Module 1 - Chapter 15

Food & Restaurants

Learn food vocabulary and how to order meals!

Introduction

The Language of Food

Food is an important part of life and culture! Learning food vocabulary helps you order at restaurants, talk about your favorite dishes, cook with others, and share meals with friends and family.

Food Vocabulary

Fruits

🍎

Apple

🍌

Banana

🍊

Orange

🍇

Grapes

🍉

Watermelon

🍓

Strawberry

🥭

Mango

🍑

Peach

Vegetables

🥕

Carrot

🥔

Potato

🍅

Tomato

🥒

Cucumber

🌽

Corn

🥬

Lettuce

🧅

Onion

🫑

Pepper

Main Foods

🍚

Rice

🍞

Bread

🍝

Pasta

🍕

Pizza

🍔

Burger

🍗

Chicken

🥩

Meat

🐟

Fish

🥚

Egg

🧀

Cheese

Beverages (Drinks)

💧

Water

🥛

Milk

☕

Coffee

🍵

Tea

🥤

Soft Drink

🧃

Juice

Desserts & Sweets

🍰

Cake

🍦

Ice Cream

🍪

🍫

Chocolate

🍩

Donut

🍮

Pudding

Meals & Mealtimes

Food Taste Words

Sweet Sour Salty Bitter Spicy/Hot Delicious Fresh

Restaurant Phrases

Entering the Restaurant

Server: Welcome! How many people?
You: Table for two, please.
Server: Follow me, please.
You: Thank you.

Looking at the Menu

Server: Here's the menu. Can I get you something to drink?
You: I'll have water, please.
You: What do you recommend?
You: What's the specialty here?
You: I need a few more minutes.

Ordering Food

Server: Are you ready to order?
You: Yes, I'll have the [dish name].
You: I'd like to order [dish name].
You: Can I have [dish name], please?
You: For me, the [dish name].
Server: How would you like it cooked? (for meat)
You: Medium, please. / Well-done, please.

During the Meal

Server: How is everything?
You: Everything is delicious!
You: Could I have more water, please?
You: Excuse me, can I have the salt?
You: This is too spicy/cold/salty.

Finishing & Paying

You: Can I have the bill/check, please?
Server: Here you are. The total is ₹850.
You: Can I pay by card?
You: Keep the change. (for tip)
You: Thank you, the food was excellent!

Complete Restaurant Dialogue

At an Indian Restaurant

Waiter: Good evening! Welcome to our restaurant. How many people?

Customer: Good evening! Table for three, please.

Waiter: Right this way. (Shows them to a table) Here's your menu.

Customer: Thank you. Can we have some water, please?

Waiter: Of course. I'll be right back. (Returns with water) Are you ready to order?

Customer: Yes. What do you recommend?

Waiter: Our butter chicken is very popular. Also the biryani is excellent today.

Customer: Great! We'll have one butter chicken, one biryani, and one paneer tikka. Also, three naan breads.

Waiter: Excellent choice. Anything to drink?

Customer: Two mango lassis and one Coke, please.

Waiter: Perfect. Your order will be ready in about 20 minutes.

Customer: (Later) Excuse me, can we have the bill, please?

Waiter: Certainly. (Brings the bill) Here you are. The total is ₹1,450.

Customer: Here's my card.

Waiter: Thank you. (Returns with card) Thank you for coming! Please visit again!

Customer: Thank you, the food was delicious!

Knowledge Check

Try This with AI

Practice what you learned by talking to an AI assistant (like ChatGPT or Claude). Type these into the chat:

"Let's role-play! You're a waiter and I'm ordering food at a restaurant. Help me order in English"
"I'll describe my favorite food. Help me use better words to describe taste, texture, and appearance"
"What vocabulary do I need to read a menu in English? Teach me the most important food and restaurant words"

The same skills that help you communicate clearly with AI will help you communicate clearly with people. Practice both!