Restaurant vs. Bistro

Main Difference

The main difference between Restaurant and Bistro is that the Restaurant is a single establishment which prepares and serves food and Bistro is a small restaurant

• Restaurant

  A restaurant (French: [ʁɛstoʁɑ̃] (listen)), or an eatery, is a business which prepares and serves food and drinks to customers in exchange for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearance and offerings, including a wide variety of cuisines and service models ranging from inexpensive fast food restaurants and cafeterias to mid-priced family restaurants, to high-priced luxury establishments.

  In Western countries, most mid- to high-range restaurants serve alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine. Some restaurants serve all the major meals, such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner (e.g., major fast food chains, diners, hotel restaurants, and airport restaurants). Other restaurants may only serve a single meal (for example, a pancake house may only serve breakfast) or they may serve two meals (e.g., lunch and dinner).

• Bistro

  A bistro or bistrot , is, in its original Parisian incarnation, a small restaurant, serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting with alcohol. Bistros are defined mostly by the foods they serve. French home-style cooking, and slow-cooked foods like cassoulet, a bean stew, are typical.

• Restaurant (noun)

  a place where people pay to sit and eat meals that are cooked and served on the premises.