Food / A2

KAF-ay/ˈkæfeɪ/

A café (often written cafe) is a small place for coffee, tea, and simple food — not a full restaurant. Meet at the café, a café on the corner. Coffee shop is close; restaurant is for a bigger meal. In British English the accent on café is common in signs and careful writing, but the word is the same.

Meaning

A small place that serves drinks and simple food.

Examples

• “Let’s meet at the cafe on the corner.”
• “The café opens at eight.”
• “We had a sandwich in a busy café.”

Good to know

at the café. Smaller than a restaurant. Spelling: café / cafe.

Near in meaning

coffee shop

Topics

New