English Vocabulary about Food and Drinks: Complete Guide

"Knowing the right vocabulary will make you feel at home in any restaurant in the world."

Learning English vocabulary for food and drinks is essential for traveling, dining out, shopping, or simply communicating in any food-related situation. In this guide, you’ll find the most common words, categories, and phrases used to talk about food and drinks in English.

Why learn food vocabulary in English?

  • You’ll be able to order food in restaurants without difficulty.
  • You’ll understand menus, recipes, and product labels.
  • It will help you travel, work abroad, or improve your conversational English.

Table of Contents

Fruits and Vegetables in English

Learn the most common names:

English Spanish
Apple Manzana
Orange Naranja
Banana Plátano
Grapes Uvas
Lettuce Lechuga
Carrot Zanahoria

Useful phrases:

  • I would like an apple juice, please. – Me gustaría un jugo de manzana, por favor.
  • Do you have any fresh vegetables? – ¿Tienen verduras frescas?

Meat, Fish, and Seafood

English Spanish
Beef Carne de res
Chicken Pollo
Pork Cerdo
Fish Pescado
Shrimp Camarón

Useful phrases:

  • I’ll have grilled chicken. – Tomaré pollo a la parrilla.
  • Is the fish fresh? – ¿El pescado es fresco?

Dairy Products

English Spanish
Milk Leche
Cheese Queso
Butter Mantequilla
Yogurt Yogur

Drinks in English

English Spanish
Water Agua
Juice Jugo
Soda Refresco
Coffee Café
Tea Té
Beer Cerveza
Wine Vino

Useful phrases:

  • Can I have a glass of water? – ¿Puedo tener un vaso de agua?
  • Do you have sparkling water? – ¿Tienen agua con gas?

Desserts and Snacks

English Spanish
Cake Pastel
Ice cream Helado
Cookies Galletas
Candy Dulce
Chips Papas fritas

Useful Phrases for Ordering Food

  • Can I see the menu, please? – ¿Puedo ver el menú, por favor?
  • What do you recommend? – ¿Qué recomienda?
  • Can I have this to go? – ¿Me lo puede dar para llevar?
  • I have an allergy to… – Soy alérgico/a a…

Tips for learning food vocabulary in English

  • Learn by categories (fruits, meats, drinks).
  • Listen to videos and podcasts about gastronomy in English.
  • Practice in restaurants or through role plays.