Search categories for the Bing Local Business Search API

Warning

On October 30, 2020, the Bing Search APIs moved from Azure AI services to Bing Search Services. This documentation is provided for reference only. For updated documentation, see the Bing search API documentation. For instructions on creating new Azure resources for Bing search, see Create a Bing Search resource through the Azure Marketplace.

The Bing Local Business Search API enables you to search for local business entities in a variety of categories, with priority given to results close a user's location. You can include these searches in searches along with the localCircularView and localMapView parameters.

TopLevel Categories

The following types define major categories of search. More than one category can be specified using a comma-delimited list assigned to the localCategories parameter. 

  • EatDrink
  • SeeDo
  • Shop
  • HotelsAndMotels
  • BanksAndCreditUnions
  • Parking
  • Hospitals

Sub Categories

Subcategories are passed the same way as localCategories. Subcategories are more specific categories. They are subordinate in the sense that if you specify a category C and one of its subcategories S in the same comma-delimited list, you will receive the same results as if you specified C alone.

Eat Drink

BreweriesAndBrewPubs, CocktailLounges, AfricanRestaurants, AmericanRestaurants, Bagels, BarbecueRestaurants, Taverns, SportsBars, Bars, BarsGrillsAndPubs, BuffetRestaurants| BelgianRestaurants, BritishRestaurants, CafeRestaurants, CaribbeanRestaurants, ChineseRestaurants, CoffeeAndTea, Delicatessens, DeliveryService, Diners, DiscountStores, Donuts, FastFood, FrenchRestaurants, FrozenYogurt, GermanRestaurants, Supermarkets, GreekRestaurants, Grocers, HawaiianRestaurants, HungarianRestaurants, IceCreamAndFrozenDesserts, IndianRestaurants, ItalianRestaurants, JapaneseRestaurants, Juices, KoreanRestaurants, LiquorStores, MexicanRestaurants, MiddleEasternRestaurants, Pizza, PolishRestaurants, PortugueseRestaurants, Pretzels, Restaurants, RussianAndUkrainianRestaurants, Sandwiches, SeafoodRestaurants, SpanishRestaurants, SteakHouseRestaurants, SushiRestaurants, TakeAway, ThaiRestaurants, TurkishRestaurants, VegetarianAndVeganRestaurants, VietnameseRestaurants

See Do

AmusementParks, Attractions, Carnivals, Casinos, LandmarksAndHistoricalSites, MiniatureGolfCourses, MovieTheaters, Museums, Parks, SightseeingTours, TouristInformation, Zoos

Shop

AntiqueStores, Bookstores, CDAndRecordStores, ChildrensClothingStores, CigarAndTobaccoShops, ComicBookStores, DepartmentStores, DiscountStores, FleaMarketsAndBazaars, FurnitureStores, HomeImprovementStores, JewelryAndWatchesStores, KitchenwareStores, LiquorStores, MallsAndShoppingCenters, MensClothingStores, MusicStores, OutletStores, PetShops, PetSupplyStores, SchoolAndOfficeSupplyStores, ShoeStores, SportingGoodsStores, ToyAndGameStores, VitaminAndSupplementStores, WomensClothingStores

The following examples GET results according to the localCategories parameter:

https://api.cognitive.microsoft.com/localbusinesses/v7.0/search?&q=&mkt=en-US&localcategories=HotelsAndMotels

https://api.cognitive.microsoft.com/localbusinesses/v7.0/search?&q=&mkt=en-US&localcategories=EatDrink

https://api.cognitive.microsoft.com/localbusinesses/v7.0/search?&q=&mkt=en-US&localcategories=Shop

https://api.cognitive.microsoft.com/localbusinesses/v7.0/search?&q=&mkt=en-US&localcategories=Hospitals

The following query limits the number of 'hospital' results to first three returned from the Bing Local Business Search API:

https://api.cognitive.microsoft.com/localbusinesses/v7.0/search?&q=&mkt=en-US&localCategories=Hospitals&count=3&offset=0

The following example JSON response includes three hospitals in the greater Seattle area:

BingAPIs-TraceId: 68AFB51807C6485CAB8AAF20E232EFFF
BingAPIs-SessionId: F89E7B8539B34BF58AAF811485E83B20
X-MSEdge-ClientID: 1C44E64DBFAA6BCA1270EADDBE7D6A22
BingAPIs-Market: en-US
X-MSEdge-Ref: Ref A: 68AFB51807C6485CAB8AAF20E232EFFF Ref B: CO1EDGE0108 Ref C: 2018-10-22T18:52:28Z

{
   "_type": "SearchResponse",
   "queryContext": {
      "originalQuery": ""
   },
   "places": {
      "readLink": "https:\/\/www.bingapis.com\/api\/v7\/places\/search?q=",
      "totalEstimatedMatches": 0,
      "value": [
         {
            "_type": "LocalBusiness",
            "id": "https:\/\/www.bingapis.com\/api\/v7\/#Places.0",
            "name": "Overlake Hospital Medical Center",
            "url": "http:\/\/www.overlakehospital.org\/",
            "entityPresentationInfo": {
               "entityScenario": "ListItem",
               "entityTypeHints": [
                  "Place",
                  "LocalBusiness"
               ]
            },
            "geo": {
               "latitude": 47.6204986572266,
               "longitude": -122.185829162598
            },
            "routablePoint": {
               "latitude": 47.6204986572266,
               "longitude": -122.185668945312
            },
            "address": {
               "streetAddress": "1035 116th Ave NE",
               "addressLocality": "Bellevue",
               "addressRegion": "WA",
               "postalCode": "98004",
               "addressCountry": "US",
               "neighborhood": "",
               "text": "1035 116th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004"
            },
            "telephone": "(425) 688-5000"
         },
         {
            "_type": "LocalBusiness",
            "id": "https:\/\/www.bingapis.com\/api\/v7\/#Places.1",
            "name": "Virginia Mason University Village Medical Center",
            "url": "https:\/\/virginiamason.org\/Seattle",
            "entityPresentationInfo": {
               "entityScenario": "ListItem",
               "entityTypeHints": [
                  "Place",
                  "LocalBusiness"
               ]
            },
            "geo": {
               "latitude": 47.6095390319824,
               "longitude": -122.327941894531
            },
            "routablePoint": {
               "latitude": 47.6093978881836,
               "longitude": -122.328277587891
            },
            "address": {
               "streetAddress": "1100 9th Ave",
               "addressLocality": "Seattle",
               "addressRegion": "WA",
               "postalCode": "98101",
               "addressCountry": "US",
               "neighborhood": "University District",
               "text": "1100 9th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98101"
            },
            "telephone": "(206) 223-6600"
         },
         {
            "_type": "LocalBusiness",
            "id": "https:\/\/www.bingapis.com\/api\/v7\/#Places.2",
            "name": "Seattle Children’s Hospital",
            "url": "http:\/\/www.seattlechildrens.org\/",
            "entityPresentationInfo": {
               "entityScenario": "ListItem",
               "entityTypeHints": [
                  "Place",
                  "LocalBusiness"
               ]
            },
            "geo": {
               "latitude": 47.6625061035156,
               "longitude": -122.283760070801
            },
            "routablePoint": {
               "latitude": 47.6631507873535,
               "longitude": -122.284614562988
            },
            "address": {
               "streetAddress": "4800 Sand Point Way NE",
               "addressLocality": "Seattle",
               "addressRegion": "WA",
               "postalCode": "98105",
               "addressCountry": "US",
               "neighborhood": "Laurelhurst",
               "text": "4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105"
            },
            "telephone": "(206) 987-2000"
         }
      ],
      "searchAction": {

      }
   }
}

Next steps