hot bar

hot bar (plural hot bars)

1. (US) A counter selling hot food, often kept hot with a bain-marie (steam table).
   • 2011, Ellah Etemadi, The Linguist, page 234:

     As usual, after I selected food from the hot bar, I went to the main dining room to have dinner.

• salad bar (a hot bar and a salad bar are coordinate offerings in some buffet restaurants and takeout restaurants)