A bistro or bistrot (), in its original Parisian form, is a small restaurant serving moderately priced, simple meals in a modest setting. The term has also become used by more pretentious restaurants.

Style

In a 2007 survey of national cuisines, a bistro is characterised as typically: A Paris newspaper in 1892 referred to dishes served at a bistro, including

escargot Snails are considered edible in many areas such as the Mediterranean region, Africa, or Southeast Asia, while in other cultures, snails are seen as a taboo food. In American English, edible land snails are also called escargot, taken from the Fren ...

veal Veal is the meat of calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, however most veal comes from young male calves of dairy breeds which are not used for breeding. Generally, ...

with

sauce ravigote Sauce ravigote is a classic, lightly acidic sauce in French cuisine, which may be prepared either warm or cold. The warm sauce is classically based on a vegetable or meat broth, or a velouté, with herbs. Current recipes often add Dijon mustard. Th ...

, navarin of lamb,

hachis Parmentier Shepherd's pie, cottage pie, or in its French version hachis Parmentier is a savoury dish of cooked minced meat topped with mashed potato and baked. The meat used may be either previously cooked or freshly minced. The usual meats are beef or lam ...

, eggs, sausages and hot roast chicken. The ''

Oxford Companion to Food ''The Oxford Companion to Food'' is an encyclopedia about food. It was edited by Alan Davidson and published by Oxford University Press in 1999. It was also issued in softcover under the name ''The Penguin Companion to Food''. The second and t ...

'' comments that the idea of simple inexpensive food served in a French atmosphere has wide appeal, so that by the end of the 20th century the term had "begun to be annexed by more pretentious premises".

Etymology

The etymology is unclear. The ''

Dictionnaire de l'Académie française The ''Dictionnaire de l'Académie française'' is the official dictionary of the French language. The Académie française is France's official authority on the usages, vocabulary, and grammar of the French language, although its recommendations ...

'' dates the word from the 19th century term, ''bistro'', "innkeeper", and suggests that it may be linked to the

Poitevin Poitevin may refer to: * From or related to Poitou * From or related to the town of Poitiers * Poitevin dialect, the language spoken in the Poitou * Poitevin horse, a breed of draught horse from Poitou, France * Poitevine goat, a breed of goat fr ...

word ''bistraud'' ("little servant"), or to ''bistrouille'' ("cheap liquor"). It recommends the spelling "bistrot" in preference to "bistro"."bistrot"
''Dictionnaire de l'Académie française''. Retrieved 28 January 2023 The word was used to describe a drinking establishment,

estaminet French cuisine () is the cooking traditions and practices from France. It has been influenced over the centuries by the many surrounding cultures of Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium, in addition to the food traditions of the r ...

or small popular local restaurant where alcoholic beverages were served. This is also what

Emile Zola Emil or Emile may refer to: Literature *''Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau * ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life *''Emil and the Detective ...

called an "assommoir" in his famous novel, ''L'Assommoir''. In the early part of the 19th century, the term "gargote" signified a basic style of restaurant, but the term "bistro" or "bistrot" is not recorded until towards the end of the century. An early appearance of the term in print is in ''Les deux gosses'' by

Pierre Decourcelle Pierre Adrien Decourcelle (25 January 1856 - 10 October 1926) was a French writer and playwright. Life Pierre Adrien Decourcelle was born in Paris on 25 January 1856. His father, Adrien Decourcelle, and his uncle, Adolphe d'Ennery, were both au ...

, published in 1880. A popular folk etymology, not attested by the ''Dictionnaire de l'Académie française'', claims that the word originated among Russian troops who, following the Battle of Paris in March 1814, occupied the city and visited these tiny places to drink a coffee. They might have shouted ''bistro! bistro!'' () when they wished to be served quickly. This etymology has been dismissed by linguists, because there is no attestation to the occurrence of the term until the late 19th century.

Evolution

The bistro became familiar in France throughout the 19th century. At this period, the Auvergnats (French people originating from the Auvergne region), often called the "bougnats", transformed and developed the French bistro. Indeed, they started to offer meats with their choice of wines and spirits. In the 20th century, these places became very popular and widely represented the diversity of the Parisian life. More than that, bistros became the hallmark of the French lifestyle and inspire a multitude of artists (photographs, writers, etc.).

Notes, references and sources

Notes

References

Sources

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External links

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Merriam-Webster definition

{{Authority control Restaurants by type French cuisine