Bistros

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A casual restaurant or café that serves simple, inexpensive meals and often features a cozy atmosphere
2. An establishment where light meals and refreshments are provided, commonly reflecting a relaxed vibe and diverse menus
3. A small eatery that typically offers a selection of comfort food and drinks in a friendly, informal setting

Etymology: "Bistros" is simply the plural of "bistro," so its story is the story of the singular. The French word "bistro" first meant "proprietor of a tavern" in the 1880s, and the sense shifted from the person who ran the place to the place itself, a small, modest eating-house. Its exact origin is unknown; it is presumably a regional French dialect word, and nobody has traced it to a firm source. English picked up the word around 1920, when it was borrowed from French. The borrowing came with the café culture that French cities were known for, so the word carried a sense of unpretentious continental charm from the start. Its own sense of "cozy and inexpensive" came with it rather than being added later in English.

Synonyms: restaurants, cafés, diners, eateries, establishments