Café and Restaurant — Unit 9, Beginner English
Table vocabulary, menu courses, ordering phrases, restaurant and café dialogues, another vs some more.
Reading: A Family Dinner
Last Friday, my family went to a new restaurant in our town. The restaurant was very busy. We waited for 20 minutes for a table. The waiter gave us the menu. The menu had many options. My father ordered a starter. He had tomato soup. My mother had a salad for her starter. I didn't want a starter. I wanted a big main course. I looked at the menu and I saw grilled chicken with rice. It looked delicious. I told the waiter, "I'd like the grilled chicken, please." My father ordered fish and chips. My mother ordered pasta. The food was excellent. At the end of the meal, my father asked for the bill. He paid with his credit card. We all had a wonderful evening at the restaurant.
Before the food came, the waiter put everything on the table: a plate and a bowl for each person, a knife, a fork and a spoon, and a napkin. There was salt and pepper in the middle, and oil and vinegar for the salad.
My mother said, "Could I have some more water, please?" The waiter said, "Of course. Still or sparkling?" My mother said, "Still, please."
I wanted a dessert, but I was full. The waiter asked, "Would you like a dessert?" I said, "No, thank you. That's all, thanks." My father had ice cream. He always has room for ice cream!
When my father asked for the bill, the waiter brought it on a small plate with the receipt. My father looked at it and smiled. "Not bad for four people," he said.
We will go there again for my birthday in March.
Vocabulary from this unit
| Item | Meaning |
|---|---|
| plate | a flat dish for food |
| bowl | a deep round dish (soup) |
| cup | for hot drinks (tea/coffee) |
| glass | for cold drinks or wine |
| mug | a big cup (informal) |
| knife | for cutting |
| fork | for picking up food |
| spoon | for soup or cereal |
| napkin | for wiping your mouth |
| salt and pepper | on the table to add flavour |
| oil and vinegar | for salads |
| the menu | the list of food available |
| Course | Dishes |
|---|---|
| Starters | Tomato soup with bread · Grilled prawns with garlic · Mixed green salad |
| Main courses | Roast chicken with boiled potatoes · Grilled salmon with rice · Fried steak with chips · Vegetable pasta (v) |
| Desserts | Ice cream (vanilla/chocolate) · Apple tart · Fresh fruit salad |
| Drinks | Still or sparkling water · Red or white wine · Juice · Coffee or tea |
| Phrase | Use |
|---|---|
| I'd like …, please. | polite order |
| I'll have … | deciding what to order |
| Could I have …, please? | polite request |
| Can I have …, please? | casual polite request |
| Could I see the menu, please? | ask for the menu |
| Could we have the bill, please? | ask to pay |
| Could I have some more water? | ask for more (uncountable) |
| That's all, thanks. | finished ordering |
2 more vocabulary sections in the full unit.
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Beginner — roughly CEFR A0–A1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.