Describe a Café or Restaurant You Like to Go To: IELTS Cue Card with Sample Answer

The place I’d like to talk about is a small café on a quiet side street near my university. It’s easy to walk past without noticing it, since it only has about eight tables and a very plain sign outside.

In terms of food and drink, it’s nothing fancy. They serve excellent coffee, a few types of tea, and at lunchtime there’s always one soup of the day with fresh bread. But the main attraction is the cakes. The owner, an older woman who started the café about fifteen years ago, bakes everything herself early every morning, so the whole street smells of cinnamon and fresh bread when you walk past.

I usually go there with my study group on Wednesday afternoons. There are four of us from the same course, and we spend a couple of hours going through our notes over coffee. Sometimes I also go on my own at the weekend, just to read a book and watch people walking past.

There are a few reasons I like it so much. The first is the atmosphere. It’s cosy and quiet, with old wooden furniture and soft music, so you can actually have a conversation or concentrate on your work, unlike the big chain coffee shops nearby. The second is the owner. After my second or third visit she remembered my usual order, and now she asks me how my exams are going. That might sound like a small thing, but when I first moved abroad and was feeling quite homesick, it made a real difference. It was the first place in the city where I felt like a regular rather than a stranger.

Useful language:easy to walk past without noticingnothing fancythe main attractionsoup of the daycosy and quietunlike the big chain coffee shopsfelt like a regular rather than a stranger

For convenience, mostly. People are busy, and eating out means no cooking or washing up. But it’s also a social activity: restaurants are where people celebrate, meet friends or go on dates. And many people enjoy trying dishes they couldn’t easily make at home.

Useful language:conveniencea social activity

Each has its strengths. Chains are consistent, so you know exactly what you’ll get anywhere in the world, and they’re often cheaper. Independent cafés usually have more character and closer relationships with customers, and they support the local economy. Personally, I prefer independent places, but I understand why chains are so successful.

Useful language:consistentmore characterthe local economy

Food delivery apps have made a huge difference; many people now order meals to their door several times a week. At the same time, there’s more interest in healthy and plant-based food. Families also eat together less often than they used to, because everyone has different schedules.

Useful language:food delivery appsplant-based food

I think it’s a good idea, because it helps people make informed choices without forcing them to do anything. Some people argue it takes the pleasure out of eating out, but the information can easily be ignored by those who don’t want it. It’s particularly useful for people managing health conditions.

Useful language:make informed choicestake the pleasure out of