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How to Describe a Fancy Restaurant in a Story

By Brittany Kuhn

Do characters in your novel go out for a meal at a swanky restaurant? If you’re wondering how to describe a fancy restaurant in a story, scroll down to learn about 10 words that will help you.

1. Luxurious

• Containing the best features.
• Pleasurable to the extreme.
• Characterized by wealth or plenty.

“Eating in such a luxurious restaurant was not something he expected to be doing today.”

“Even the salt and pepper shakers were fancy in this luxurious restaurant.”

How it Adds Description

Luxurious often describes items or places that are extremely remarkable. When used to describe a fancy restaurant, luxurious evokes images of gold and silk decorations, plush chair cushions, and tasty, decadent food. There are usually two types of characters who would be eating in a luxurious restaurant: those who are uber-wealthy and feel like they are the only ones worthy of eating there, and those who feel unworthy because they aren’t rich enough to eat there.

• Appealing to wealthy or affluent people.
• Of higher quality.

“She couldn’t believe that he had brought her to such an upscale restaurant on their first date.”

“He had hoped the upscale restaurant would impress her.”

We use upscale when we want to emphasize that people with money and sophisticated taste are attracted to this business or item. If a fancy restaurant is described as upscale , then a reader might imagine people dressed in business suits (if it is lunchtime) and fashionable dresses with expensive jewelry or handbags.

Sophisticated or cultured.

“The refined restaurant attracted only the most upper crust diners in New York City.”

“There was nothing out of place in the refined restaurant; every flower was pruned to perfection, every tablecloth pressed within an inch of its life.”

If you want to focus on how perfectly put together the restaurant seems instead of what kind of customer based it has, then describe it as refined . Refined suggests that the restaurant is of such high quality that time has been taken to ensure every element is exactly as it’s meant to be: from the place settings to the food presentation to the service.

Definitions

Having too much of something.

“The lavish restaurant had an overabundance of frills and lace; it was a bit too much for my taste.”

“We could not wait to try the food at such a lavish restaurant.”

Lavish implies having more than one needs, almost to the point of excess. Any restaurant described as lavish would contain more of the fancy, expensive décor and extravagant food items than a more mainstream one would.

5. Distinguished

Fit for a celebrated or prominent person.

“Anybody who’s anybody had a reservation at the most distinguished restaurant downtown.”

“The distinguished restaurant was full of business men and security personnel.”

Describing a fancy restaurant as distinguished emphasizes that it has a sophisticated ambiance and clientele. There is likely soft piano music playing, probably by a live pianist, and everyone is whispering to each other in dulcet tones. Use distinguished if you want your fancy restaurant to come across as cultured and visited by only the most important people.

• Chic, polished , or civilized.
• Reflecting superiority, high value.

“We knew we were at a classy restaurant when the wine list was as big as the food menu.”

“The grand chandelier of the classy restaurant had so many crystals that it looked like a disco ball when it reflected the sunlight.”

Classy suggests that the restaurant has been professionally designed to the highest standards. Imagine the trendiest art on the walls or chandeliers and candelabras for lighting. Describing a restaurant as classy suggests that just eating at this place raises the character’s station to a higher class, one with money and prestige.

• Boastful , overly showy.

“I know they like going to the swanky restaurant around the corner, but I find it a bit too much.”

“Oooh, we’re going to the swanky restaurant? Better get out my pearls!”

Swanky suggests that a place is fancy and high-priced but maybe trying too hard to seem that way, so it has more of a negative tone. Use swanky if you want to show the characters find the fancy restaurant as pretentious or over-the-top because of the extravagant features that make it fancy.

8. Glamorous

Extremely alluring .

“This restaurant is so glamorous that even the tassels on the cushions have tassels.”

“I felt like I needed to wear a ballgown to eat in such a glamorous restaurant.”

When most people think of glamorous , they imagine royalty and aristocracy. Describe your restaurant as glamorous if you want to show it’s so fancy that celebrities and people with power make a night of eating there, probably dressed in evening wear and wearing the finest jewels.

Flashy in a brash and showy way.

“What a glitzy restaurant! Even the maître d is dressed in silk!”

“That restaurant was so glitzy , there was even gold in the wallpaper!”

Glitzy is often used to describe expensive jewels or gold because of how they glint in the sun. Use glitzy to emphasize the types of fabrics and shininess of the whole place and show the restaurant is fancy more because of how it looks, rather than the food.

10. Elegant

High quality , tasteful.

“Everything about the restaurant –the way they greeted us, the way the waitstaff treated us, even the way the food was plated—was elegant and precise.”

“I consider a restaurant elegant and fancy when they have a wine pairing for every meal.”

When a reader sees the word elegant , they almost always imagine grace and precision. Thought and kindness has gone into every element to ensure the most pleasurable experience with no worry on the part of the customer. An elegant restaurant would evoke thoughts of soft words, flowy tablecloths, food delivered easily and on time.

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Website Inspiration: 20 Great Restaurant Description Examples

January 6, 2022

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Now more than ever, it happens on your restaurant's website.

Restaurants know the importance of a strong first impression. It's why they invest in exterior design, decorate their entranceways and train hosts to welcome guests with a warm smile. 

Nowadays, however,  more than 70%  of diners visit a restaurant's website before deciding where to dine, which means the first impression happens long before they set foot on-premises. It happens online. And when it does, the restaurant description plays a pivotal role.

Despite this, many restaurants struggle to write an effective description for their website. Doing so requires a mix of skills not every restaurant has — writing, design and a keen understanding of digital user behavior — but there are tools in place to make the job easier. For example, if you  build your website  with BentoBox, full-service designers can help create your website on a template that is proven to be user-friendly. That takes care of the design and user behavior hurdles.

To help overcome the writing hurdle, we've created the resource below. In addition to defining best practices, we have curated 20 examples of effective restaurant descriptions and analyzed why they work. If you don't know where to start or feel stuck, scroll through these examples and see if they spark new ideas.

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How Do You Write an Online Restaurant Description?

A good restaurant description needs to make a strong first impression on would-be diners. This means the writing should be grammatically sound and typo-free — but it also means the content should make strategic sense for your brand. There are several keys to doing this correctly:

Define your objective.  As you'll see in the examples below, descriptions that work for some restaurants would fall flat for others. A cocktail lounge might want its description to be a call to adventure, while a sandwich shop might simply want to say it has the lowest prices in town. Define the main thing you want your audience to know or feel, then use that as a north star to guide your writing.

Outline key points.  Now that you know your objective, write down all the key messages you want to communicate. Sort them into tiers of importance, and be honest about what is "nice to know" versus what is "need to know." Digital attention spans are short, so if you try to include every selling point — rather than just the essentials — readers will gloss over your description. The more information you ask them to retain, the less they actually will.

Consider the visuals.  As you determine the best way to communicate "need to know" messages, remember that text is not the only way to communicate. Many of the examples below use design and photography to reinforce their key selling points. This reduces how much text you need and helps solve the attention span issue mentioned above, but to do it correctly across devices, you'll need a well-designed website platform .

Edit & ask for feedback. There's a famous saying in the writing industry: "writing is rewriting." In other words, your first draft always needs work, and the real craft of writing comes in making that first draft better. When you have something down, read it over for typos but also play around with different word choices and sentence structures. Ask people you trust for feedback. If you do this well, you'll only have to do it once. It's worth investing a little extra time.

The examples below are designed to help with this process. It may be helpful to bookmark this page and refer to them while you write and edit. Or, you can view them all now and see if any stand out as starting points.

20 Inspiring Restaurant Website Designs

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Restaurant Description Examples: With Headlines

The first 10 examples use headlines, or bold text above the main description, in rhetorically interesting ways. Headlines are optional in restaurant descriptions, but when used right they capture attention and reinforce key messages.

1. Bubby's

Description Text

SERVED EVERY DAY SINCE 1990

Bubby’s opened on Thanksgiving Day 1990. Chef / Owner Ron Silver began baking pies and selling them to restaurants and his neighbors out of a small kitchen at the corner of Hudson and North Moore St. in Tribeca. Today, NYC’s beloved restaurant and pie shop celebrates 27 years of classic, made from scratch American cooking.

Why It's Effective

Rather than calling itself a “New York institution” or using the word "reliable," Bubby’s uses its headline to make a specific claim — ”Served every day since 1990” — that demonstrates those ideas. This captures more attention and paints a richer, more vivid picture of its history and role in the community. The rest of the description supports this by adding details to the story of its founding and explaining that even three decades later, its scratch approach to cooking remains the same.

2. Old Ebbitt Grill

Description Text (abridged)

THE OLDEST SALOON IN WASHINGTON

The Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington's oldest saloon, was founded in 1856 when, according to legend, innkeeper William E. Ebbitt bought a boarding house. Today, no one can pinpoint the house’s exact location, but it was most likely on the edge of present-day Chinatown.

As a boarding house, the Ebbitt guest list read like a Who's Who of American History. President McKinley is said to have lived there during his tenure in Congress, and Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Johnson, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt and Warren Harding supposedly refreshed themselves at its stand-around bar.

Like Bubby's, Old Ebbitt Grill uses its headline to make a specific claim that paints a vivid picture. This claim — "The oldest saloon in Washington" — is even bolder and more eye-catching, especially with the black-and-white photo beside it. The description delivers on the promise of the headline, listing the U.S. presidents who have frequented the famous saloon. Instead of explicitly stating, "Old Ebbitt Grill has a rich history," this approach paints a picture that helps people  feel  the history.

Description Text 

SAY NO TO MEATS ON DRUGS

The fabric of Cutlets was born out of love and respect for these humble deli creations, met with a desire to bring quality ingredients to the table. Simply put, we’re here to bring you a sandwich experience you can feel good about.

This headline — a parody of the 1980s-era  Just Say No campaign  — does three important things simultaneously: 

Captures user attention.

Establishes the brand as fun & playful.

Introduces a key selling point of the restaurant (natural ingredients).

It's rare for one line of copy to accomplish so much so quickly, but when it happens, it's extremely powerful. Cutlets combines this description with a carousel of high-resolution food photography, which rounds out the homepage and leaves a strong impression on future diners.

4. Los Tacos No. 1

lostacos1.com

BIENVENIDOS

Los Tacos No. 1 was created after three close friends from Tijuana, Mexico, and Brawley, California, decided to bring the authentic Mexican taco to the east coast.

The authentic taste comes from family recipes and from fresh, simple and tasteful ingredients straight from home. In every taco from LOS TACOS No. 1 there is a bit of true Mexican culture and flavor.

The headline welcomes guests in Spanish, and then the description switches seamlessly to English. This is a fitting introduction to Los Tacos No. 1, the brainchild of partners from both sides of the Mexican-American border, who brought their authentic recipes to New York City. The illustrations between the headline and description represent the four fillings on their menu — beef, chicken, pork and cactus — and channel the restaurant’s lighthearted character. Click the link above and you’ll see that the icons animate when users scroll past them, one of many cool design features available through the  BentoBox website platform .

5. Ci Siamo

cisiamonyc.com

colloquial phrase; [CHee see-aH-mo]

We’ve made it! We’ve arrived! We’re here! 

Ci Siamo bridges the traditional with the contemporary, bringing live-fire cooking, housemade pasta, and a robust Italian wine list to the heart of Manhattan West.

Ci Siamo begins its description by translating its name into English, mimicking the style of a dictionary. It could have written something straightforward like, "Ci Siamo is Italian for 'We've made it! We've arrived! We're here!,' but the dictionary tactic adds a playful twist on top of that. This is important because Ci Siamo is not a strictly traditional brand; it's a brand that seeks to "bridge the traditional with the contemporary." Thanks to its description, that comes across loud and clear.

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6. Baba's

babashotchicken.com

DELICIOUS, AUTHENTIC NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

A chicken sandwich is only as good as its ingredients. That's why we import our spices and use top-quality ingredients in each of our Nashville Hot Chicken tenders, as well as our other offerings.

We pride ourselves in following the traditional Hot Chicken seasonings and processes used in Nashville, the birthplace of Hot Chicken. From dry spice to the classic hot oil, our Hot Chicken is as Nashvillian as it gets!

Baba's is a Nashville hot chicken chain that operates across California. In nearly every sentence, the headline and description on its homepage stress that it is  authentic  Nashville hot chicken — not some cheap West Coast imitation. When your restaurant has a well-defined value prop like this, the description is no place for subtlety; you want to hammer it clearly, concisely and continuously. Baba's does this with text and then validates it with loud, in-your-face, food photography.

itsteranga.com

AFRICAN SUPER FOOD

Here, ancient customs and future trends coexist, and the intricacies of African culture blend seamlessly together over an Ethiopian-brewed coffee, or a bowl of Senegalese black-eyed pea stew and a side of spicy Ghanaian plantains.

Inspired by our Co-Founder and Executive Chef Pierre Thiam’s mission to share African culture through food, Teranga reflects the depth, richness, and vibrancy of Africa’s diverse culinary traditions in a modern, fast-casual setting. 

WELCOME HOME.

After capturing attention with the headline, the first sentence of the description gives three examples of menu items, each one using a different African country in the adjective:  Ethiopian-brewed  coffee,  Senegalese  black-eyed pea stew,  Ghanaian  plantains. This is a deft illustration of the menu concept, which blends the diverse tastes of African cuisine into one cohesive experience. The description also ends with an inviting piece of copy, "Welcome Home," that stands out due to colorful text design.

8. PLNT Burger

plntburger.com

CHEF-CRAFTED FAST FOOD FOR THE FUTURE. 

PLNT Burger is dedicated to serving the best burgers on the planet, and for the planet!

Earlier, we mentioned the importance of separating "need to have" messages from "nice to have" messages. No restaurant on this list does that better than PLNT Burger, which communicates its value prop and establishes a cheeky brand voice in two short lines of copy (three if you count its name). Rather than bogging down its homepage with details and specifics, the plant-based fast-food chain shares a simple, compelling message about what it offers and why, along with a clever play on words. If users want to learn more, the  About page  linked in the main navigation has them covered.

9. The Green Room

tgrburbank.com

AN IMMERSIVE AND SEDUCTIVE COCKTAIL LOUNGE HIDDEN IN CASTAWAY BURBANK

The Green Room is fashioned after the green rooms in theaters and studios where performers relax when they are not on stage or camera. Everyone is a star at The Green Room with our immersive cocktail experiences, VIP service and the best views of the city.

The headline leads with descriptive words like "immersive," "seductive" and "hidden," which draw the user in and make them want to learn more. The description then delivers on that intrigue, explaining that the lounge is fashioned after backstage green rooms in theaters and on movie sets. That's a bold claim, but the full-bleed photos of the restaurant's sprawling views, along with the gold trims and fonts throughout the website, help position The Green Room as a place where regular people feel like stars.

10. She Wolf Bakery

shewolfbakery.com

Description Text  WE STARTED BAKING BREAD IN 2009 IN THE WOOD OVEN AT ROMAN'S.

After dinner service, we would make a fire. Early in the morning, our baker Austin Hall would come in, rake out the coals and bake bread for the day. This bread became a part of Roman’s at every service and staff meal. Soon the chefs at Marlow & Sons and Diner wanted to bring the same quality and integrity to the bread they served.

We expanded bread production to our own space in Greenpoint, and now supply the bread served at all of our restaurants and others around the city. You can also purchase loaves to take home at Marlow & Daughters, Stranger Wines, Roman’s, and Achilles Heel, as well as at nine NYC Greenmarkets. Why It's Effective

This description reads like an origin story, and it's written in a way that perfectly suits the brand. The first-person perspective, natural word choice and short, active sentences make it feel like the restaurant's owners are speaking directly to the audience through the screen. This mirrors the underlying theme of the story: that She Wolf Bakery grew through connection and community, and that you can trust every loaf to have a personal, artisan touch.

Restaurant Description Examples: No Headlines

The next 10 examples either don't use headlines or use them in straightforward ways (e.g., "About Us"). This more minimalist approach can still be effective, though it may require visuals to play a larger role capturing user attention.

11. Gramercy Tavern

gramercytavern.com

One of America's most beloved restaurants, Gramercy Tavern has welcomed guests to enjoy its contemporary American cuisine, warm hospitality, and unparalleled service in New York City for over two decades. Chef Michael Anthony's ever-evolving seasonal menu showcases the restaurant's relationships with local farms and purveyors.

Opened in 1994 by restaurateur Danny Meyer in a historic landmark building just north of Union Square, the restaurant has earned nine James Beard Awards, including "Outstanding Restaurant" and "Outstanding Chef in America.”

Upscale restaurants sometimes overwrite their descriptions, using flowery language that sounds posh and sophisticated but doesn't convey a clear point. Gramercy Tavern uses simple adjectives like  contemporary  American cuisine,  warm  hospitality and  unparalleled  service, which paint a clear picture while still projecting confidence and authority. The use of plain language in the first sentence primes readers for the second sentence, where the restaurant mentions its nine James Beard Awards in a way that feels matter-of-fact and informative, rather than arrogant and showy.

12. Big Gay Ice Cream

biggayicecream.com

Beginning as a seasonal food truck in 2009, Big Gay Ice Cream has been named best ice cream parlor—as well as best food truck—in the country, along with numerous other accolades. Now the company has multiple locations in New York City & Philadelphia.

Over the last 10 years, founders Douglas Quint & Bryan Petroff have published a critically acclaimed cookbook; appeared on numerous tv programs; put on Big Gay Ice Cream pop-ups at festivals around the world; collaborated with a variety of international brands; spoken at a variety of conferences & seminars, including giving a TED talk; & taken the ice cream truck on tours across the country.

Although the style — and the business — is very different, Big Gay Ice Cream employs a similar approach to Gramercy Tavern. The first paragraph of its description explains the brand's humble origins as a seasonal food truck, which primes readers for the second paragraph, where it mentions various milestones and accolades. This description approach and the web page design, which resembles a scrapbook with polaroids, positions Big Gay Ice Cream as it wants to be positioned: a global sensation that remembers where it came from.

13. the girl & the fig

thegirlandthefig.com

the girl & the fig is located in the beautiful Sonoma Plaza and features a wonderful antique bar with French aperitifs, unique and traditional cocktails, an award-winning Rhône-Alone wine list, a seasonal menu, cheese & charcuterie platters, outdoor garden patio seating & outdoor parklet seating.

This description is only one sentence, but it's packed with information. The writing is taut and straightforward, and the long list of restaurant features it lists — seven in total — projects a sense of understated confidence. Had the list of features been shorter, a one-sentence description like this might feel sparse. Instead, it feels quite inviting, like the restaurant believes so strongly in its offerings that it doesn't need to dress them in glittery language.

14. Death & Company

deathandcompany.com

It was thought that to drink alcohol was to live a life shadowed by death; that those who drank were keeping company with death. It's taken us nearly a century to restore flavor to the drink and class to the specialty cocktail. In our time, a night to celebrate life's simple pleasures with fine wine, exquisitely crafted cocktails, beautifully prepared food, and impeccable sipping spirits is a rare gift.

To those who shun the night, we tip our hat. To those who shine after dusk, we offer a warm embrace.

Welcome to the new golden age. Welcome to Death & Co.

Death & Company's description reads like a call to adventure. In fact, it also reads like one of the most famous ads of all-time, Apple's " Here's to the Crazy Ones ," which didn't so much sell computers as it sold the brand's DNA. In similar fashion, this description is a brooding ode to alcohol and nightlife; to people who order cabs out instead of in at 1:00 AM. This is an effective approach for a cocktail lounge, which relies more on emotional than logical motivators to get people through the door.

15. The Wilder

intothewilder.com

I am a feeling. Like swimming under a waterfall, biting into a juicy peach, dancing till the sun comes up, holding hands with someone you love, having that third mezcal, eating berries fresh from the vine, watching your favorite film, a blue sky without a cloud in sight. I am everything that makes you remember you are alive and life is beautiful.

Even more than Death & Co., this description uses literary prose to read like a call to adventure. It is extremely avant-garde, framed like a letter from The Wilder to the reader, comparing the upscale lounge to a list of free-spirited actions like "dancing till the sun comes up" and "eating berries fresh from the vine." This approach would fall flat for many restaurants, but for a South Florida nightlife spot that appeals to guests through emotion more than reason, it's spot on. A plain description of the lounge space is the approach that would fall flat.

suerteatx.com

Located in the heart of East Austin, Suerte is an award-winning restaurant driven by a passion for masa, an ingredient at the heart of Mexican cooking. Chef Fermin and his team curate a seasonally driven menu with an emphasis on bringing together traditional Mexican cooking techniques with local Texas ingredients to create a unique and exciting dining experience. 

Our bar offers some of Mexico's most unique agave and succulent spirits state-side, as well as highlighting a rotating selection of natural wines and craft cocktails.

The first sentence of the description clearly outlines something unique about the restaurant: its passion for masa. This establishes the "traditional" component of Suerte's menu, which blends traditional Mexican cooking with local Texas ingredients. The photo beside the description further amplifies this idea, showcasing traditional Mexican art while establishing a bright, exuberant visual style for the brand. When image and text work in harmony like this, it can be extremely powerful.

17. Craigie on Main

craigieonmain.com

“It all starts with ingredients. We’ve been working closely with farmers and fishermen since 2002. They are the first people I talk to each morning!

Many of my culinary values are the same ones you’ll find in 90% of the world’s grandmothers.

That said, you’ll find me on the leading edge of most culinary techniques and ingredients.

I work to match just the right food and wine combinations (sometimes they are unexpected)

I serve nothing that is not in season.

I look forward to hosting you soon."

Craigie on Main's entire description is a quote from chef/owner Tony Maws. Speaking directly to the reader, Maws describes his homestyle cooking approach, explaining that farmers and fishermen are the first people he talks to each morning and comparing his culinary values to "90% of the world's grandmothers." The use of first-person perspective helps the quote come across as sincere and authentic, positioning the brand as a restaurant run by artisans.

18. Rosalie Italian Soul

rosalieitaliansoul.com

“At Rosalie, the world feels like a bubbling Italian Restaurant, with an infinite strand of pasta connecting everything and everyone.”

– Chris Cosentino –

Rather than a long, manifesto-style pull quote, Rosalie's homepage features a short, abstract thought from chef/owner Chris Cosentino. The quote does provide some important information — establishing Rosalie as a "bubbling Italian restaurant" — but more than that, it adds a dash of whimsy to Rosalie's brand. It's a captivating description that makes users want to learn more, which they can do by clicking "About Us" for a longer description or coming in to experience the space firsthand.

19. Crown Shy

crownshy.nyc

Crown Shy is the first solo project of Chef James Kent and Restaurateur Jeff Katz. Inspired by James’ upbringing in downtown New York and his experience leading the city’s most celebrated kitchens, Crown Shy is a neighborhood seasonal restaurant elevated by fine dining training and technique.

Located on the ground floor of Art Deco masterpiece 70 Pine Street, the dining room and bar occupy a series of rooms with floor to 16-foot-ceiling windows leading to an open kitchen.

The food at Crown Shy is rooted in European technique but draws inspiration from around the world, primarily the flavors from our childhoods, traveling, and the diverse cuisine in New York City.

Before users even start reading, the Art Deco-inspired logo and background image establish a refined mood. The description text delivers on that mood with upscale words such as "celebrated," "elevated" and "masterpiece." Supplementing all of this, the page lists more than 20 staff members, including management, kitchen and dining room. This decision — and the decision to use the same text design as the rest of the description — shows that the restaurant's people are central to its identity, which positions the brand as personal and human.

An austere experience, where richness is lived through the purity of ingredients, the combination of extraordinary flavors, and the story of their origin.

From the Imaginarium of Carlos Gaytán, the first Latin American who earned a Michelin Star.

This example is best viewed at the link above, where you can see how it uses scrolling to break up the text. Although readers only see one piece of the description at a time, it reads like one cohesive thought. This unique approach to telling the restaurant's story primes users for what Tzuco promises: an imaginative meal where the story of the food is central to the experience. Describing Chef Gaytán's mind as an "Imaginarium" adds even more whimsy and intrigue. 

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15+ Restaurant Description Examples

We gathered these Restaurant Description examples for those who want to save some time on writing their own about us page for the website. Simply copy and paste them and you are good to go.

Legend for restaurant description examples

Restaurant description examples

01 . All of our menu items are inspired by _____ cuisine and have been created by our head chef, ( CN ), after studying authentic _____ cuisine in ____. Not only do we have fresh flown-in seafood from the northeast, but we also have a variety of handcrafted cocktails, wine, and beer to choose from.

02 . At ( RN ), we’re serving up more than ( TF ). In fact, ( RN ) Famous ( recipe ) is one of our unexpected specialties. Reminiscent of butcher shops back in the day, each slow-smoked, sizzling prime chop measures seven-fingers high. Our signature recipe, that we have perfected for more than four decades, is rubbed with a secret blend of seasonings, cured and roasted on a rotisserie with pecan wood for up to six hours before it’s topped with ( RN ) signature herb-garlic butter, then carved tableside.

04 . The approach to the menu was easy. We had no interest in trying to reinvent food. We went with choices that were popular catering requests — basic, down-home style — just from a wide range of regions. We are known for our generous portions of BBQ, Southern, Cajun/Creole meals, plus a touch of Caribbean fun. We will tell you now – save room for dessert! 

05 . ( RN ) is a comfortable, brasserie-style restaurant offering everything you love about ___ cuisine without the attitude. ( RN ) features classic ___ dishes such as ____ and ____, as well as fresh salads and juicy hamburgers made with fresh-ground beef.

07 . ( RN ) pushes the envelope of ( CN ) cuisine. Taking its influences from our team members’ culinary roots, ( RN ) blends traditional and innovative techniques to create unique offerings using local ingredients in all of its dishes. ( RN ) is grounded in hospitality with our staff’s commitment to providing you with a memorable experience each time you walk through our door.

10 . Located at _______. We offer a wide array of fresh food – green pork plate, chimichangas, hamburger, barbacoa plate, pizza , salads, bbq with rice and beans and more. We use the freshest ingredients in preparing our food to provide the best quality and taste. Try our delicious food today! 

13 . ( RN ) is a Contemporary Creole restaurant creating unique dishes with a focus on local ingredients and inspired by classical training. Located in a ( LN ) in ( CN ’s) Central Business District, the main dining room caters to the most unique dining experience. The interior is rich with original architectural details, gleaming hardwood floors, soaring columns, mahogany paneling and antique mirrors.

14 . ( RN ) Bar and Restaurant, established in 2000 on ____Avenue, is the flagship of the ___ Restaurant Group. The kitchen is overseen by Chef de Cuisine ( Chef name ) who works closely with local farmers and fishermen, offering contemporary, seasonal local cuisine with elements of rustic Italian cooking. An eclectic wine list and a knowledgeable staff make for perfect pairings.

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How to Write a Great Restaurant Description

The days of finding restaurants just by walking past them are over. Now, people use Google to find places to eat or drink and check the restaurant's descriptions and reviews.

Because of this, having a great restaurant description is more important than ever. A well-written description can help your restaurant stand out and attract more customers.

In this blog, we'll show you how to create the best restaurant description to make a strong impression on Google. We'll share 7 easy tips to help you write a description highlighting what makes your restaurant special and brings in more visitors.

7 best tips for creating a powerful restaurant description

Creating a compelling restaurant description can set you apart from the competition. It's your chance to make a lasting first impression, so here’s how to make it count.

1. Highlight what makes you unique

Start by thinking about what sets your restaurant apart. Do you use fresh, locally sourced ingredients? Do you offer a unique dining experience or a special type of cuisine? Whatever it is, make sure to highlight it.

Your restaurant's unique qualities are what will attract customers. Whether it's your commitment to local ingredients, a distinctive dining experience, or special cuisine, make sure to showcase what makes you stand out.

For example:

"At Farm-to-Table Bistro, we bring you the freshest ingredients straight from local farms to your plate."

"Enjoy a taste of Italy at Bella's, where our authentic recipes and cozy atmosphere make every meal special."

Further reading

• How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan in 2024 (Step by Step Guide with Templates)

2. Add key information

To make your restaurant stand out on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, your description needs to be optimized with the right keywords.

For your restaurant to show up in local searches, your description must include these three crucial details:

• The name of your restaurant
• The type of cuisine you offer
• Your restaurant's location

To make sure your restaurant shows up in local search results, it's important to include the name of your restaurant, the type of cuisine you offer, and your location. Search engines use this information to direct potential customers to your establishment.

• A Complete Guide to Google My Business for Restaurants

3. Include the right keywords

Keywords are the single words or short phrases that people type into search engines when looking for a restaurant. When coming up with keywords for your restaurant, think about what people type into Google to find a restaurant like yours and you need to be appearing in their searches before your competitors do.

Come up with 2 or 3 words that you think best describe your restaurant. Think specifically and play to your restaurant’s USP (seafront view, secret garden, dog friendly, etc). Your keywords can be related to:

• Specialties or signature dishes
• The ambiance of your restaurant
• Special offers, occasions, or events
• The services you provide

TIP:  Keywords are your key selling points. You can use more than 3 keywords if you want, but keep your text easy and enjoyable to read.

• 4 SEO Strategies to Boost Your Restaurant Website

4. Paint a picture with words

Use descriptive language to create a vivid picture of your restaurant. Describe the ambiance, the décor, and the overall vibe. This helps potential customers imagine themselves dining at your place.

"Step into our rustic dining room adorned with vintage décor, where the aroma of freshly baked bread fills the air."

"Our modern, chic space features sleek lines and soft lighting, perfect for an intimate dinner or a night out with friends."

5. Focus on the experience

People don't just go to restaurants for the food; they go for the experience. Talk about the overall experience your restaurant offers, from the service to the atmosphere.

"Our friendly staff and warm, inviting atmosphere make every meal feel like a special occasion."

"At Sunset Grill, you can enjoy stunning ocean views while savoring our signature cocktails and delicious dishes."

6. Keep it simple and clear

While it's important to be descriptive, you also want to keep your description clear and to the point. Avoid using overly complicated words or jargon. Keep it simple so that everyone can understand and appreciate what you have to offer.

For writing simple and clear restaurant descriptions, several tips can help:

Be Concise : Keep your description short and to the point. Avoid unnecessary words and stick to the essentials that convey your message effectively​ ( Eat, Drink, and Write Copy ) ​​ ( Website Builder Expert ) ​.

Use Simple Language : Avoid jargon and overly complicated words. Write in a way that anyone can understand, ensuring your description is accessible to a broad audience​ ( Eat, Drink, and Write Copy )

Highlight Key Points : Focus on what makes your restaurant unique, such as special dishes, ambiance, or standout features. Make sure these points are easy to find in the description​ ( Eat, Drink, and Write Copy ) ​​ ( Website Builder Expert ) ​.

Stay Consistent : Maintain a consistent style and tone throughout your descriptions. This helps in creating a cohesive and professional impression​ ( Eat, Drink, and Write Copy ) ​.

Use White Space : Avoid clutter by using white space effectively. This makes the description easier to read and more visually appealing​ ( Website Builder Expert ) ​.

7. Update regularly

Your restaurant can change over time, whether it's the menu, the décor, or the overall concept. Make sure to update your description regularly to reflect any changes and keep it current.

Writing a great restaurant description is all about capturing the essence of your establishment and enticing potential customers. Keep it unique, descriptive, and focused on the experience, and you'll be sure to make a lasting impression.

What is a short restaurant description?

A restaurant is a place where food and drinks are prepared and served to customers. While meals are usually enjoyed on-site, many restaurants also provide take-out and delivery options.

How do you write about your restaurant?

• Use a relaxed or semi-formal tone.
• Your title should capture the main idea or opinion.
• Focus on the essential parts of the experience rather than every detail.
• Make sure to organize your thoughts into paragraphs.
• Share both the positives and negatives to give a balanced perspective.

What are examples of words that describe a restaurant?

Italian, steak and grill house, pizzeria, deli, cafe, cocktail bar, Mexican, steakhouse, burger joint, fine dining, gourmet, homestyle, traditional, authentic, fusion. 

Senior Content Manager at Eat App

Elana Kroon used to work in restaurants before becoming a journalist and expert restaurant industry content creator at Eat App.

Reviewed by

Nezar Kadhem

Co-founder and CEO of Eat App

He is a regular speaker and panelist at industry events, contributing on topics such as digital transformation in the hospitality industry, revenue channel optimization and dine-in experience.

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Using Sensory Images: Restaurant Reviews

Learning how to spice up your descriptive writing, with help from The Times and a student-written review.

By Katherine Schulten and Jeremy Engle

Our new Mentor Text series spotlights writing from The Times that students can learn from and emulate.

This entry, like several others we are publishing, aims to help support students participating in our Fifth Annual Student Review Contest . Each spotlights both a Times review and a review written by a teenage winner of one of our previous review contests.

For even more on teaching with reviews, please see our related unit plan .

At El Molcajete, the tacos look like bouquets, brimming with cilantro, loosely bundled in paper sleeves twisted tight at one end and gaping at the mouth. They are heavy with meat: hanks of shredded barbacoa, dark and caramelly cecina, cabeza more a stage of melt than flesh.

So begins Ligaya Mishan’s review of a “humble” place in the Bronx that cooks for the neighborhood and seeks no publicity.

But if you read her piece, you may find yourself heading to Westchester Avenue to find it, so vividly does Ms. Mishan describe the suadero and the sauces, the tacos and the tostadas.

Each week, The New York Times reviews a variety of dining experiences , from food carts to the most famous and expensive restaurants in the world. You’ll find not only distinctive and memorable takes on a wide variety of foods and cuisines, but also rich descriptions of the entire dining experience, including service, décor and ambience. No matter what they are reviewing, however, these writers are trying to engage your senses.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Atmosphere — Descriptive Writing about a Restaurant

Descriptive Writing About a Restaurant

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Restaurant Creative Writings Samples For Students

14 samples of this type

Do you feel the need to examine some previously written Creative Writings on Restaurant before you start writing an own piece? In this free database of Restaurant Creative Writing examples, you are granted an exciting opportunity to explore meaningful topics, content structuring techniques, text flow, formatting styles, and other academically acclaimed writing practices. Adopting them while crafting your own Restaurant Creative Writing will definitely allow you to finish the piece faster.

Presenting high-quality samples isn't the only way our free essays service can help students in their writing endeavors – our authors can also create from scratch a fully customized Creative Writing on Restaurant that would make a strong basis for your own academic work.

Talladega Creative Writing Sample

Talladega is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 registration the populace was 15,676.the city is the area seat of Talladega County. Talladega is roughly 50 miles (80 km) east of Birmingham, Alabama.the city is home to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and the Talladega Municipal Airport, an open general avionics air terminal. The Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega College and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame are placed adjacent. The First National Bank of Talladega is the most established bank in the State of Alabama, being established in 1848.

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Macaroni Grill In Dublin Creative Writing Examples

Introduction, organizational behavior creative writing, example of creative writing on mcdonalds international business operations, international operations, creative writing on business writing, example of creative writing on my trip to australia.

This essay presents a diary of what I did during my stay in Sydney, Australia, where I spent all my time with my cousin Nina, who took me to see many interesting sights in Sydney, such as the New Town, the Opera House, the Bondi Beach. It was a really wonderful experience, one I will never forget.

Keywords: Australia, Sydney, Opera House, New Town, Bondi Beach

New Experiences In Paris Creative Writing To Use For Practical Writing Help

A trip to spain creative writing examples.

Throughout life, many of us have had an opportunity to visit different places, so memorable that we cannot avoid sharing the experience with our friends and family members. During holidays, family members or groups of people would always want to go on vacations but unfortunately, they simply have no idea on how to plan for their vacations. This is a plan for a vocational trip of 25 people to Spain. It includes places to visit and accommodation during the vacation.

Day of Arrival

Example of journaling creative writing, the affair creative writing examples.

“Egg Foo Young Chicken!” The Chinese girl at the counter handed Richard a tray of food and placed a fortune cookie next to his drink. “You have a good day, now!” So hungry, Richard ate all of his food in five minutes. He took the plastic from the cookie and bit into it, taking out the little piece of paper that had his fortune written on it. Finishing his coke, he read the message and almost spit out all of his drink.

“Richard, your wife is having an affair.”

Creative writing on culture and verbal/nonverbal codes, chinese in america 1860s creative writing sample.

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How to Write Your Restaurant Description

7 tips for creating the perfect restaurant description

The days of discovering restaurants as you pass by on the street are long gone. When choosing where to eat or drink, people now turn more quickly to Google and check your restaurant description and reviews .

To help you rank better in Google with updated and coherent information about your restaurant, Mozrest gathers all your online profiles and reviews in one place , making it easy to manage. We also provide templates to respond to online reviews quickly and efficiently. The icing on the cake: we are giving you 7 easy tips to write the perfect restaurant description.

How to write a perfect restaurant description for local search?

1. List all essential information

Writing a Google-optimised description with thoughtful keywords is the first feature to enhance your restaurant on search engines like Bing, Yahoo, and Google. 

To appear in local searches, a perfect restaurant description must include at least three essential information:

• Restaurant name
• Type of food

2. Add relevant keywords

Keywords are single words or short phrases people type on search engines to find a restaurant. It is important to consider what people type on Google to find a restaurant like yours, so you will appear in people’s searches before your competitors.

Think about 2 or 3 keywords that best describe your restaurant. Be specific and add what makes your restaurant unique (seafront view, secret garden, dog-friendly, etc.). Your keywords can be about:

• Specialities/ Signature dishes
• Ambience/ Atmosphere
• Special offers/ Events

Pro Tip – Keywords are your key selling points. You can add more than 3 keywords if you want, as long as your text remains easy and pleasant to read.

3. Keep it short and sweet

In today’s digital age, people do not want to lose time. So when they look for a restaurant on Google, they want to find it quickly and easily. 

A good restaurant description is a short text that provides a quick overview of your restaurant’s best features. Make it brief and to the point without exceeding 750 characters. 

4. Add eye-catching pictures

Relevant and good-looking pictures will always attract more interest to your restaurant description. In addition, adding images will make the consumer’s choice between your restaurant and your competitors easier. 

You can take, for example, well-shot images of your best-selling items on the menu. People also like seeing pictures of the restaurant, the decoration, seating, atmosphere, views, and even a portrait of the chef and the staff. 

Pro Tip – Asking professionals is always recommended. But if you would like to take your pictures yourself, here are 10 food photography tips and 8 tips to improve your restaurant photography .

5. Use an appropriate tone of voice

Your tone and word choice must reflect customers’ experience at your restaurant. Therefore, your writing should capture your restaurant’s atmosphere and personality.

For example, a bar description would probably be very informal, relaxed and conversational. Speaking to readers as if they would be good friends. But if you are writing a description for a very exclusive fine dining restaurant, you would do it differently. Your writing would be more formal and complex, highlighting the exclusiveness and elegance of your establishment. 

6. Proofread your description with a colleague

Before publishing your description, ask one or two of your colleagues to revise it. They may find typos you have not seen or suggest a nice way to rephrase a few sentences. 

Getting your presentation text proofread by others will allow you to make sure it is easy and enjoyable to read. Get them to review the pictures as well. Maybe they will think some are not so attractive and suggest removing or replacing them. 

7. Publish your description on multiple platforms

By using the best keywords, not exceeding 750 characters and adding attractive visuals, you now have the best description for your restaurant. Now, it is time to publish it on your website, social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and Google My Business. 

You will then introduce your lovely restaurant to many potential customers, making it impossible for them to resist booking a table online.

Pro Tip – Google My Business is one of the most powerful tools to increase your restaurant’s online visibility. Indeed, your restaurant will be better ranked on Google Search and Google Maps, which are incredibly efficient in attracting new customers. To know more, read our article about the 7 benefices of Google my Business and discover a step-by-step guide explaining how to create a free Google My Business account.

There you have it – Knowing how to write a good online description for your restaurant will improve your search ranking and increase your bookings , which you can easily centralise with Mozrest . 

Just received an award? Changed your design? Keep your pictures and description up to date with Mozrest.

Once your restaurant description is live on various online platforms, it is important to keep it up to date. To ensure your customers will read the last version of your text (new interior design, award, chef, etc.), use Mozrest to edit it from one single place. It is quick and easy. You can then publish your updated text everywhere with one click.

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How to Describe Good Food in Writing (21 Tips + Examples)

Capturing the essence of a scrumptious meal in words is like painting a beautiful picture with your vocabulary.

Here’s how to describe good food in writing:

Describe good food in writing by using sensory language, highlighting ingredients, emphasizing texture and taste, and evoking emotions. Combine varied adjectives, metaphors, and similes for vivid, enticing descriptions.

Here’s your ultimate guide on how to describe good food in writing.

21 Elements for Describing Good Food in Writing

Table of Contents

We’ll be focusing on several elements that define a remarkable food description:

• Type of Food
• Presentation
• Flavor Spectrum
• Personal Reaction
• Cultural Context
• Memories Evoked
• Synaesthesia
• Pairing Combinations
• Ingredients
• Cooking Method
• Food’s History
• Seasonality
• Visual Appeal
• Temperature
• Emotional Response
• Time of Day

And now, let’s dig into our 21 tips on describing good food, each served with a fresh example.

1. Identify the Type of Food

Before diving into the description, let your reader know what type of food with which you’re dealing.

Is it a dessert, an appetizer, or a main course? Is it a local dish or a foreign delicacy?

Identifying the food provides a context for the reader and sets the stage for the detailed description.

It prepares the reader for what is to come and enhances their understanding of the food’s role in a meal or event.

Example: The Pad Thai, a staple of Thai cuisine, beckoned enticingly from the center of the table, promising a dance of flavors.

2. Highlight the Ingredients

The ingredients of a dish often determine its flavor profile.

Identifying the ingredients in your description allows your reader to imagine the flavors, even if they’ve never tasted the dish.

It also gives the reader an understanding of the food’s complexity and the effort that goes into preparing it.

Listing the ingredients is not just about naming them, but also about describing their attributes.

Example: The sizzling fajitas were a fiesta of bell peppers, onions, and tender chicken strips, all bathed in a zesty lime marinade.

3. Discuss the Texture

Texture plays a huge role in our enjoyment of food.

It can make the difference between a dish we love and a dish we find unpalatable. Describing the texture—whether crunchy, smooth, chewy, or soft—helps the reader imagine how the food feels in the mouth.

It contributes to the overall sensory experience and can evoke powerful reactions.

Example: The artisanal bread was a delight, its crust crackling satisfyingly under the touch, revealing a soft, airy interior.

4. Describe the Flavor Spectrum

Is the food sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami, or a combination of these tastes?

Describing the flavor spectrum gives your reader a more complete picture of what to expect when tasting the food.

It also reveals the complexity of the dish and the skill that went into balancing the flavors. Remember, a good dish often balances several tastes to create a harmonious whole.

Example: The mango salsa was a playful blend of sweet and tangy, with a hint of spice from the jalapenos.

5. Focus on the Presentation

We eat with our eyes first.

The presentation of the dish can stimulate our appetite and increase our anticipation.

By describing the presentation, you allow the reader to visualize the dish, making it more enticing. This can include the arrangement of the food, the dishware, the garnish, and even the colors in the dish.

Example: The sushi rolls were meticulously arranged in a vibrant rainbow, the pink salmon, the creamy avocado, and the stark white rice creating a feast for the eyes.

6. Convey the Aroma

The aroma of food can trigger powerful memories and emotions.

A certain smell can transport us back to our grandmother’s kitchen or a favorite restaurant. Describing the aroma can make your food writing more engaging and relatable.

It’s not just about identifying the smell but about conveying its intensity and its effect on the eater.

Example: The aroma of the slow-roasted coffee was intoxicating, filling the room with a warm, comforting scent that promised a rich, full-bodied brew.

7. Use Sensory Language

Engage all five senses in your description.

Discuss not only how the food looks, tastes, and smells, but also how it sounds and feels.

Sensory language makes your writing more vivid and engaging. It helps your reader to fully experience the food, even if they can’t taste it.

Example: The caramel popcorn was a sensory delight, the loud crunch, the sweet taste, and the buttery aroma all combining to create an irresistible treat.

8. Share the Cooking Process

The cooking process can add depth to your food description.

Discussing how the food is prepared can reveal the time, skill, and effort that goes into the dish.

It can also explain why the food tastes the way it does.

For instance, a slow-cooked stew might have more intense flavors than a quickly stir-fried dish.

Example: The brisket, slow-cooked over hickory wood for hours, was a testament to patience and skill, its smoky, rich flavors a reward for the wait.

9. Talk About the Temperature

The temperature of the food can influence its taste and texture.

Cold food can be refreshing, while hot food can be comforting. By discussing the temperature, you add another layer to your food description.

It also sets expectations for the reader about how the food should be served and enjoyed.

Example: The chilled gazpacho was a refreshing reprieve from the sweltering summer heat, its coolness amplifying the freshness of the vegetables.

10. Discuss Pairings

Food rarely exists in isolation.

It’s usually paired with other food or drinks, which can enhance or balance its taste.

Discussing pairings allows you to explore these interactions and gives the reader suggestions for how to enjoy the food.

Pairings can also reveal cultural traditions or personal preferences.

Example: The spicy Thai curry was perfectly balanced by the sweet, fragrant jasmine rice, the two dishes creating a harmonious duet.

11. Reflect Cultural Significance

Food is a window into a culture.

It reveals traditions, history, and lifestyle. Reflecting the cultural significance of a dish can give your reader a deeper appreciation of the food.

It’s not just about the food itself, but also about the people who prepare and enjoy it.

This can be particularly relevant when describing ethnic or traditional dishes.

Example: The tagine, a centerpiece of Moroccan cuisine, was a vibrant medley of spices, meat, and vegetables, its slow cooking process a reflection of the country’s unhurried pace of life.

12. Use Comparisons

Comparisons can make your food descriptions more relatable.

By comparing the food to something the reader is familiar with, you make it easier for them to imagine the taste, texture, or aroma.

This can be particularly useful when describing unfamiliar or exotic dishes.

You can use similes or metaphors to make effective comparisons.

Example: The durian, often dubbed the ‘king of fruits’, had a unique taste that was a bizarre blend of sweet custard and pungent onions.

13. Tell a Story

A story can make your food description more engaging.

It adds a personal touch and can evoke emotions. The story could be about how the food was prepared, where it was eaten, or who it was shared with.

This narrative approach can make the food more appealing and memorable.

It makes the reader part of the experience, not just a passive observer.

Example: As we sat around the campfire, roasting marshmallows and crafting gooey s’mores, the simple treat became a symbol of friendship and shared experiences.

14. Evoke Emotions

Food is more than just sustenance—it’s tied to emotions.

A certain dish can bring comfort, joy, nostalgia, or even disappointment. By evoking emotions in your food description, you connect with the reader on a deeper level.

This can make your description more powerful and engaging.

Example: The homemade apple pie, with its sweet, cinnamon-spiced filling and flaky crust, brought a wave of nostalgia, transporting me back to my childhood days at grandma’s house.

15. Play with Language

Don’t be afraid to play with language in your food description.

Use varied adjectives, play with sentence structure, and incorporate figurative language. This can make your description more vibrant and engaging.

It allows you to express your unique voice and creativity.

Example: The burger was a tower of temptation, layers of juicy beef, sharp cheddar, and crisp lettuce sandwiched between two fluffy buns, all conspiring to challenge the eater’s self-control.

16. Show, Don’t Tell

Rather than just telling your reader that the food is delicious, show them why it’s delicious.

Describe the ingredients, the flavors, the presentation, the texture.

This is a more engaging and convincing way to express the food’s appeal. It encourages the reader to reach the same conclusion, rather than simply accepting your opinion.

Example: The artisanal chocolate was a revelation, its rich, dark flavor studded with notes of red berries and a hint of vanilla, its texture smooth and velvety.

17. Describe the Intensity

The intensity of flavors, aromas, or textures can significantly influence the eating experience.

Describing this intensity allows the reader to understand how strong or subtle the food’s characteristics are.

It sets expectations and allows the reader to imagine the sensory experience more accurately.

Example: The wasabi packed a powerful punch, its fiery heat unfurling in the mouth and racing up the nose, a sharp reminder of its presence.

18. Discuss the Freshness

Freshness can greatly influence the quality and taste of food.

Discussing the freshness can give the reader a sense of the food’s quality and appeal. It can also give insights into the food’s preparation.

For instance, fresh seafood at a coastal restaurant can speak volumes about the establishment’s sourcing practices.

Example: The salad was a celebration of freshness, the lettuce crisp and vibrant, the tomatoes juicy and ripe, each ingredient seemingly picked at its prime.

19. Use Sound

The sound of food can enhance the eating experience.

Think of the sizzle of a steak, the crack of a crème brûlée, or the crunch of an apple.

Describing these sounds can make your food writing more dynamic and immersive. It engages another sense and adds depth to the description.

Example: The crackling pork belly lived up to its name, each bite producing a satisfying crunch, an audible testament to its perfectly roasted skin.

20. Touch Upon the Aftertaste

The aftertaste is the flavor that remains in the mouth after swallowing the food.

It can be a subtle echo of the initial taste or a surprise twist.

Describing the aftertaste can add a final note to your food description, leaving the reader with a lasting impression of the dish.

Example: The dark chocolate left a lingering aftertaste, its initial sweetness mellowing into a complex, slightly bitter note that begged for another bite.

21. Evoke the Setting

The setting where the food is enjoyed can influence the eating experience.

Describing this setting—be it a cozy home kitchen, a bustling street market, or a chic high-end restaurant—can add context and atmosphere to your food description.

It can also evoke emotions and associations tied to the place.

Example: The fish tacos tasted even better in the vibrant beachside shack, the salty sea breeze and the sound of crashing waves adding to the feast of flavors.

Here is a video about how to describe good food in writing:

Words to Describe Good Food (30 Words)

When it comes to describing good food, having a well-stocked pantry of words can make your writing more appetizing.

Here are 30 delicious words to savor:

• Scrumptious
• Lip-smacking
• Tantalizing

Phrases to Describe Good Food (30 Phrases)

Now that we’ve whetted your appetite with words, let’s move on to phrases.

Here are 30 phrases to help you describe good food with gusto:

• Bursting with flavor
• Melts in your mouth
• Packs a punch
• Worth every calorie
• Heaven on a plate
• A symphony of flavors
• A feast for the senses
• Like a party in your mouth
• Hits the spot
• A labor of love
• Comfort food at its finest
• Love at first bite
• Sweet and satisfying
• A culinary masterpiece
• As good as it gets
• Sinfully delicious
• Irresistibly mouth-watering
• A flavor explosion
• Comfort in every bite
• A tantalizing taste adventure
• Temptingly tasty
• Perfectly seasoned
• Savory and scrumptious
• Crispy to perfection
• Unforgettably flavorful
• Sweet tooth’s delight
• A treat for the taste buds
• Delectably decadent
• So good, it’s sinful
• A recipe for happiness

With these words and phrases at your disposal, your food writing will leave readers hungry for more.

Tips for Avoiding Common Food Description Clichés

Clichés are phrases that have been overused to the point of losing their original impact.

They can make your food writing sound stale and uninspired.

To avoid them:

• Try to think outside the box
• Vary your vocabulary
• Use your unique sensory experiences and personal reactions

Example of a cliché: The cake was as light as a feather. A fresher take: The cake was so light, it seemed to vanish on my tongue like a sweet, sugary cloud.

Different Styles of Food Writing

Different platforms call for different styles of food writing.

A blog post might be more casual and personal, sharing your experiences, thoughts, and opinions openly.

A novel might weave food descriptions into the narrative, using them to reveal character traits or set the scene. A recipe needs to be clear and precise, focusing on the ingredients and the cooking process.

A restaurant review should be balanced, discussing both the strengths and weaknesses of the food and the dining experience.

Always consider your audience and the purpose of your writing when describing food.

The Art of Writing Negative Food Reviews

Writing negative food reviews is a delicate art.

Here are some tips:

• Be honest but fair
• Focus on the food, not the chef or restaurant staff
• Describe what you didn’t like and why
• Mention any positive aspects.

Constructive criticism can be helpful for both the restaurant and potential customers.

Example: While the steak was unfortunately overcooked and lacked seasoning, the accompanying garlic mashed potatoes were creamy and full of flavor. The service was excellent, making the overall dining experience quite pleasant despite the main dish’s shortcomings.

How to Write About Food You’ve Never Eaten

Writing about food you’ve never eaten can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.

Research is your best friend here.

Read descriptions and reviews by people who have tried the food. Look at photos to get an idea of the texture and presentation.

Consider the ingredients and cooking methods, and relate them to similar foods you’ve tried.

And finally, take full advantage of your imagination.

Example: While I haven’t had the chance to try the traditional Icelandic dish hákarl (fermented shark), based on my research, it has a strong ammonia-rich smell and a fishy, cheese-like taste that leaves a lingering aftertaste—certainly an acquired taste for the adventurous food lovers.

Final Thoughts: How to Describe Good Food in Writing

One of the best ways to learn how to describe food is to read the menus from luxury restaurants like Le Gavroche in London or Aragawa in Japan.

The more you read, the more you learn.

And the more you learn, the better you become at penning your own food description masterpiece.

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Cooking Up Descriptive Language: Designing Restaurant Menus

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Students explore the genre of menus by analyzing existing menus from local restaurants. After establishing the characteristics of the genre, students work in groups to choose a restaurant and then create their own custom menus. They then analyze the use of adjectives and descriptive language on sample menus before revising their own menus with attention to descriptive phrasing. The final menus can be customized to fit the needs of your class. In advanced classes or situations where you can allow extra time for writing and publishing the menus, students can create fully detailed menus that include foods for all meals as well as details about the restaurant itself, such as history of the restaurant or background on the foods. If time is limited, arrange students in groups and have each group design one page or section of the menu.

Featured Resources

Flip Book : This online tool allows students to type and illustrate tabbed flip books up to ten pages long.

Restaurant Menu Planning Sheet : Students can use this reproducible to plan the details of their menu before going online to create it.

From Theory to Practice

Students are likely to be familiar with restaurant menus-even if they have never thought carefully about the information included on a menu, they have probably seen many kinds of menus in their environment. Depending upon their experience, students may have seen school breakfast and lunch menus, fast food restaurant menus, or local family restaurant menus. Further, they have probably heard descriptive language associated with restaurant food on television and radio commercials. By tapping this prior knowledge, this lesson encourages students to connect their understanding of the ways that language works to specific grammatical concepts as well as to draw upon their implicit knowledge of the genre to compose their own texts.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Assorted restaurant menus
• General classroom supplies
• Restaurant Menu Planning Sheet
• Completed flip book or blank flip book as an example

Preparation

• Gather an assortment of restaurant menus from a variety of kinds of restaurants, including a variety of specialty restaurants, ethnic restaurants, chain restaurants, and so forth. You might collect menus by visiting restaurants, or asking students to bring examples. Additionally, check the yellow pages of your telephone book, as many restaurants include their menus as an advertisement. Many restaurants also have menu information available online. Some examples for major chain restaurants are included in the Resources section.
• Make copies of the Restaurant Menu Planning Sheet .
• Review the " Menu Magic! " article for additional ideas on how to structure the lesson.
• Create an overhead transparency of a sample menu that features descriptive adjectives for Session Three .
• Test the Flip Book student interactive on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.
• Create a flip book as an example, or provide a blank one , so the students can see the layout and format. For this activity, it's unlikely that students will need to use all 10 pages of the flip book, so you may only want to share a 4 or 5 page book.

Student Objectives

Students will

• review the characteristics of adjectives.
• analyze the structure, content, and purpose of a variety of restaurant menus.
• explore how audience and purpose shape their writing.
• compose restaurant menus with attention to accurate and descriptive word choice.
• identify appropriate layouts and images that relate to their menus.
• interact with classmates to give and receive feedback.

Session One

• Ask students to brainstorm the characteristics that they associate with restaurant menus. Record their responses on the board or on chart paper.
• When students begin to run out of responses, review the list as a group. Make any additions or revisions.
• If desired, group related items on the brainstormed list (e.g., information about the restaurant itself, kinds of foods, menu sections).
• Arrange students in small groups, and pass out examples of restaurant menus that you have gathered.
• Ask groups to review the example menus and gather additional details of the characteristics of restaurant menus. If the items they notice are already included on their brainstormed list, ask students to add details that describe and explain the characteristics. If they items they notice are new, students should identify the characteristic as well as provide additional details that describe it. Explain that the class is working toward a class list that will guide their own composition of restaurant menus.
• Give each group chart paper and a section of the board to post the results of their analysis.
• When students have completed their research, gather the class and ask students to identify common characteristics that are included on the class lists.
• As the discussion continues, lead students through discussion of the key elements for restaurant menus and how the elements differ depending upon the kind of restaurant and the particular customers. Work toward creating a rubric for your class menus, using the characteristics that students have gathered from their analysis of the menus.
• If time allows, demonstrate the Flip Book student interactive and/or share the completed flip book or blank flip book , so that students understand the format they will use for their final drafts.
• For homework, ask students to consider kinds of restaurants that they might write their own menus for. Students can begin gathering resources to help them as they begin writing. Possible resources include additional sample menus, cookbooks, and other resources on the particular kind of food or restaurant they have chosen (e.g., a book on Italian food if the student has chosen to create a menu for an Italian restaurant). This activity gives students an opportunity to tap their own family recipes and food traditions as well, so students might ask family members for suggestions as part of their preparation for writing.

Session Two

• Remind students of the characteristics of restaurant menus, established during the previous session.
• If desired, students can work in small groups to create one group menu, or students can work individually to create their own menus. If students will work in small groups, arrange groups so that students working on similar menus (e.g., Italian restaurants, Mexican restaurants, Coffeehouse) are together.
• If you have not done so previously, demonstrate the Flip Book student interactive and/or share the completed flip book or blank flip book , so that students understand the format they will use for their final drafts.
• Begin the process of composing the menus by asking students to take a few minutes to freewrite on things that they would like to include on their menus (e.g., specific food items, restaurant details).
• After students have had time to gather their preliminary ideas, ask students to discuss the audience for their restaurant and its menu. Ask students to consider how old customers will be, what they will be looking for on a restaurant menu, and the kind of details that will be convincing for these group of customers. Students may have a particular segment of an audience—for instance, they may be creating children's menus for an Italian restaurant. The kind of details that belong on the children's menu will be different from those on the more general menu.
• After the class has discussed the role of the audience, have them reread their freewriting and then spend a few more minutes freewriting on things that they will include for their particular audience.
• After students have finished writing, pass out copies of the Restaurant Menu Planning Sheet and ask students to work through the sheet to begin the process of creating their menus.
• Ask students to take 10 to 15 minutes to work through the planning sheet for their restaurant.
• If students are working individually, once they have gathered their preliminary ideas, arrange them in small groups to share their ideas. Encourage students to interact with one another, to share and receive feedback on their plans.
• For homework, ask students to begin drafting their menus. Ask that they come to the next session with at least a partial draft of their menu. If students are composing their menus in groups, consider adding a work session for them to gather and draft their ideas.

Session Three

• Remind students of the goals and elements included in this project. Answer any questions students have.
• Review the adjective part of speech, using the Capital Community College "Guide to Grammar and Writing" Website or your grammar textbook as a reference.
• Display a sample menu using an overhead projector. As a class, read through the example.
• Underline the adjectives that are included in the sample menu.
• Once the adjectives are identified, ask students to consider how effective the adjectives are. Encourage students to consider whether the adjectives are appropriate and whether they are used in moderation.
• Talk about the importance of balance in the use of adjectives, reminding students that using too many adjectives will detract from their usefulness for readers.
• After you've considered adjectives on the example menu, look at the overall descriptions for food items on the menu. Ask students to consider the length and depth of detail included in the descriptive phrasing on the menu.
• Take a few minutes to compare the sample menu to the rubric that the class created during the first session , to underscore the requirement for students' work.
• Answer any questions that students have about the process of analyzing the descriptive language used on the menu.
• Ask students to analyze their own menus, underlining all the adjective that they have used to describe the food items on their menus.
• Once they've finished, have students work in small groups to discuss the adjectives that they have found. Ask students to consider the kinds of adjectives included on the sample menus and what they have learned about adjectives in general.
• Demonstrate how to use online resources such as an Internet dictionary and thesaurus (or show students the thesaurus command in Microsoft Word) to arrive at additional descriptive adjectives for their menus.
• After reviewing the adjectives included on the menus, ask students to revise their menus with particular attention to their descriptive phrasing.
• While students work, again encourage them to interact with one another.
• For homework, students can continue work on their menus. Ask students to come to the next session with a complete, polished draft of their menus.

Session Four

• Remind students of the requirements for the project, using the rubric that the class created during the first session.
• Demonstrate the Flip Book student interactive, so that students understand the tool and how it works before they begin publishing their own menus.
• The first page of the flip book could act as a title page, providing basic information on the restaurant and the foods it serves.
• For the rest of the flip book, the menu sections are used for the labels (e.g., appetizers, lunch, dinner, beverages, desserts).
• Type the menu items and their descriptions on the pages, above each label, using the templates of the students' choice.
• Allow students time to make last minute additions or revisions then ask them to move to the computer to publish their work.
• When the flip book is complete, ask students to print it out, cut away the lower areas as appropriate, and assemble the finished menus.
• If desired, students can use markers, colored pencils, and other general supplies to decorate their final drafts before submitting them for evaluation.
• Allow time for groups to share their menus with the class.
• When the sharing and discussions are complete, assess students' work using the rubric created during the first session .
• As an alternative, students can take the school's lunch menus and create new restaurant-quality versions that can be posted in the cafeteria.
• Use the assignment sheet and rubric included in "Menu Magic," by Susan H. Smith with Bethany Hickey, to structure the assignment and students' work.
• Complete this activity as a book report alternative, asking students to create menus for restaurants or meals that characters in the books that they have read would eat. Alternately, students can create historical menus that fit a particular time period that they have been exploring in their readings or in other subject areas.

Student Assessment / Reflections

Observe students for their participation during the exploration and discussion of restaurant menus. In class discussions and conferences, watch for evidence that students are able to describe the layout and format of menus. Monitor students’ progress and process as they conduct their research and complete drafts of their own menus. As students present their menus to the class, take notes and assess their work using the rubric that the class creates during the first session .

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The restaurant fades into the background as if it were an all surrounding television and you are the only real thing I've seen all day.

In the buzz of the restaurant words can be challenging to catch, yet your body language and your deep soul are so easy to hear.

The restaurant feels as if I have entered a dreamland, the happy chatter, the fragrances, the easy and natural colours.

The restaurant is the hue of the summer sky, yet here and there are colours of the sweetest of meadow blooms.

In moments the restaurant becomes the stage of my sweetest romantic memories, such an unexpected journey of my heart and soul.

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How To Write a Why Us Essay

Hospital nurse staffing and patient mortality, nurse burnout, and job dissatisfaction, nurse-staffing levels and the quality of care in hospitals, my favorite restaurant: rivenee’s essay sample, example.

As a child, I was not fond of eating out. My family would eat at a restaurant, diner, or buffet at least once a week, often more than once. Every time we went anywhere, but for a little place called Rivenee’s , it was a challenge for my parents to find proper food and a nice atmosphere. Rivenee’s was that lucky exception—I loved the place and this made my parents love it too. The restaurant seemed magical and fascinating to me when I was an elementary school kid, and surprisingly, the place still fascinates me today. Recently, when I visited my old family house for Thanksgiving, I was astonished and pleased to find out the place still operated and, in fact, was still run by the same family. Apart from the house in which I grew up, Rivenee’s is probably the dearest place to me in the small town, just outside of San Ramon, where I was born and raised.

Rivenee’s is a small and cozy place, and this is what probably garnered my love of the restaurant initially. This, and the people who worked and still work there. Unlike more spacious restaurants, diners, and chain buffets my parents also took me to, Rivenee’s was a family-owned business run by a middle-aged couple, Janette and Derek. When I think about them now, I still remember their warm smiles and sincere care for each customer and employee. Mrs. Jan, as I would call her, loved orange shades, both in her outfits and in the restaurant’s interior decor. Warm orange and yellow-pomegranate furniture, sunny-colored napkins and curtains, country-style hard wooden tables and stools at the bar—everything was solid and comfortable about the place. Mrs. Jan would always have orange in her outfit— to match the place, as I then thought. Be it a bright orange ribbon in her hair, or a peachy neat cotton dress, or red nail polish—this woman belonged to the place like nobody else, and I doubt it was only the external resemblance.

Her husband Mr. Derek was older, with graying hair and a miniature mustache, which made him look a bit strict to me at the time. But the moment he started talking with his deep, soft, and half-laughing voice, with that particular tender frog-in-the-throat vibe, he would make me listen to his every word with an open mouth. The man was like a magician to me: mysterious and a bit scary even, yet so fascinating and magnetic. There was his daughter as well, the first love of mine. She was a blonde pony-tailed girl of 7 or 8 with cute bangs, lively, and active. She would be running around the place, attracting the attention of visitors with her sonorous laughter that made you laugh in return, or at least smile back at the small, sunny creature cruising around the place.

When I visited Rivenee’s after all these years, the memories flashed back through my mind in a heartbeat, and I suddenly felt like a child again. The place was still an illuminating planet of orange and light, yet comfortably relaxing and pulsating with fresh energy. I instantly felt like I was home, and a big bouquet of freshly cut wild daisies, neatly tied with an orange ribbon made me think of Mrs. Jan. The food tasted the same—crispy and puffy home-made corn bread was my favorite part of the meal then, and it tasted like it did in my childhood to me now. My parents still eat at Rivenee’s from time to time, still order their favorite specials and enjoy the evening with Mrs. Jan and Mr. Derek, remembering the good old times.

Descriptive essays seem to be a piece of cake in terms of the writing process. What can be easier than just telling about your experience? However, there’s a fair share of challenges. Finding the right epithets and comparisons can be hard sometimes. That’s why many people turn to best essay writing help service reviews in search for websites that can help them find the right words.

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How to Write Mouthwatering Restaurant Menu Descriptions (With Examples and Infographic)

Table of contents.

Beyond listing dishes, menu descriptions can elevate your customers' dining experience to new heights. These descriptions link what's in the kitchen and what ends up on the table. Menu descriptions have the power to entice the senses and create cravings that keep them coming back for more. In this blog, we explore how to write menu descriptions that not only engage the senses but also enhance the overall dining experience.

Benefits of Writing Good Menu Descriptions

Increased restaurant sales.

Well crafted menu descriptions can actually significantly boost your restaurant's sales. By using the right tactics you're not just describing dishes, you're creating cravings. When your customers can practically taste, smell, and see the dish through your words, they're more likely to order it, not just once but time and time again.

Enhance Your Dining Experience

Writing great menu descriptions can create a more enjoyable dining experience for your customers. For example, some customers will appreciate the transparency of categorizing and labeling menu items, making it easier for them to find dishes that match their preferences. Menu descriptions also create backstory, intrigue and excitement which all lead to an enhanced dining experience.

Increase Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

When you cater your menu descriptions to your target audience, you're crafting an experience tailored to your customers’ tastes and preferences which in turn, increases customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Tips for Writing Mouthwatering Menu Descriptions

Use menu descriptions to engage your customers senses .

When it comes to creating irresistible restaurant menu descriptions, one part you absolutely shouldn't forget about is engaging your customers' senses. Think about it, when people explore your menu, they want more than just a list of dishes. They want to embark on a sensory journey. Sensory descriptions add depth and flavor to your menu items, allowing diners to almost taste, smell, and see the dish before it even arrives at their table. It’s important to ensure you’re targeting different senses as then you're not just appealing to one set of receptors, you're creating a full on experience. Below are some examples of correct and incorrect menu descriptions for the senses.

Tell a Story Through Your Menu Descriptions

Writing menu descriptions can be thought of as sharing stories with your customers. It's not only about listing what's in the dish; it's about painting a tasty picture that gets their mouths watering. Imagine sitting across from a friend, describing that mouthwatering lasagna like you're reminiscing about a trip to Italy or a family gathering. You want your customers to feel that connection, whether it's the comfort of home-cooked meals or the excitement of new flavors. To incorporate storytelling into your menu descriptions you could start by talking about the dish’s creators, its history or how your restaurant specifically makes the dish. Here is an example of correct and incorrect storytelling menu descriptions.

Integrate Adjectives into Your Descriptions

Including adjectives in your menu descriptions is kind of like giving your dishes a personality. Think about it, when you read "juicy grilled chicken" versus just "grilled chicken," which one gets your mouth watering more? Adjectives add flavor to your menu items without you having to add extra ingredients. Whether it's "crispy golden-brown fries" or "rich velvety chocolate mousse," they paint a picture in your customers' minds. Here are some more examples of adjectives you can include in your menu descriptions:

• Melt-in-your-mouth
• Golden-brown

Categorize and Label Your Menu Items

Categorizing and labeling your menu items creates an easy to navigate menu for your diners, ensuring they can easily find the dishes that match their preferences and dietary needs. Whether it's designating dishes as "vegetarian" for those who prefer plant-based options or "gluten-free" for those with dietary restrictions, these labels guide your customers to the flavors they want. It's a way to make your menu more inclusive, showing that you've thought of everyone's dining experience. So, whether your customers are vegetarian, gluten-sensitive, or just craving something specific, these categories and labels help them find their perfect dish and ensure a satisfying and seamless dining experience.

Keep Your Menu Descriptions Simple

While you’re creating your menu descriptions it’s important to remember to keep them simple and easy to digest. It's all about making the dining experience as straightforward and enjoyable as possible. Instead of overwhelming your customers with unnecessary language, choose concise and easy to understand descriptions that highlight the key elements, while still getting your point across. When you keep it simple, diners can quickly grasp what they're ordering, leading to more confident choices and a more satisfying meal. 

Cater Your Menu to your Target Audience

Knowing your target audience is one of the most important pieces of information when it comes to marketing and presenting your restaurant, and this includes your menu. Catering to your target audience is about crafting a menu that speaks directly to their tastes and preferences. If your crowd loves hearty comfort food, go big on those comforting classics. If you're in a health-conscious neighborhood, make sure you've got some nutritious options. Customizing your menu to make everyone feel right at home will help you keep them coming back for more.

Proofread Your Menu Descriptions

Last but far from least, proofreading your menu description is a crucial step. Imagine spotting a glaring typo or grammar hiccup right in the middle of your menu – not so appealing, right? Take a moment to give your descriptions a once-over, and if you can, get a fresh pair of eyes to help. Even gathering feedback from your target audience may be helpful to narrow down your offerings and descriptions.

Tips for Writing Mouthwatering Menu Descriptions Infographic

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7 Ways to Write Mouth-Watering Menu Descriptions

• Start with a catchy headline
• Use sensory words to describe the dish
• Appeal to different taste receptors
• Use adjectives to create a vivid picture
• Tell a story about the dish
• Write as you would speak to someone face-to-face
• Include interesting facts or history about the ingredients

If you’re like most restaurant owners, creating menu descriptions is probably not your favorite task. It can be hard to come up with phrases that make diners feel like they’re genuinely getting a taste of what they’ll experience.

But with a bit of creativity and some practice, you can learn how to write descriptions that will have customers licking their lips in anticipation.

Writing mouth-watering menu descriptions can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that your goal is to tantalize the reader and make them want to order your dish. With the combination of mouth-watering descriptions and captivating photos of dishes, you can quickly get customers drooling over your menu.

Remember that hungry customers are looking for menu items that sound delicious and will satisfy their cravings.

A Digital Menu For The Digital Age

Download for mobile for free.

With that in mind, here are 7 menu writing tips to write menu descriptions that will make your customers drool:

1. Start with a catchy headline

The first step in writing a mouth-watering menu description is to develop a headline that will grab the reader’s attention.

Your headline should be short, sweet, and to the point. It should give the reader an idea of the dish without being too specific.

For example, if you’re selling a steak, you might want to call it “Our Juicy, Delicious Steak.” or “The Perfect Steak for any Occasion.”

If you’re stuck, try thinking of a clever pun or alliteration. Just make sure your headline makes the reader want to find out more. Catchy headlines are crucial for writing fancy menu descriptions.

Here are more examples of writing catchy headlines for your menu:

• Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with Our Homemade Desserts
• The Best Burger in Town
• Feeling Crabby? Try Our Delicious Crab Cakes!
• Warm Up with Our Winter Specialty: Hot Cocoa
• Soup of the Day: Our Famous Tomato Bisque

    2. Use sensory words to describe the dish

The next step is to use words to help the reader imagine what the dish tastes, smells, and looks like.

For example, if you’re describing a chocolate cake, you might want to use words like “sugar-coated,” “rich,” and “sinfully delicious.”

Sensory words are vital to writing mouth-watering menu descriptions to describe food because they help the reader connect with the dish on a more personal level.

When you use sensory words, the reader can almost taste the dish in their mind, which will make them even more eager to order it. They evoke feelings of hunger, desire, and craving.

Make sure to use various sensory words so that the reader gets a well-rounded picture of the dish.

Some examples of sensory words include:

• Tasty, Yummy, Delicious, Delectable, Appetizing
• Savory, Spicy, Zesty, flavorful, mouth-watering
• Creamy, Rich, Scrumptious, Flavorsome
• Sweet, Succulent, Juicy, Delish

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    3. appeal to different taste receptors.

Human taste receptors can be divided into four categories: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.

When you’re writing a restaurant menu description, it’s essential to appeal to all four taste receptors so that you can tantalize the reader’s taste buds.

For example, if you’re describing a savory dish like roasted chicken, you might want to use words like “salty” and “umami.”

On the other hand, if you’re describing a sweet dessert, you might want to use words like “sweet,” “syrupy,” and “vanilla.”

The important thing is to use language to make the reader’s taste buds water. When you evoke their taste receptors, you’re sure to write a mouth-watering menu description.

Some examples of words that appeal to different taste receptors include:

• Salty: Salty, Savory, Umami
• Sweet: Sweet, Syrupy, Vanilla
• Sour: Sour, Tart, Zingy
• Bitter: Bitter, Spicy, Zesty

Your Inbox, Your Rules!

Tailor your newsletter with the topics you're most interested in.,     4. use adjectives to create a vivid picture.

Adjectives are essential for writing mouth-watering menu descriptions because they help you create a vivid picture of the dish.

Using adjectives can bring the dish to life and make the reader feel like they’re almost tasting it.

Customers want to know that they’re getting their money’s worth, so it’s vital to use language to make the dish sound as appealing as possible.

Make sure to use various adjectives so that you don’t overuse any in particular. Let’s say you offer a dish that’s “homemade.”

That’s all well and good, but what does “homemade” really mean? Is it made with fresh ingredients?

Is it made with love? All of these would be great adjectives to use in your menu description. The more specific you can be, the better.

Some menu description examples of adjectives that you can use in your menu descriptions include:

• Aromatic, Delicious, Flavorful, mouth-watering,
• Nutritious, Satisfying, Savory, Tasty, Yummy
• Appetizing, Delectable, Saccharine 
• Honeyed, Juicy, Scrumptious, Luscious.

    5. Tell a story about the dish

Storytelling is a great way to add depth and dimension to your menu descriptions. When you tell a story about a dish, you can help the reader connect with it on a personal level.

Stories are also a great way to add intrigue and interest to your descriptions. If you can make the reader curious about a dish, they’re more likely to order it. Of course, there is no need to add the story of every single dish. Go on with 2-3 stories of your famous dishes and that will be enough to captivate your customers.

When you’re telling a story about a dish, focus on the important details. What makes this dish special?

How was it created? Who created it? Why was it made? All of these are great questions to answer in your story.

The important thing is to sell the dish and make the reader feel like they need to try it.

Some examples of stories that you can tell about your dishes include:

• The history of the dish and how it was created
• Anecdotes about the dish and why it’s so special
• How the dish is made (from scratch)
• Stories about the people who created the dish and why they did so

    6. Write as you would speak to someone face-to-face

When writing food descriptions, it’s important to remember that you’re not just writing for a piece of paper.

You’re writing for a real person who will be reading your words and making a decision based on what they read.

With that in mind, it’s essential to write as you would speak to someone face-to-face. This means using language that is easy to understand and digest.

It also means avoiding industry jargon or any other language that might confuse the average person.

The important thing is to make sure that your menu descriptions are clear, concise, and easy to read. If they’re not, you risk losing the reader’s attention.

Imagine that you are telling a friend of yours about the dish. What would you say? How would you describe it?

This is a great way to get started when trying to figure out how to write a mouth-watering menu description.

    7. Include interesting facts or history about the ingredients

When writing menu descriptions, it’s important to remember that you’re not just selling the dish.

You’re also selling the ingredients. And the best way to do that is to include interesting facts or history about the ingredients in your description.

This is a great way to show off your food knowledge and sell the dish to the reader.

It’s also a great way to add intrigue and interest to your descriptions. If you can make the reader curious about an ingredient, they’re more likely to order the dish.

Some examples of interesting facts or history that you can include in your restaurant menu descriptions include:

• The history of the ingredient and how it was created
• How the ingredient is grown or raised
• How the ingredient is used in other dishes
• The nutritional value of the ingredient.

The next time you sit down to write a menu, keep these seven tips in mind. They’ll help you create appetizing and enticing descriptions for your customers.

This will help increase sales, but it will also give your restaurant a more professional appearance. And with a bit of practice, you may become a wordsmith of the culinary world!

Don’t forget to check Orders.co Menu Management System to help manage your online menu with ease! We provide you with a platform to help streamline your menu management process so that you can focus on what’s important – running your business!

Schedule a demo with Orders.co to learn more.

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Delicious Writing: Food Writing Examples from Students

by Michael Lydon

How does writing work? Why is it that if we arrange the graphic symbols we call letters into words, each word containing one, two, three, five or more of these letters, we end up with a group of graphic symbols that may mean something to ourselves or other humans, that communicate an emotion , an idea , a picture , a sound , a smell , a memory , a taste , or a touch ? Like so:

The boy threw a ball to his friend.

Those twenty-seven letters, plus the spaces that define where the words begin, and the period that marks where the sentence ends, communicate a picture of human life that we can easily see and understand. Write the same letters divided by the same spaces but in a different order, and you may get a brief bit of meaningless gobbledeegook:

Eht oyb wrhet a blal ot sih efidnr.

What’s the difference between the two? Simply this: the first means something, the second means nothing. What does mean mean ? Mean means containing and communicating some small aspect of life—like the two children playing catch. The bare meaning of the first sentence—a boy throwing a ball to another child—is thin and flat—but my imagination has no difficulty enriching it by adding details: sunshine and clouds, green grass and leafy trees, a barking dog, a honking car horn.

This is the goal of nearly all writing: to use words to show us what life is truly like. Words can show how writing can capture any aspect of life, but after reading your scrumptious pieces on the joys of eating, I thought, why not, for this column, focus on food, mm, mm yummy-in-the-tummy good food!

Food Writing Examples

Let’s let Kylieinwonderland from New Zealand get us started on the first course:

…a lasagna oozing with cheese and still warm from the oven, freshly picked plums with juice that runs down our chins as we take the first bite, fish and chips wrapped up in paper…

Note the six specific taste words—lasagna, cheese, plums, juice, fish, chips—and the five words that suggest food—oozing, warm, oven, chins, bite—for a total of eleven food-related words out of thirty four.

Fond food memories awaken Daisy’s childhood:

   A colorful salad, artfully arranged on a plate. The feel of sticky bread dough in your hands. The crunch of a chip, perfectly thin that just snaps when you bite it.  The scent of cinnamon wafting through the air. The taste of warm chocolate, as you dig in to a fresh chocolate chip cookie. This is my childhood.

—memories well supported by Daisy’s visual, sound, taste, texture, and smell words:  colorful, sticky, crunch, scent, cinnamon, chocolate, cookie.

Like Daisy’s cookies, food takes HannahC. deep into memories of childhood, in her case drooling over the grilled cheese sandwiches her Dad used to make every Saturday afternoon—she liked them “the cheesier the better”

When I was little, every Saturday afternoon, my Dad would make grilled cheese sandwiches. But at the time I couldn’t say grilled cheese, so I would say “girled cheese sandwiches” But no matter how wrong I pronounced it, my Dad made the best. It was amazing how he timed the bread on the heated side, so perfectly that both sides were equally golden brown and the cheese was the perfect melted point.

Jeylan wants us to taste the spicy gumbos he loved as a boy on a Louisiana shrimp boat:

It’s warm. Not like a soup, but like a bubble bath. Smooth stock runs down my throat and the fragrance of a fisherman’s blazing afternoon in a shrimp boat on the bayou envelops my nose. If you tried gumbo from a Black grandmother, you would know what I mean. With a kitchen cabinet overflowing with Cajun seasonings and spices growing up, I never knew how good I had it.

Lincoln W, from the US, wants us to see and taste crickets as stalwart soldiers in the green revolution:

People often think of crickets as nasty and inedible altogether. This is factually incorrect. Crickets are nutritious and will provide a great source of protein for future generations. Crickets are also easy to cultivate and farm. The most important factor is that they will help us cut back on emissions.

Seba from New Zealand looks back to baking bread as an ancient tradition:

There is an art to making bread. It’s in the flour and the water. It’s in the yeast and the honey. It’s in the push and pull of how you knead the dough, in the waiting for the bread to rise, in the patience required for such a simple skill. It is an art I learned from my mother, and one that she learned from her mother, learned from her mother. One of my earliest memories is baking.

Red Cat from Singapore loves his grandmother’s rich fish stew.

I stared into the gold liquid steaming before me, a fish head sticking out, mouth agape and eyeball barely attached to the socket. I breathed in deeply and the memories flooded back instantly. Images of my grandmother—my Nenek—bringing in a white bowl full of pindang to the dining table materialized before me and I began to dive in. I sifted through the lemongrass and asam and scooped up a chunk of soft red snapper flesh…

Tiff.any remembers learning on her first day in kindergarten that the stuffed grape leaves she loved, her classmates found icky:

“What is that?” I hear a girl from across the table say. I look over to see that she is asking me.   “It smells gross.”   I go to respond when another kid seems to take interest in my lunch too. “Yeah, what is that?” they ask with disgusted faces.   I look at them in partial confusion. It is my first day of kindergarten, sitting in my assigned seat at lunch. How do they not know what grape leaves are?

Let’s look back and see how far writing about food has taken us: to tastes, of course, but also to colors and sounds and touches; to memories of childhood, family, and school; to humor and affection; to love. How did all that happen? By you Write-the-Worlders using words enriched by meaning, by using words that conjure up plain, clear, vivid pictures of human life.

And remember, we did all this with taste words about food. We could fill as many pages using sound words, picture words, touch words, smell words, emotion words.

The next time I sit down at my desk to write something, anything, I’ll remind myself to use words as rich and as packed with tasty meanings as the waffles my mother used to make Saturday mornings, me smearing them with butter, drowning them in golden maple syrup, begging for seconds, and washing them down with tall glasses of home-squeezed orange juice.

About Michael Lydon

Michael Lydon is a writer and musician who lives in New York City. Author of many books, among them Rock Folk , Boogie Lightning , Ray Charles: Man and Music, and Writing and Life . A founding editor of Rolling Stone , Lydon has written for many periodicals as well, the Atlantic Monthly , New York Times , and Village Voice . He is also a songwriter and playwright and, with Ellen Mandel, has composed an opera, Passion in Pigskin. A Yale graduate, Lydon is a member of ASCAP, AFofM local 802, and on the faculty of St. John’s University.

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Top 10 Mouthwatering Food Writing Examples That Will Leave You Hungry for More

Discover our guide with mouthwatering food writing examples that will make you want to lick the page as you imagine the tantalizing flavors the writers describe.

Have you ever read something and felt you could taste what the writer described? If so, then you’ve read a great example of food writing. This particular writing style covers many specific genres and voices, but at its heart, it’s about making you want to eat and enjoy your food. But what makes a food writer stand out from other types of authors? What makes one restaurant reviewer a better read than another?

Food writing is unlike other types of copywriting, where you can write how you think. There are many popular articles about eating healthy food . Food writing must make the people who read the work desire to eat the food. It has to leave them with mouths watering and stomachs grumbling.

This type of writing is a very creative nonfiction genre, and if you’re ready to dabble in it, one of the best ways to learn what to do is to look at examples of great food writers. This list will showcase some of the best examples of food writing that you can learn about as you work toward becoming a food writer. You might also be interested in our tips for writing about food .

• 1. The Art of Eating by M.F.K. Fisher
• 2. The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
• 3. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
• 4. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
• 5. Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl
• 6. How to Cook a Wolf by M.F.K. Fisher
• 7. Heat by Bill Buford
• 8. Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
• 9. My Life in France by Julia Child
• 10. Feast: Food to Celebrate Life by Nigella Lawson

Start Reading About Food to Become a Food Writer

1. the art of eating  by m.f.k. fisher.

The Art of Eating  deserves a top spot on the list because its author, M.F.K. Fisher, was one of the first food writers to be published. This book combines five of her works into one volume:  Serve it Forth, Consider the Oyster, How to Cook a Wolf, The Gastronomical Me  and  An Alphabet of Gourmets . In this book, Fisher uses wit to give her opinion about food, how to best prepare and how to eat it.

Interestingly, even though the book was first published in 1954 and the first work it contains was published in 1937, her descriptive language makes it applicable to modern readers. After all, we all must eat, and Fisher believes we might as well enjoy doing so. Here are some examples of Fisher’s descriptive, witty language as she describes good food.

• “[Breadmaking is] one of those almost hypnotic businesses, like a dance from some ancient ceremony. It leaves you filled with one of the world’s sweetest smells… there is no chiropractic treatment, no Yoga exercise, no hour of meditation in a music-throbbing chapel that will leave you emptier of bad thoughts than this homely ceremony of making bread.”
• “You may feel that you have eaten too much…But this pastry is like feathers – it is like snow. It is in fact good for you, a digestive!”
• “It seems to me that our three basic needs, for food and security and love, are so mixed and mingled and entwined that we cannot straightly think of one without the others.”

• Used Book in Good Condition
• M.F.K. Fisher (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 784 Pages - 02/20/2004 (Publication Date) - Harvest (Publisher)

2. The Omnivore’s Dilemma  by Michael Pollan

In   The Omnivore’s Dilemma , Michael Pollan investigates the environmental effects of the foods humans consume. He delves into the dilemmas created by the food industry. Pollan opens the book by following a calf from birth to slaughter, exploring everything the animal eats and the overall environmental effect of raising it. Next, he takes his investigative journalism to the organic food world, discovering that going “organic” or “free range” may not be as beneficial as the labels make one think.

Finally, he explores sustainable options, such as multi-species farms with practical cycles that support the growth of multiple types of food or the option to revert to hunter-gatherer style eating. The Omnivore’s Dilemma uses investigative journalism to explore the realities of the food industry. Below are some examples of Pollan’s writing:

• “The Omnivore’s Dilemma is about the three principal food chains that sustain us today: the industrial, the organic, and the hunter-gatherer. Different as they are, all three food chains are systems for doing more or less the same thing: linking us, through what we eat, to the fertility of the earth and the energy of the sun.”
• “Except for the salt and a handful of synthetic food additives, every edible item in the supermarket is a link in a food chain that begins with a particular plant growing in a specific patch of soil (or, more seldom, stretch of sea) somewhere on earth.”
• “You are what you eat, it’s often said, and if that is true, then what we mostly are is corn – or, more precisely, processed corn.”

• Pollan, Michael (Author)
• 450 Pages - 08/28/2007 (Publication Date) - Penguin (Publisher)

3. Kitchen Confidential  by Anthony Bourdain

Kitchen Confidential  is a food memoir by Chef Anthony Bourdain. In the book, he explores not only his cooking but also his sordid past. The book is filled with humor and explores some of the tricks of the trade of the world’s most elite chefs. This memoir made Anthony Bourdain a well-known name in the food world long before he created his television shows. Below are examples of Bourdain’s writing:

• “Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans … are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit.”
• “Garlic is divine. Avoid at all costs that vile spew you see rotting in oil in screwtop jars. Too lazy to peel fresh? You don’t deserve to eat garlic.”
• “At the base of my right forefinger is an inch-and-a-half diagonal callus, yellowish-brown in color, where the heels of all the knives I’ve ever owned have rested, the skin softened by constant immersion in water. It distinguishes me immediately as a cook, as someone who’s been on the job a long time. You can feel it when I shake my hand, just as I feel it on others of my profession. It’s a secret sign, a sort of Masonic handshake without the silliness.”

4. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat  by Samin Nosrat

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat  is a  New York Times  bestselling book by Samin Nosrat. The work shows the author’s approachable writing style as she discusses how to cook with the style of a calm, clear teacher. This writing style is not surprising because Nosrat is a teacher who has educated some of the world’s top chefs.

The book’s writing style is narrative, even though the author’s teaching people how to cook, and it has over 150 illustrations that help people understand how to implement the techniques she shares. It has 100 essential recipes and variations, making it a modern home chef’s go-to cookbook. Below are examples of  Samin Nosrat’s writing

• “Let all meats—except for the thinnest cuts—come to room temperature before you cook them. The larger the roast, the earlier you can pull it out of the fridge. A rib roast should sit out for several hours, while a chicken needs only a couple,”
• “Though we typically turn to sugar to balance out bitter flavors in a sauce or soup, it turns out that salt masks bitterness much more effectively than sugar. See for yourself with a little tonic water, Campari, or grapefruit juice, all of which are both bitter and sweet. Taste a spoonful, then add a pinch of salt and taste again. You’ll be surprised by how much bitterness subsides.”
• “Beef When solid, it’s called suet. Liquid, it’s called tallow.”

• More than 1 million copies sold * New York Times bestseller * Winner of the James Beard Award and multiple IACP Cookbook Awards * Available as a Netflix series *
• Hardcover Book
• Nosrat, Samin (Author)
• 480 Pages - 04/25/2017 (Publication Date) - Simon and Schuster (Publisher)

5. Tender at the Bone  by Ruth Reichl

Another food memoir,  Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table  by Ruth Reichl, recalls what life was like for a culinary legend who grew up in New York City and Connecticut in the 1950s. A master storyteller, Reichl can tell the familiar stories of life as a child and adolescent while tying these tales to the food she was surrounded by at the time. The book takes a linear approach to telling the story of Reichl’s childhood.

In many ways, she found her life defined by food, and through the retelling of the story, she weaves in plenty of humor and some of her favorite food recipes. This book is a  New York Times  bestseller, and reading it shows clearly why the author is one of the top writers for today’s best food magazines and essay columns. Below are examples of   Ruth Reichl’s writing:

• “We waited, eating resilient, deeply satisfying bread dipped in spicy oil that tasted exactly like fresh olives. Doug reached out and stroked my knee and I had a sudden conscious thought that I was happy.”
• “I was slowly discovering that if you watched people as they ate, you could find out who they were.”
• “It was Mac who first made me think about the way food brought people together — and kept them apart.”

• Reichl, Ruth (Author)
• 320 Pages - 05/25/2010 (Publication Date) - Random House Trade Paperbacks (Publisher)

6.  How to Cook a Wolf  by M.F.K. Fisher

At its surface,   How to Cook a Wolf   is a cookbook. Yet it’s much more than that when you look a little closer. This book was published during World War II, and its many tips and tricks are about being resourceful and creative in the kitchen when supplies are scarce. In the book, she gives readers a “chin-up” attitude toward shortages, writing about foods that were available rather than ranting about those that weren’t.

The author believes that food, even when sparse, should still taste good and look appealing, and she provides practical tips on how to do this. The “wolf” in the title is the imaginary wolf at the door in times of scarcity, not a real wolf in someone’s kitchen. Here are some examples of M.F.K. Fisher’s writing:

• “All men are hungry. They always have been. They must eat, and when they deny themselves the pleasures of carrying out that need, they are cutting off part of their possible fullness, their natural realization of life, whether they are poor or rich.”
• “And any kitchen idiot would know enough to core the apples.”
• “I think soup-pots should be made fresh now and then, like people’s minds at the New Year. They should be emptied and scrubbed and started over again, with clean water, a few peppercorns, whatever little scraps are left from yesterday, and then today’s bones and lettuce leaves and cold toast and such. Set at the back of the stove and left to summer, with an occasional stir from the cook, they can make a fine, clear stock for sauces as well as a heartening broth.”

• 224 Pages - 10/01/1988 (Publication Date) - North Point Press (Publisher)

7. Heat  by Bill Buford

Author  Bill Buford  thought of himself as a decent cook, yet he always wondered what kind of cook he would be if he were working in a professional kitchen. When Mario Batali’s three-star restaurant in New York, Babbo, offered him training, he took it. Buford quickly found himself under the management of Batali, and it was not long before he ended up in an apprenticeship in Italy with some of the top culinary masters in the world.

  Heat  follows him on this journey. It serves as a memoir of the time in the kitchen while also chronicling Buford’s rise to fame in the world of food. The book also explores why food and food writing matters. It stands out among food writing because it shares personal experiences and shows behind-the-scenes looks at the world of food, all with plenty of passion woven in. Below are some examples of Buford’s writing style:

• “A dish was a failure because it hadn’t been cooked with love. A dish was a success because the love was so obvious. If you’re cooking with love, every plate is a unique event—you never allow yourself to forget that a person is waiting to eat it: your food, made with your hands, arranged with your fingers, tasted with your tongue.”
• “Cooked fat is delicious. Uncooked fat is not. Why do you stuff a goose or duck? Chefs today don’t know because they don’t learn the basics anymore. You stuff the bird so it cooks more slowly. With the empty cavity, you let in the heat, and the bird is cooked inside and out, and the meat is done before your fat is rendered. Stuff your bird with apple and sage, and the fat is rendered first.”
• “I found, cooking on the line, that I got a quiet buzz every time I made a plate of food that looked exactly and aesthetically correct and then handed it over the pass to Andy. If, on a busy night, I made, say, fifty good-looking plates, I had fifty little buzz moments, and by the end of service I felt pretty good.”

• Buford, Bill (Author)
• 336 Pages - 06/26/2007 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

8. Blood, Bones & Butter  by Gabrielle Hamilton

Gabrielle Hamilton owns an acclaimed New York restaurant named Prune, and   Blood, Bones & Butter  is her memoir of how she journeyed through various kitchens to land her way in the ranks of the world’s top chefs. The book opens in the rural kitchen of her childhood home, then moves to her time exploring Europe, where she dined with strangers. Finally, she lands in Prune, where she faces many challenges in getting the restaurant off the ground. Throughout the book, she is raw and honest in her storytelling and weaves in many food topics. Below are some examples of Hamilton’s writing style:

• “It’s hard to cook for kids, and when something doesn’t appeal to them, instead of saying a polite no thank you, they instead break into a giant yuk face and shriek “eewww” right in front of you, as if you had no feelings at all.”
• “Because so much starving on that trip led to such an enormous amount of time fantasizing about food, each craving became fanatically particular. Hunger was not general, ever, for just something, anything, to eat. My hunger grew so specific I could name every corner and fold of it. Salty, warm, brothy, starchy, fatty, sweet, clean and crunchy, crisp and water, and so on.”
• “No future graduate-level feminism seminar would ever come within a mile of the force of that first paycheck. The conviction was instant and forever: If I pay my own way, I go my own way.”

• Great product!
• Hamilton, Gabrielle (Author)
• 320 Pages - 01/24/2012 (Publication Date) - Random House Trade Paperbacks (Publisher)

9. My Life in France  by Julia Child

Chef  Julia Child  is known for her cookbook  Mastering the Art of French Cooking  and her television show  The French Chef,  but her book  My Life in France  is more of a memoir exploring her time living in France and what it taught her about French cuisine and cooking. This period spent living in France gave her a passion for cooking and teaching about cooking. It explores the spirit Julia had to embrace as she honed her cooking and writing skills to become one of America’s top cooking personalities. Below are some examples of Julia Child’s writing:

• “Just speak very loudly and quickly, and state your position with utter conviction, as the French do, and you’ll have a marvelous time!”
• “Upon reflection, I decided I had three main weaknesses: I was confused (evidenced by a lack of facts, an inability to coordinate my thoughts, and an inability to verbalize my ideas); I had a lack of confidence, which cause me to back down from forcefully stated positions; and I was overly emotional at the expense of careful, ‘scientific’ though. I was thirty-seven years old and still discovering who I was.”
• “Good French cooking cannot be produced by a zombie cook.”

• julia child, french school,
• true life story, strong female personality
• inspiration
• Love for life, love for food
• humor, determination, discovery of one's self, true calling

10. Feast: Food to Celebrate Life  by Nigella Lawson

A list of the best food writing examples would not be complete without a cookbook making the ranks, and this one is a great choice. Food essay writer  Nigella Lawson  is known for her columns in well-known print publications, but she also has several bestselling cookbooks to her name, and  Feast: Food to Celebrate Life  is one of them.

In the book, Lawson pulls together step-by-step recipes and tips to pull off holiday celebratory feasts, but the meals are good enough to use year-round. Unlike many cookbooks, it brings plenty of humor into the recipes, and you can tell they’re written by someone who is a self-proclaimed food critic.

Below are examples of Nigella Lawson’s writing:

• “In which case, take off the foil, and add the golden paneer cubes, warm them through and revel in the glorious Bollywood brightness of the dish.”
• “Put the oil into a large skillet–one big enough to take all the ingredients later–and while it’s heating up, cut the paneer into 1/2-inch cubes. Tumble half of them into the hot oil, and fry until they are golden, removing to a double thickness of paper towel.”
• “We use food to mark occasions that are important to us in life.”

• Lawson, Nigella (Author)
• 480 Pages - 10/27/2004 (Publication Date) - Hyperion (Publisher)

Whether you’re considering a freelancing career as a food critic or want to learn more about your favorite foods, the best place to start is with these food writing examples. From cookbooks to memoirs to investigative journalism, these examples show that there are many ways to write about food, and you can use a variety of voices to do so too.

This also means there is room for a new voice in the food writing world. Studying them carefully will show you what it takes to write about food, and they may inspire you to find your own food writer’s voice. If you’re a foodie and a writer, consider transforming that into a lucrative career or side gig as a food writer.

Reading to begin writing? Check out our guide to self-publising on Amazon !

• Oct 9, 2021

So you want to be a food writer? Here’s a BIG list of what all you can write

In the second post of my #FoodWritingFestival series, I list out 170+ ideas and writing prompts that will make food content writing a feast

Image: Heather Ford | Unsplash

We understand why you want to be a food writer or blogger. (Or a food YouTuber or content creator for that matter.)

It’s a colourful, scrumptious, and tempting world, with the opportunity to taste a host of treats along the way (because why not).

Besides, food brings the world on your plate when travel takes a backseat. Who doesn’t like being the person who sums up these mouthwatering experiences in the most delicious words and sends them straight to everyone’s reading devices? Even as a fiction writer, you’d want to be able to describe the sensory aspects of the culinary world like a pro. (If you’d like to see how I’ve done my food scenes in fiction, check them out in my book PiKu & ViRu . Buy/download, read, and review it here ; it’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Do post a review on how you found the book and its foodie moments.)

And if you can get paid to write about food, it’s like the proverbial cherry on the icing.

Recipes and long-form stories have always been the most popular and sought-after avenues for food content writing. But not only are you going to need a huge bank of ideas for your pitching process. You should also keep your options open for other lesser-known but equally rewarding avenues.

That’s where this big list of food content ideas, formats, templates, and writing prompts comes in. Take whatever you need, mix and match, or make some tweaks to come up with something on your own. Or use more than one format to conjure multiple story angles for the same idea. You can also give one of your previously published stories a fresh lease of life by adapting it to a different template. In short, there are several ways of using this list. It’s a neverending one, as I’ll update it with more ideas as and when they strike me. Do share your ideas, too, in the comments.

So, here it is, without further ado. Let me know in the comments how it works out for you. In any case, food writing will become a piece of cake for you if you follow this one.

001. Essay spotlighting a particular dish

002. Essay spotlighting a particular ingredient

003. Essay spotlighting a particular cuisine

004. Feature on a particular restaurant

005. Essay spotlighting a cooking technique

006. Essay spotlighting a cooking equipment

007. Essay spotlighting a cooking tradition or practice

008. Feature on a specific food career

009. Profile of a food business

010. Feature on a food/eating lifestyle

011. Chef profile

012. Chef interview

013. Chef biography

014. Food entrepreneur profile

015. Food entrepreneur interview

016. Food entrepreneur biography

017. Restaurant, café, or bar review

018. Restaurant, café, or bar preview/first look

019. Restaurant, café, or bar profile

020. Restaurant, café, or bar comparison

021. Best restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination

022. What to eat in a particular area or destination

023. Where to have a particular local food/beverage (e.g. where to eat the best biryani in Hyderabad, Mumbai’s tastiest vada pavs, best hot chocolate in Switzerland)

024. Best restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination for a particular cuisine

025. Best breakfasts in a particular area or destination

026. What to eat for breakfast in a particular area or destination

027. Food & drink pairings

028. Best street food in a particular area or destination

029. What street food to eat in a particular area or destination

030. Food product review

031. Food equipment review

032. New food products and equipment

033. Meals with a view

034. Best rooftop restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination

035. Best alfresco restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination

036. Best new restaurants, bars, cafés

037. Recipes (of course!)

038. Food tips and hacks

039. Food explainers (what is foie gras, what is sous vide, why cocktail is called so, how is latte different from a cappuccino, etc.)

040. Food memories

041. History of a dish

042. History of an ingredient

043. History of a cuisine

044. History of a restaurant

045. History of a cooking technique

046. History of a cooking equipment

047. History of a cooking tradition or practice

048. History of a specific food career

049. History of a food/eating lifestyle

050. Fun facts about a dish

051. Fun facts about an ingredient

052. Fun facts about a cuisine

053. Fun facts about a restaurant

054. Fun facts about a chef

055. Fun facts about a cooking equipment

056. Fun facts about a cooking technique

057. Fun facts about a cooking tradition or practice

058. Fun facts about a food career

059. Fun facts about a food business

060. Fun facts about a food/eating lifestyle

061. Food trivia

062. Food trivia quiz

063. Food personality quiz

064. Best books to read on a particular food or food-related topic

065. Anything about food in ‘numbers’

066. Food memes

067. Food puns

068. Food quotes (can also be used on merchandise such as mugs, plates, and coasters)

069. Food events and days (like how I’ve compiled for October 2021 )

070. Food photography tips and tricks

071. Personal experiments

072. Personal campaigns (for example, eating only one kind of food for a year to support a cause and then documenting the results in a series of articles or on your blog)

073. Photo essay

074. Food-related etiquette and dos and don’ts (for example, what to bear in mind during Japanese tea ceremonies, Russian vodka drinking, English afternoon tea, etc.)

075. Food souvenirs to bring back from your trips

076. Foods to take on your trips

077. F&B (food and beverage) industry news & updates

078. Best farm-to-table/eco-friendly meal experiences

079. Food-related quirks and oddities

080. A food-related problem you’ve been facing and how you’re solving it (or have solved it)

081. First-hand narration of a food-related lifestyle (e.g. searching for vegan food in a predominantly non-vegetarian place)

082. Food trends

083. Opinion on a food trend or news development

084. Column or diary based on your personal food experiences

085. Food fiction

086. Food poems

087. Food-focused travelogues

088. Tracing the timeline of a food

089. Tracing the timeline of an ingredient

090. Tracing the timeline of a cuisine

091. Tracing the timeline of an heirloom recipe

092. Tracing the timeline of a restaurant

093. Tracing the timeline of a cooking equipment

094. Tracing the timeline of a cooking technique

095. Tracing the timeline of a cooking tradition or practice

096. Tracing the timeline of a food career

097. Tracing the timeline of a food business

098. Tracing the timeline of a food/eating lifestyle

099. How-to articles

100. Food-related case studies, white papers, or research

101. Food-themed blog campaigns

102. Food-themed SM posts and campaigns

103. Obituaries and ‘In Memoriam’ stories

104. Scenarios—predictions of future events based on current trends or developments

105. Food tech

106. Food app review

107. Food app preview/first look

108. Food app profile

109. Food app comparison

110. Food polls

111. Food contests

112. Food show or video—concept, research, script

113. Food event—concept, research, script

114. ‘A to Z’ food stories

115. Press releases

116. Teaching stories for food techniques

117. Teaching stories for food equipment operation

118. Ad & product copy

119. Advertorials

120. Translations

121. Infographics

122. Tables, charts, diagrams

123. Transcripts of commentaries, event panels, talk shows, podcasts, etc.

124. Website & app content

126. Catalogues, brochures, manuals, and other promotional materials

127. Mission, vision, and purpose statements for a food business

128. The first, last, best, worst, smallest, largest in food

129. Shopping lists

130. Pantry & kitchen showcases

131. Celebrity food experiences & recos

132. Food experiences and recos by chefs or any other food expert

133. Exploring the science behind a dish, equipment, cooking tradition, or technique

134. Food farming stories

135. Health & nutrition

136. Best (and worst) cooking shows

137. Cooking show review

138. Interview with the team of a cooking show

139. Dream breakfast, lunch, and dinner

140. Most memorable breakfast, lunch, or dinner

141. Dream kitchen and pantry

142. Bucket list of restaurants

143. Bucket list of foods

144. Wish list of food and cooking products

145. Your diet plan

146. Cooking and eating routine

147. Favourite (and least favourite) cookbooks

148. Cookbook reviews

149. Cookbook author interviews

150. Face-off between two foods

151. Best foods for a given season

152. Best foods for a given reason (such as heartbreak, grief, exams)

153. Foods for specific kinds of travel (for example, treks, picnics, camping)

154. If you could have only food for a year or lifetime

155. Weird, unusual foods

156. Your dream wedding spread

157. Nutritional profile of a dish

158. Breaking convention (for example, having dessert as your first course, eating Maggi with dahi or pickle, ordering a mac-and-cheese ice cream)

159. Word clouds

160. Tasting notes

161. Review of a tasting session

162. Nutritional pros and cons of a dish, ingredient, cuisine, technique, equipment, or lifestyle

163. Best restaurants, cafés, bars in a particular area or destination within a specific budget

164. BTS of an iconic restaurant dish

165. Tracing the birthplace of an iconic dish (and if possible, interviewing its inventor)

166. The best cameras and/or smartphones for food photography

167. Camera/smartphone review for food photography

168. Best food scenes in movies and TV shows

169. The most expensive food experiences

170. The cheapest food experiences

171. Comparing the cheapest, mid-priced, and most expensive versions of the same food

172. Food-themed newsletter

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