Meaning & use
bistro table
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Meaning
nouncountable
A small, usually round table for one or two people, often with a metal base, used in cafes or small dining areas.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a bistro table' or 'two bistro tables'.
Patterns
- a bistro table
- bistro tables
We sat at a bistro table outside the cafe and watched the street.
The apartment is too small for a full dining set, so we bought a bistro table for the kitchen corner.
They set two bistro tables together to make room for four people.
Word forms
| plural | bistro tables |
|---|
Common combinations
- a bistro table and chairs
- We bought a bistro table and chairs for the balcony.
- a round bistro table
- The round bistro table fits perfectly in the bay window.
- sit at a bistro table
- They sat at a bistro table near the entrance.
- a set of bistro tables
- The restaurant has a set of bistro tables outside.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cafe table
- A more general term for any small table used in a cafe, not necessarily round or with a metal base.
- side table
- A small table placed beside a sofa or bed, not usually for eating meals.
Word family
- bistro noun
- A small, informal restaurant or bar.
Commonly confused: bistro table or bistro?
bistro table vs bistro
A bistro is a type of restaurant; a bistro table is a piece of furniture.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'bistro table' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A bistro table is a physical table, so you sit or eat at it. Option 2 uses it as an adjective before 'restaurant', which is not standard. Option 3 is wrong because 'a bistro table and chairs' would need a plural verb or a different structure. Option 4 is possible but less natural because bistro tables are typically for one or two people, not four.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bistro table”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.