Question for non-Stateside readers

[neadods]

I'm looking for the name of that type of restaurant that serves fast, homestyle local food; it probably has a dish described or named "Mama's" or "Grandma's."

In America, it's the diner.
In Britain, the pub.
In France, the bistro.
In Italy, the trattoria.

What is it called in your neck of the world?

Comments

[neadods.livejournal.com]

but not a chain restaurant (Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel etc)

Trust me, the chain food here isn't much better. But it gives me pointers for the *kind* of thing I'm actually looking for - fast, cheap, easy, relatively decent (when not made en masse in advance) food. I want to expand my cooking repertoire, and I'm a lot more likely to learn how to do scotch eggs and croque madame, etc., than I am celebrity or higher-end foods.

Knowing what kind of word to search for - cafe, carinderia, bistro - gives me the direction to search.

Watching the Brit side of the discussion evolve is a bit like watching Americans draw the lines between truck stop, diner, and steakhouse... but in the end, it just gives me three new terms to search, y'know?

If I get 12 terms, I'll pick one per month next year. :D

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

That's what I meant: chain restaurant food is not associated with good quality. I know there are exceptions - Olive Garden etc - but I'd never compare a chain diner/family restaurant/breakfast eatery with a decent pub or bistro, whether in the UK or north America. Ever :)