Good Restaurant Names: Ideas, Formula and Availability Check
Short answer: A good restaurant name is short, easy to say and spell, hints at the food or feeling, and is not already used by another business near you. Start from a formula such as a place, ingredient or person plus a food word, write a long list, test it out loud, then check your state business registry, USPTO trademark search and domain before you commit.
The name goes on the sign, the menu, the uniforms and every search result.
What makes a restaurant name good
Easy to say and spell. Guests should be able to tell a friend and find you in a search on the first try.
Fits the concept. A taqueria and a tasting-menu restaurant need different tones.
Distinctive locally. If a similar name is down the street, guests will confuse you.
Room to grow. Avoid names tied to one street or one dish if you might move or expand the menu.
Available. You can register it, protect it and get a matching domain and social handles.
A simple naming formula
Formula
Pattern
Sample ideas
Place + food word
[Neighborhood, river, street] + Kitchen, Grill, Tavern
Riverside Grill, Elm Street Kitchen
Ingredient + noun
[Herb, grain, fruit] + House, Table, Bar
Saffron Table, Rye House
Person + place
[First name or family name] + ‘s, or + & Co.
Rosa’s, Martin & Daughters
Method + noun
[Smoke, wood-fire, slow] + food
Slow Ember BBQ, Woodfire Slice
Wordplay
A pun on the cuisine
Pho Real, Thyme Out
Foreign word
A word from the cuisine’s language
Casa Verde, Osteria Luna
The sample names here are brainstorming starters. Many may already be in use somewhere, so check every one before you fall in love with it.
Name ideas by style
Funny and pun names
Lettuce Eat
Wok This Way
Grill Seeker
Seoul Food Shack
Bun Intended
Classic and upscale
The Copper Table
Juniper & Ash
North Hall
The Gilded Fork
Marlow
Casual and neighborhood
Corner Plate
Porch Light Diner
Sunday Supper Co.
Block Party Burgers
Main & Maple
Rhyme and alliteration
Taco Tuesday Tavern
Bagel Bungalow
Sizzle & Sip
Noodle Nook
Pie Guy
Name ideas by cuisine
Cuisine
Starter ideas
Mexican
Casa Maíz, Comal & Co., Tacos del Barrio
Italian
Osteria Luna, Nonna’s Table, Little Basil
Japanese
Kumo Ramen, Hinoki Sushi Bar, Izakaya Ten
Chinese
Golden Dumpling House, Red Lantern Noodle
Indian
Masala Lane, Tandoor & Tiffin, Chai Corner
Thai and Vietnamese
Basil Leaf Thai, Pho Corner, Lemongrass Kitchen
Seafood
Saltline Oyster Bar, Low Tide Fish Co.
BBQ and steak
Slow Ember BBQ, Iron & Oak Steakhouse
Vegan
Root & Sprout, Green Plate Kitchen
Café and bakery
Morning Crumb, Second Cup, Daily Loaf
How to test a shortlist
Say each name out loud on the phone: “Thanks for calling ___.” Is it clear?
Ask ten people who fit your target guest which name they would remember tomorrow.
Type it into a maps app and a search engine as a guest would.
Mock it up on a sign, a menu header and a social profile picture.
Include your team. Staff who helped choose the name are proud to wear it.
How to check if a name is available
State business registry. Search your Secretary of State business entity database for LLCs and corporations with the same or similar name.
County or city DBA records. Many places record assumed names (DBAs) locally.
USPTO trademark search. Search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database for registered and pending marks in restaurant and food services.
Domain and social handles. Check whether the .com and your main social handles are open.
Local search. Look for restaurants nearby with a confusingly similar name.
A search result is not a legal clearance. For a name you plan to invest in, ask a trademark attorney to review it. This is general information, not legal advice.
