A. Boulanger

French restauranteur

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June 23, 2026

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The term "restaurant" originates from the Latin word "restaurare," meaning "to renew." In 1765, a Parisian named Boulanger opened an establishment serving "bouillons restaurants," or restorative broths. His establishment's motto was a pun inviting those with stomach ailments to come to him for restoration. This business model proved successful, and the word "restaurant" came to describe such establishments. While other establishments like "eating houses" and "cook's shops" existed earlier, Boulanger's venture popularized the term. It's important to note that a French general named Georges Boulanger was a prominent political figure in the 1880s, but he is distinct from the restaurateur.123

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…believed to have been one A. Boulanger, a soup vendor, who opened his business in Paris in 1765. The sign above his door advertised restoratives, or restaurants, referring to the soups and broths available within. The institution took its name from that sign, and restaurant now denotes a public eating…
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…believed to have been one A. Boulanger, a soup vendor, who opened his business in Paris in 1765. The sign above his door advertised restoratives, or restaurants, referring to the soups and broths available within. The institution took its name from that sign, and restaurant now denotes a public eating…
Read More