variants
also cafe
1
as in cabaret
a bar or restaurant offering special nighttime entertainment (as music, dancing, or comedy acts)
the café presents nationally known jazz performers in an intimate setting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in tavern
a place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold to be consumed on the premises
a speakeasy that became a fashionable café with the repeal of prohibition
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in restaurant
a public establishment where meals are served to paying customers for consumption on the premises
they met at a little café in Paris
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of café
The 2,800-square-foot Southport store features a hot chocolate cafe and a wall of chocolate featuring small boxes with a dizzying variety of flavors, from Pistachio & Raspberry to Orange Marmalade, which sell for $8 each or three for $20, according to the illuminated sign above the display.
—
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Initially, these are very primitive – buy coffee, take a photo of a receipt in a cafe.
—Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Gardner said the cafe went viral thanks to Chinese social media platform Rednote.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Relax with a glass of wine, signature espresso drink, or sandwich at the on-site cafe, The Farmer's Daughters, or lounge by the seasonal outdoor pool.
—Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the Barrel Bar (shaped like a literal barrel) will serve as a European-style cafe that transitions from breakfast to late-night small plates.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
Guests can also request a table for a snack or a slice of Sachertorte at one of the hotel’s two elegant cafes (open to the public, and a great way to enjoy the hotel without booking a room).
—Caroline Law, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
Restaurants, diners, delis, cafes, bars and coffee spots have long been considered third places — along with libraries and even laundromats.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
But as coffee has taken off in China, traditionally a tea-drinking market, Starbucks has run into a slew of competitors from boutique cafes to chains such as Cotti Coffee and Manner — which often sell drinks at half the price as Starbucks.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Initially, these are very primitive – buy coffee, take a photo of a receipt in a cafe.
—Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Gardner said the cafe went viral thanks to Chinese social media platform Rednote.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Relax with a glass of wine, signature espresso drink, or sandwich at the on-site cafe, The Farmer's Daughters, or lounge by the seasonal outdoor pool.
—Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the Barrel Bar (shaped like a literal barrel) will serve as a European-style cafe that transitions from breakfast to late-night small plates.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
Guests can also request a table for a snack or a slice of Sachertorte at one of the hotel’s two elegant cafes (open to the public, and a great way to enjoy the hotel without booking a room).
—Caroline Law, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
Restaurants, diners, delis, cafes, bars and coffee spots have long been considered third places — along with libraries and even laundromats.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
But as coffee has taken off in China, traditionally a tea-drinking market, Starbucks has run into a slew of competitors from boutique cafes to chains such as Cotti Coffee and Manner — which often sell drinks at half the price as Starbucks.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for café
Noun
-
The cabaret-style event features local performers singing favorites, including Broadway tunes, organizers said.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
There’s also a cabaret, the Starlite Club, which hosts stand-up comedians, lectures or live music for dancing, or the after-hours Jade Night Club for dancing, drinks, and karaoke.—
Scott Laird,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Don’t leave without ordering a Bar X plate of fries and dipping sauce to enjoy while soaking up the tavern’s wide range of cocktails, beers, and wines.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The tavern was a main gathering point at the start of the Revolutionary War, and once held Nathaniel Hawthorne and Theodore Roosevelt.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Specialty shops, coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants could share 200 acres of trails, pocket parks, wooded landscapes and a lazy creek with a combination of residential options.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Mystic’s many restaurants (including the famous Mystic Pizza), bars, and shops are a short stroll away.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Eboni Silas’ family, friends and former classmates on Monday gathered outside the Kansas City nightclub where she was killed over the weekend.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The verdict Regent Hong Kong is like the coolest art gallery, sexiest nightclub and most elegant private members establishment all rolled into one playfully luxurious space.—
Ann Lee,
TheWeek,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Accordingly, recognisable Western archetypes abound, from the saloon bar serving pungent shots of whiskey to the tinkling accompaniment of Scott Joplin, to the majority of the characters themselves.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The building once housed a saloon that saw its share of shootouts and robberies—paranormal researchers claim to have found a reappearing bloodstain there.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With the arrival of Lent, seafood is top of mind for many diners.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Unlike the location at the Dior store in Ginza, the new Dior Café outpost in Daikanyama features a spacious terrace facing an impressive Japanese garden, offering diners a place of respite from the urban jungle.—
Kelly Wetherille,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Floral arrangements made by Miller at the event will be auctioned off; proceeds benefit the garden club’s service projects, including Schoolyard Garden Grants and Bouquet of Thanks for Veterans.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Changing politics and overfishing led to the club's closure in 1970, and for several decades, this section of the coast has been the home of local fishermen, visited by surfers and little more.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This time, the pub-style stage will feature an Eagles tribute show, which also appears in a main stage format.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Most alcohol is included, so bars like Crystal Cove off the Atrium, the Starlight Club cabaret, pub-style Avenue Saloon, Connoisseur Club cigar bar, and Luxe Night Club are also included, unless guests want top-shelf wines or liquors, which are also available.—
Scott Laird,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Café.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caf%C3%A9. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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