain...?
ask if a dish includes a certain ingredient
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Esto contiene...?
🇫🇷 French: Est-ce que ça contient... ?
🇩🇪 German: Enthält das...?
🇮🇹 Italian: Contiene...?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Isso contém...?
🧀 Without cheese, please.
a short way to leave something out of a dish
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Sin queso, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: Sans fromage, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Ohne Käse, bitte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Senza formaggio, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Sem queijo, por favor.
🛠️ Can you prepare it without...?
ask the kitchen to change an ingredient
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Puede prepararlo sin...?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvez-vous le préparer sans... ?
🇩🇪 German: Können Sie es ohne... zubereiten?
🇮🇹 Italian: Può prepararlo senza...?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pode preparar sem...?

⭐ During the Meal

😋 It's delicious.
use this when you like the food a lot
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Está delicioso.
🇫🇷 French: C'est délicieux.
🇩🇪 German: Es ist köstlich.
🇮🇹 Italian: È delizioso.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Está delicioso.
👍 It's very good.
a simple compliment for the food
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Está muy bueno.
🇫🇷 French: C'est très bon.
🇩🇪 German: Es ist sehr gut.
🇮🇹 Italian: È molto buono.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Está muito bom.
🍽️ Enjoy your meal.
say this before people start eating
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Buen provecho.
🇫🇷 French: Bon appétit.
🇩🇪 German: Guten Appetit.
🇮🇹 Italian: Buon appetito.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bom apetite.
💧 Can you bring me more water, please?
ask for more water during the meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Me trae más agua, por favor?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvez-vous m'apporter plus d'eau, s'il vous plaît ?
🇩🇪 German: Können Sie mir bitte mehr Wasser bringen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi porta altra acqua, per favore?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pode me trazer mais água, por favor?
🌟 Everything is delicious.
a compliment for the whole meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Todo está muy rico.
🇫🇷 French: Tout est délicieux.
🇩🇪 German: Alles ist sehr lecker.
🇮🇹 Italian: Tutto è delizioso.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tudo está delicioso.

💳 Paying for the Meal

🧾 The bill / check, please.
bill is common in British English; check is common in American English
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La cuenta, por favor.
🇫🇷 French: L'addition, s'il vous plaît.
🇩🇪 German: Die Rechnung, bitte.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il conto, per favore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A conta, por favor.
💳 Do you accept cards?
ask if you can pay with a credit or debit card
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Aceptan tarjetas?
🇫🇷 French: Acceptez-vous les cartes ?
🇩🇪 German: Nehmen Sie Karten?
🇮🇹 Italian: Accettate carte?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Aceitam cartões?
💳 Can I pay by card?
another polite way to ask about card payment
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
🇫🇷 French: Puis-je payer par carte ?
🇩🇪 German: Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Posso pagare con la carta?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Posso pagar com cartão?
👥 Can we pay separately?
ask if each person can pay for their own meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Podemos pagar por separado?
🇫🇷 French: Pouvons-nous payer séparément ?
🇩🇪 German: Können wir getrennt zahlen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Possiamo pagare separatamente?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Podemos pagar separado?
💰 Is the tip included?
ask if service is already part of the bill
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Está incluida la propina?
🇫🇷 French: Le pourboire est-il inclus ?
🇩🇪 German: Ist das Trinkgeld inbegriffen?
🇮🇹 Italian: La mancia è inclusa?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A gorjeta está incluída?
🙏 Thank you, everything was very good.
a polite way to thank the staff before you leave
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Gracias, todo estuvo muy bien.
🇫🇷 French: Merci, tout était très bien.
🇩🇪 German: Danke, alles war sehr gut.
🇮🇹 Italian: Grazie, tutto era molto buono.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Obrigado, tudo estava muito bom.

💬 Sample Conversations

Ordering food
a simple order with a follow-up request
A: I would like the soup and a coffee, please.
B: Of course. Anything else?
A: Yes, I would also like a salad.
B: Perfect. I'll bring it to you right away.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: Quiero la sopa y un café, por favor.
🇪🇸 B: Claro, ¿algo más?
🇪🇸 A: Sí, también quiero una ensalada.
🇪🇸 B: Perfecto. Enseguida se lo traigo.

🇫🇷 A: Je voudrais la soupe et un café, s'il vous plaît.
🇫🇷 B: Bien sûr. Autre chose ?
🇫🇷 A: Oui, je voudrais aussi une salade.
🇫🇷 B: Parfait. Je vous l'apporte tout de suite.

🇩🇪 A: Ich hätte gerne die Suppe und einen Kaffee, bitte.
🇩🇪 B: Natürlich. Noch etwas?
🇩🇪 A: Ja, ich hätte auch gerne einen Salat.
🇩🇪 B: Perfekt. Ich bringe es Ihnen sofort.

🇮🇹 A: Vorrei la zuppa e un caffè, per favore.
🇮🇹 B: Certo. Altro?
🇮🇹 A: Sì, vorrei anche un'insalata.
🇮🇹 B: Perfetto. Glielo porto subito.

🇵🇹 A: Eu gostaria da sopa e um café, por favor.
🇵🇹 B: Claro. Mais alguma coisa?
🇵🇹 A: Sim, eu também gostaria de uma salada.
🇵🇹 B: Perfeito. Já levo para você.
Asking about the food
questions about spice and recommendations
A: Excuse me, is this dish spicy?
B: A little, but not too much.
A: What do you recommend?
B: I recommend the fish.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: Disculpe, ¿este plato es picante?
🇪🇸 B: Un poco, pero no demasiado.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué me recomienda?
🇪🇸 B: Le recomiendo el pescado.

🇫🇷 A: Excusez-moi, ce plat est-il épicé ?
🇫🇷 B: Un peu, mais pas trop.
🇫🇷 A: Que me recommandez-vous ?
🇫🇷 B: Je vous recommande le poisson.

🇩🇪 A: Entschuldigung, ist dieses Gericht scharf?
🇩🇪 B: Ein bisschen, aber nicht zu sehr.
🇩🇪 A: Was empfehlen Sie mir?
🇩🇪 B: Ich empfehle den Fisch.

🇮🇹 A: Scusi, questo piatto è piccante?
🇮🇹 B: Un po', ma non troppo.
🇮🇹 A: Cosa mi consiglia?
🇮🇹 B: Le consiglio il pesce.

🇵🇹 A: Com licença, este prato é picante?
🇵🇹 B: Um pouco, mas não demais.
🇵🇹 A: O que você me recomenda?
🇵🇹 B: Eu recomendo o peixe.
Paying the bill
asking for the bill and paying by card
A: Excuse me, the bill, please.
B: Of course, here you are.
A: Can I pay by card?
B: Yes, we accept cards.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: Disculpe, la cuenta, por favor.
🇪🇸 B: Claro, aquí tiene.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, aceptamos tarjetas.

🇫🇷 A: Excusez-moi, l'addition, s'il vous plaît.
🇫🇷 B: Bien sûr, voici.
🇫🇷 A: Puis-je payer par carte ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, nous acceptons les cartes.

🇩🇪 A: Entschuldigung, die Rechnung, bitte.
🇩🇪 B: Natürlich, bitte schön.
🇩🇪 A: Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, wir nehmen Karten.

🇮🇹 A: Scusi, il conto, per favore.
🇮🇹 B: Certo, ecco a lei.
🇮🇹 A: Posso pagare con la carta?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, accettiamo carte.

🇵🇹 A: Com licença, a conta, por favor.
🇵🇹 B: Claro, aqui está.
🇵🇹 A: Posso pagar com cartão?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, aceitamos cartões.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the phrase that fits. Do not pick a stronger or more specific line if a simpler restaurant phrase is better.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%