Astute travellers know that Lyon is the undisputed epicentre of French food and a next-level destination for epicurean adventurers, where tradition and taste meet on every plate.
In our Lyon food guide, we take you on a delicious journey through the city’s history and distinctive cuisine, offering dining recommendations to satisfy every craving – from rustic bouchons to Michelin-starred excellence.
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Discover the essence of Lyonnaise cuisine
Lyon has long been France’s gastronomic gem and a major influence on global culinary arts. Not only has the city produced top chefs and world-renowned dishes, but it also played a key role in the development of nouvelle cuisine. Read on as we explore the most delicious corners of the city.
Lyon’s food culture and history
Lyon’s culinary heritage dates back to the Renaissance, when its position as a major trading hub brought a wealth of new ingredients to the region, from exotic spices and citrus fruits to luxury goods such as coffee and chocolate.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Mères Lyonnaises – female chefs who left aristocratic kitchens to open their own restaurants – put the spotlight on the city. Women like Mère Brazier and Mère Guy popularised hearty regional dishes, paving the way for icons like Paul Bocuse, who helped elevate Lyon to a global gastronomic capital.
To truly understand Lyon’s dining culture, grab yourself a table at a bouchon– a casual hole-in-the-wall restaurant unique to Lyon, sitting somewhere between a cafe and a brasserie. They originated from the city’s famous silk industry in the 18th century, where they served hearty meals to the busy silk workers.
Today, you can still expect your bouchon to serve rich meat and cream-based dishes, often slow cooked and exceptionally indulgent. Establishments that uphold this traditional home-style Lyonnaise cuisine are awarded the label ‘Authentique Bouchon Lyonnais’, with a plaque often affixed to an exterior wall.
If you prefer more refinement, then Lyon is also blessed with a high concentration of fine-dining restaurants, many of which have Michelin stars. Prestigious establishments such as L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges and Mère Brazier take traditional Lyonnaise fare to new levels as they perfect classic French cuisine.
Other high-end restaurants in Lyon lean more into innovative modern cuisine with international twists, such as Le Neuvième Art and Takao Takano, each boasting a pair of Michelin stars.
Away from the table, Lyon is also famous for its produce markets. Two that warrant a place in any Lyon gastronomic guide are Marché de la Croix-Rousse – a lively outdoor food market that’s almost 1 km in length – and the outdoor Marché Saint-Antoine, on the banks of the River Saone. Both are brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, European cheeses and bread, along with ready-to-eat hot dishes. Of course, Lyon is also home to one of the best indoor markets on the planet: Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, which we explore below.
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What are some traditional Lyonnaise dishes?
Whether you’re at a Michelin-starred table or wandering the cobblestones with a crepe, Lyon’s culinary tapestry is woven with the rich flavours of its most famous dishes. It’s the ideal city to indulge and experiment.
Perhaps the most distinctive dish is quenelle de brochet. These delicate but hearty fish dumplings are made with pike and often served in a creamy Nantua seafood sauce. Another rich, satisfying and simple Lyonnais classic is saucisson brioché, where a whole cured sausage is baked inside a buttery brioche. You will also find boudin noir; a dark blood sausage – similar to British black pudding – often pan-fried and served with apples or mashed potatoes.
Lyon is famous for its nose-to-tail cooking, with offal-heavy favourites including tablier de sapeur (breaded and fried tripe), gras double (tripe in a white wine sauce), and foie de veau (calf’s liver). Cervelle de canut – translating to ‘silk worker’s brain’ – is also popular, although despite its savage name, consists of a tangy cheese spread made with fromage blanc, garlic, shallots and herbs, with the name nothing but a nod to the silk workers of Lyon.
Even salads in Lyon are on the decadent side, with salade Lyonnaise featuring crispy bacon lardons, poached egg and croutons on a bed of dressed frisée lettuce.
If you still have room, try something sweet to finish, such as bugnes (crispy fried dough dusted with sugar) or the city’s famous tarte à la praliné.
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Our picks: the best restaurants and foodie destinations in Lyon
With Lyon a regular destination on our French tours, we’ve found many excellent places to enjoy such diverse cuisine, including fine-dining restaurants, cosy bouchons, and busy food halls and markets.
Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse
Named after Paul Bocuse, the renowned Lyonnais chef, the Halles de Lyon is an essential stop for Lyon foodies. This vast indoor market is home to more than 50 merchants offering everything from local breads, meats and cheeses to fresh seafood and beautiful pastries. All produce is of exceptional quality and displayed beautifully, but still offers down-to-earth pricing. Ultimately, this market is for everybody, from grandmothers to professional chefs, and this is reflected in its popularity.
L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges (Restaurant Paul Bocuse)
No Lyon travel guide would be complete without mention of the unforgettable L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, known as Restaurant Paul Bocuse. Seen as one of the best restaurants in the world, this multi-award-winning establishment is an experience for the senses – from the brightly coloured Disney-esque building to the classic menu that’s ready to blow you away. Signature dishes include duck foie gras, lobster quenelles, and the encrusted beef fillet.
Mère Brazier
It’s safe to say that the legendary Eugénie Brazier inspired modern French cooking – in fact, she even trained Paul Bocuse. Opened in 1921, Mère Brazier is her restaurant on rue Royale and it remains one of the best restaurants in Lyon. Under the control of chef Mathieu Viannay, along with talented pastry chef Rodolphe Tronc, this two-Michelin-star establishment marries traditional Lyonnaise cooking with new flavours to deliver an unforgettable dining experience in a remarkable setting.
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1217 at Château de Bagnols
Many destination restaurants outside of Lyon are worthy of a detour from the bustle of the city, most notably 1217 at Château de Bagnols (around 35 miles away). With the largest Gothic fireplace in Europe, this showstopping dining room is located inside one of France’s finest five-star castle hotels – a golden 15th-century stone fortress turned lavish resort. The menu is energetic and modern, drawing inspiration from the land, with vegetables and eggs from the property served alongside aromatic herbs and flowers to provide unparalleled freshness.
Le Garet
First opened in 1920, Le Garet is a Lyonnaise institution and a must-visit bouchon – if you can find a table. It boasts a convivial atmosphere, comforting old-world aesthetics and equally traditional dishes, from steak, tripe and cervelle de canut cheese, to the more adventurous la tête de veau – calf’s head with ravigote sauce. Given its reputation, advanced booking for this popular bouchon is essential.
Chez Chabert
On the banks of the Saône in the old town, Chez Chabert is the quintessential Lyon dining experience and always full of locals. With a vaulted ceiling and long shared furniture, the environment is cosy and community-focused, as you share dishes among tables – you’re quite literally dining with everyone in the restaurant! You can enjoy typical Lyonnaise dishes including quenelle de brochet and andouillette sausage, along with salads, desserts and great local wine.
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Culina Hortus
In the heart of Lyon, between the Rhone and Saône rivers, Culina Hortus shows that dining in Lyon doesn’t exclusively revolve around rustic meat and dairy dishes. This upscale vegetarian restaurant creates beautifully original dishes made with fresh seasonal ingredients, in a snug but contemporary atmosphere. You can dive into an à la carte menu, or an exploratory tasting menu that changes throughout the year, all alongside an impressive organic wine list and excellent local coffee.
Food Traboule
Food Traboule is a modern food court set in the historic neighbourhood of Old Lyon, inside a network of traboules (narrow, hidden passageways that run through buildings). Intriguing location aside, it boasts an extensive collection of casual dining menus. With 12 unique stalls and open kitchens, this food hall offers everything from traditional Lyon-style cuisine to burgers, pizzas, salads and sweets, not to mention craft beer and wines.
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Exploring the fine wines of Lyon
The city of Lyon is positioned in between two excellent wine producing regions: Beaujolais to the north and the Rhône Valley in the south. This means you’ll rarely be short of a fine bottle or two while dining in Lyon.
While the underrated wine region of Beaujolais is famous for its light Gamay wines, we suggest complementing the richness of Lyon’s famous dishes with a Cru Beaujolais, such as Morgon or Fleurie. With bright acidity and depth, these wines can balance the hearty meat-based dishes.
Elsewhere, a Côtes du Rhône with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre is spicy, full-bodied and pairs well with Lyon’s robust cuisine.
On the lighter side of the wine spectrum, the fruit-forward Gamays of Beaujolais would match well with traditional dishes like salade Lyonnaise or quenelles de brochet.
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Experience Lyon with our gourmet luxury tour of the city and beyond
If our Lyon food guide has stimulated your appetite, there’s no better way to satisfy your hunger than by joining us on our exclusive luxury driving tour of France.
In this upscale adventure, culinary exploration is the focus as we cruise the stunning countryside in our supercar fleet. This is far from an ‘ordinary’ luxury tour – it’s a fully immersive celebration of France’s finest food and wine.
As we drive from Lyon to Epernay, you’ll indulge in signature dining experiences, including evenings at Restaurant Paul Bocuse and 1217 at Château de Bagnols, plus a visit to Les Halles de Lyon. You’ll also enjoy a VIP guided tour of the finest Champagne houses and caves in Epernay and Reims, including gourmet lunch and tastings from iconic producers.
Why choose a luxury driving tour of France?
Our frictionless, fully managed luxury tours allow you to completely focus on the pleasures of the journey – exhilarating driving, exceptional accommodation and incredible dining experiences, plus extra special touches, all with none of the stress that often comes with travel. As we take care of details big and small, all you have to do is book, arrive and enjoy.
Book now to secure your place
To ensure an intimate experience, we deliberately limit the number of places on this tour. Our French driving tour is always in high demand and sells out well in advance – enquire today to secure your place on the next available tour.
If you want to learn more about our bucket-list European experiences, speak with our friendly travel concierge team today.
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