It’s believed the first bistros were built in the basements of Parisian apartments, where tenants paid food and board. Meals served were mostly simple French home-cooked foods could be cheaply made and produced at a large scale. Now, bistros continue to operate as small boutique restaurants with simple menus that are ideal for a light breakfast or lunch. And as the restaurant industry evolved in America over the last century so has the bistro catering to a broad range of diners.

A corner bistro at night.

Bistros can be found in every major city in the United States. They have become a destination to enjoy simple French and American cuisine like steak frites, cheese platters, soups, salads, and desserts.

If you’re thinking of opening your own bistro, you’ll need to think carefully about how to name it. The name is hugely important in the bistro industry because it helps explain the type of food you serve. Let’s dig into these name ideas organized by category.

Bistro Name Ideas

Tables outside a restaurant.

Bistros are restaurants where you can get simple, but higher-end foods like a seared tuna salad, oysters, or a toasted ham sandwich.

  • Bar & Bistro
  • Bayside Bistro
  • Beachfront Bistro
  • Bistro Bean
  • Bistro Delicioso
  • Bistro Europa
  • Bistro Italiano
  • Bistro Maestro
  • Bombay Bistro
  • Bounties Bistro
  • Boutique Bistro
  • Brother’s Bistro
  • B-Side Bistro
  • Candlelight Bistro
  • City Bistro
  • Darling Bistro
  • Downtown Bistro
  • Flagstone Bistro
  • Flavor Time Bistro
  • Honey Land Bistro
  • Kawaii Bistro
  • Lakeside Bistro
  • Main Street Bistro
  • Oven Bistro
  • Sierra Bistro
  • Skyline Bistro
  • Solo Bistro
  • Sovana Bistro
  • Tastings Bistro
  • Temptations Bistro
  • The Covered Bistro
  • The Cozy Bistro
  • The Little Bistro
  • Valley Bistro

French Bistro Name Ideas

Outdoor dining.

Bistros are well known to have been founded in Paris, France, so giving it a French name is not unusual. Especially if you are serve a more authentic French menu like Patissiers, fluffy soufles, or bagquettes. These awesome French names are yours to choose from, so, bonne chance, mes amis.

  • Aimee Bistro
  • Alsace Bistro
  • Anaïs Bistro
  • Auvillar Bistro
  • Bonsoir Bistro
  • Bordeaux Bistro
  • Brittany Bistro
  • Bruniquel Bistro
  • Corentin Bistro
  • Côte d‘Azur Bistro
  • Delphine Bistro
  • Domme Bistro
  • Dordogne Bistro
  • Estaing Bistro
  • Étienne Bistro

Related Reading: How to Create an Awesome Coffee Shop Floor Plan (Any Size or Dimension)

  • Fleur Bistro
  • Gaël Bistro
  • Garonne Bistro
  • Gordes Bistro
  • l’Abbaye Bistro
  • La Romieu Bistro
  • Languedoc Bistro
  • Languedoc Bistro
  • Lautrec Bistro
  • Locronan Bistro
  • Loire Bistro
  • Lucien Bistro
  • Maël Bistro
  • Malbec Bistro
  • Montrésor Bistro
  • Moustiers Bistro
  • Océane Bistro
  • Pesmes Bistro
  • Pied-de-Port Bistro
  • Provence Bistro
  • Saint-Antoine Bistro
  • Saint-Céneri Bistro
  • Sainte-Agnès Bistro
  • Sainte-Marie Bistro
  • Saint-Guilhem Bistro
  • Saint-Jean Bistro
  • Seillans Bistro
  • Thibault Bistro

Café Bistro Name Ideas

Le Cafe Gourmand.

Café bistros are a lot like coffee shops. There are fewer meals available with pastry that go with your cup of coffee or tea. Take a look at our noms de choix below from this list.

  • Small & Savory
  • Subtle Savors
  • Tiny Tavern
  • Homestyle Cuisine
  • Food for Thought
  • Sustenance
  • Bistro Bites
  • Common Chow
  • Little Soup Shop
  • Pizza Patio
  • Table for Two
  • Tiny Kitchen
  • The Bread Bar
  • Pure & Fresh
  • Eat Inn
  • Qcafe
  • Dine & Dash
  • The Quastro
  • The Park Provence
  • The Debate Cafe
  • Le Jardin Terrace
  • Parisian Rendez-Vous
  • Toujours Provence
  • Linger & Taste
  • Lively Eatery
  • La Petite Brasserie
  • Toujours Amis
  • Café County
  • Cornucopia Dishes
  • Continental Cuisines
  • Café Delights
  • Tasty Delights
  • Sundown Plaza
  • Sunrise Palace
  • Jodie’s Corner

Cool Bistro Name Ideas

Two glasses of wine.

Here are the coolest bistro names our team of experts came up with.

  • Backyard Bistro
  • Bitter Leaf Bistro
  • Bloomers Bistro
  • Broken Plate Bistro
  • Butterfly Bistro
  • Casualties Bistro
  • Deep River Bistro
  • Desert Sands Bistro
  • Banging at the Bistro
  • Fallen Leaf Bistro
  • Hidden Bistro
  • Homefire Bistro
  • Molto Bene Bistro
  • Mountainview Bistro
  • The Blind Man Bistro
  • Nonno’s Bistro
  • Ocean View Bistro

Related Reading: Best List: 257 Coffee Shop House Names with Profit Potential

  • Parmigiano Bistro
  • Pepito Bistro
  • Pepper Grill Bistro
  • Platters Bistro
  • Riverfront Bistro
  • Roman Bistro
  • The Bigger Cafe
  • Sea Otter Bistro
  • Afternoon Cafe
  • Silver Cloud Bistro
  • Stonefire Bistro
  • Sunrise Bistro
  • The Bench Bistro
  • The Bread Box Bistro
  • The Chili Bean Bistro
  • The Dainty Duchess Bistro
  • The Green Grotto Bistro
  • The Savory Mushroom Bistro
  • Three Dogs Bistro
  • Toscano Bistro

Examples of Famous Bistros