serve up

phrasal verb

served up; serving up; serves up

: to give (food) to someone at a meal, in a restaurant, etc.

That little restaurant serves up some of the best Indian food in the city.

—sometimes used figuratively

The movie serves up a lot of laughs.

Examples of serve up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Kate Hudson just served up a masterclass in giving simple evening wear a boho twist. —Meg Walters, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026

The city has prioritized spaces at the Cerone Emergency Interim Housing site — completed in February and able to serve up to 200 residents in 162 units — for those impacted by the encampment sweep. —Devan Patel, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026

The Serving Spoon has been passed down several generations and serves up soul food fare at a non-fussy spot in Los Angeles County. —Paris Barraza, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026

Jawara Alleyne’s collaboration with Converse also served up cushy kicks ideal for a fun night out. —Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for serve up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup