Brian Nagele
Lyon is the third-largest city in France and the capital of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This beautiful city is about four hours south of Paris and sits on the Rhône and Saône rivers.
The city is filled with over 2,000 years of history with stunning architecture, fun things to do, and even better restaurants to sample.
Whether you’re stopping for the day or planning on staying for some time, here are the best restaurants in Lyon.
Daniel & Denise
Multiple locations
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Daniel and Denise have three locations in Lyon for you to choose from in the city. One of the most popular ones is in the La Part Dieu neighborhood.
It also happens to be the original establishment. This warm and welcoming restaurant features red and white checkered tablecloths and a casual atmosphere with upscale cuisine.
Whether you’re at one of their three locations or at the Daniel and Denise grocery store, you’ll find authentic French cuisine.
There are plenty of cheeses, meats, and desserts on the menu that you can order a la carte.
My favorite thing is their veal shoulder that’s made for two people. If you’re dining alone, the French beef filet is fabulous.
La Mère Brazier
12 Rue Royale, 69001 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 23 17 20
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On Rue Royale near the Rhône River is La Mère Brazier. The founder was only 26 years old in 1921 when the idea for this restaurant came to be.
While some restaurants changed their decor through the decades, La Mère Brazier stays true to the 1920s with beautiful decorations from that era and some refurbished furniture.
This elegant fine dining restaurant serves classic French cuisine for those with a refined palette. All the meat on the menu is from France or somewhere close by in the European Union.
Their best dishes are pike bread with crayfish, Nantua sauce, confit pike, and grenobloise condiments. Their desserts are worth checking out too.
Culina Hortus
38 Rue de l’Arbre Sec, 69001 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 69 84 71 08
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Some people say finding vegetarian restaurants while traveling is difficult, but Culina Hortus is one of the best in Lyon.
It’s only a five-minute walk towards the river from the Museum of Fine Arts. The atmosphere is rustic yet chic. IT features stone walls, light wood seating, and warm lighting that sets the mood.
Culina Hortus offers some of the most delicious cuisines in the city. I decided to try two of their most popular dishes.
One was the red radishes marinated in ginger, radish extraction, and horseradish sorbet. Another was their toasted bread with truffle oil and toppings. Both were perfect and paired well with a glass of white wine.
Les Apothicaires
23 Rue de Sèze, 69006 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 26 02 25 09
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You’ll find Les Apothicaires less than a mile from Parc de la Tête d’Or. This casual restaurant is still chic with gray chairs, deep blue walls, and a bright space to enjoy a great meal with friends or solo.
There’s a cozy bookshelf that holds books, wine, and other knick-knacks that add to the warm atmosphere as you walk in.
Les Apothicaires offers breakfast and dinner items. While they provide some mainstay options, their menu is largely based on seasonal ingredients.
I had the pleasure of dining in for breakfast, and I wasn’t disappointed. I ordered their rose potatoes, pickles, and Dutch meadowsweet. Don’t forget a hot cup of coffee to go with it.
Restaurant Le Musée
2 Rue des Forces, 69002 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 37 71 54
Restaurant Le Musée is nestled between the two rivers in town and five minutes south of the Place Des Terreaux. There are several high-end restaurants in Lyon.
If you’re looking for one of the most laid-back options, this is it. To find it, you’ll need to look for the red door since if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you may miss it.
Something unique about this restaurant is that there’s no menu. The owner, chef, or another staff member will come to your table and explain the dishes they’re offering.
The oxtail terrines were delicious, and they highly recommend you save room for their praline tart for dessert.
Le Café Des Fédérations
9 Rue Major Martin, 69001 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 28 26 00
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On Rue Major Martin, next to the Museum of Fine Art, is Le Café Des Fédérations. The restaurant is a beautiful, wood-paneled space with plenty of seating.
You can sit at their bar or opt for a more intimate table. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see large windows and wood doors outside.
The menu at Le Café Des Fédérations features traditional Lyonnaise cuisine. They offer a fixed-price menu, or you can order a la carte.
A few of their most popular dishes include the pork cheek stew, hot pistachio sausage, and for dessert, their praline pie. They have a fantastic wine selection for you to check out.
Restaurant Le Kitchen
34 Rue Chevreul, 69007 Lyon
Phone: 33 6 03 36 42 75
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Just down the street from a prominent history museum on Rue Chevreul is Restaurant Le Kitchen. This is a modern and minimalistic restaurant with bright white walls, concrete and marble accents, and light wood throughout. There’s plenty of greenery throughout, and it’s a comfortable place to dine.
Restaurant Le Kitchen’s menu focuses on using seasonal ingredients, pastries, and plenty of wine by the glass.
The menu changes every week, so unless you know when you’re going, you won’t know what they’re serving until the day you arrive. Their pastries remain the same for the most part, and the chocolate bread is my favorite.
La table de Max, boeuf et homard
46 Av. Jean Jaurès, 69007 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 72 09 73
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In the neighborhood of Victor Bach St. Louis is La Table de Max. The atmosphere when you walk in is inviting.
There’s plenty of lights, deep blue walls with light wood accents, and plants surrounding the restaurant. It’s relatively modern, but the dishes are classic, and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly.
They serve a variety of European cuisine and plenty of seafood. A delicious appetizer is their ham and truffle croquettes and a glass of wine.
I asked the server what their most popular dish was, and they suggested their signature dish of grilled beef with half a lobster tail. To say I was impressed would be an understatement.
La Sommeliere
6 Rue Mourguet, 69005 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 79 86 45
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If you’re hanging out at the Rosaire Gardens, you’re only a four-minute drive to La Sommeliere. This restaurant is beautifully decorated with a large bar, dark wood features, and a spacious dining room to accommodate plenty of patrons. The location is ideal for shopping, and you’ll be near other restaurants you can try later that day.
La Sommeliere serves classic French cuisine, prepared by a talented Japanese chef. You’ll find some unique dishes on the menu, but they’re worth trying.
Some frequently ordered dishes include the mushroom soup with Guinea fowl ravioli, raw shrimp and jelly, and their pear and thyme dessert.
COURT BOUILLON
4 Rue Ferrachat, 69005 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 42 49 33
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Court Bouillon is minutes away from La Sommeliere on Rue Ferrachat. You’ll notice that this restaurant has a rustic vibe with shades of blue, wood accents, and tables on cobblestone streets for you to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. The casual atmosphere is the perfect place for a bit to eat in Lyon.
You can eat here for lunch or dinner, but I loved eating lunch here outside. Some of the dishes on the menu include their cauliflower mousseline with yellow curry, the Scottish black Angus beef tab with mashed potatoes, and their salmon steak. You can even order a cheese plate with three delicious kinds of cheese.
Bouchon Tupin
30 Rue Tupin, 69002 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 37 45 93
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You’ll find Bouchon Tupin four minutes from the Museum of Local Printing. There’s no shortage of classic French restaurants in Lyon, and Buchon Tupin should be on your list to try.
The restaurant features patterned walls, large chandeliers, and dark wood tables. While the place looks very fancy, it’s still casual and affordable.
Bouchon Tupin has plenty of seafood, poultry, and vegetarian options. While I was sipping my wine, trying to decide what to order, the waiter told me that I couldn’t go wrong with their Lyonnaise quenelle with pike, lobster sauce, with a side of basmati rice. Trusting that waiter gave me one of the best meals I’ve had in France.
Mojgan
20 Rue Royale, 69001 Lyon
Phone: 33 9 83 72 66 67
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Less than two miles from the Fresque des Lyonnais tourist attraction is the tasty restaurant, Mojgan.
This small but elegant restaurant has large glass windows, outdoor seating, and beautiful red booths and accents throughout. Chef Mojgan combines her knowledge and passion for Iranian and French cuisine for a truly unique experience.
With Chef Mojgan’s background in Iranian cuisine, your taste buds can take the trip without ever having to leave Lyon.
She uses fresh ingredients from Iran to create her dishes. The menu at Mojgan changes regularly, so you may want to call the day of if you want to know what the dishes will be for the day.
Le Bœuf d’Argent
29 Rue du Bœuf, 69005 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 38 11 20
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Le Boeuf d’Argent is within walking distance from beautiful parks like Parc des Hauteurs and the Rosaire Gardens.
You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see light stones on the walls and a semi-circle window.
The restaurant’s dishes are refined, but you’ll feel relaxed in their casual atmosphere when you eat here.
When you walk into the restaurant, the first thing you’ll notice is that all the plates you see others ordering are artfully presented.
We’re talking about photo-worthy dishes. The dishes range from cheese plates, seafood, other meat dishes, and dessert. The farmhouse ravioli, crown of duck, and lemon tart were absolutely delicious.
Aromatic Restaurant
15 Rue du Chariot d’Or, 69004 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 23 73 61
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The Aromatic Restaurant is in the La Croix-Rousse neighborhood on Rue du Chariot d’Or. This restaurant is pretty unassuming from the outside, but you won’t want to miss out on trying the food and experiencing the atmosphere. There are a handful of tables outside when the weather’s nice and the inside is very casual.
The chefs at Aromatic Restaurant specialize in creating memorable dishes that use seasonal ingredients that come from locally sourced farmers and suppliers.
The menu changes with the seasons but some of their popular dishes at the moment include tuna tartar, beef filets, scallops, and sorbets for dessert.
Le Bouchon des Cordeliers
15 Rue Claudia, 69002 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 78 03 33 53
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Right off the Lafayette Bridge on Rue Claudia si Le Bouchon des Cordeliers. This is what some would call an old-school restaurant.
It features a vibrant red wall, white tablecloths on tables, and windows that allow for plenty of natural lighting.
The terrace is open in the summertime, but regardless of where you sit, you’ll feel welcomed and at home here.
Chefs at Le Bouchon des Cordeliers focus on tradition and serving classic Lyonnaise dishes. One of the best deals on the menu is a starter, entree, and dessert for a flat rate.
I went with their escargot, the authentic veal andouillette, and the creme brulee with bourbon vanilla for dessert. They also have dozens of French wines to choose from.
Flair Restaurant
84 Rue de la Charité, 69002 Lyon
Phone: 33 4 72 56 06 31
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One of the most unique restaurants in Lyon is Flair Restaurant. It’s on Rue de la Charité and very close to the Rhône River.
The restaurant is pretty informal, but it’s still a great place to dine. People love that they have two chalkboard walls outside their restaurant detailing the day’s specials and what you can look forward to.
Flair Restaurant is the perfect combination of French and Japanese cuisine that you won’t find in many other places in the region.
They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but I opted for a dinner dining experience. The grilled Iberian pig tilapia was to die for. If you’re craving something sweet,lyon you need to try their buckwheat ice cream.
Agastache Restaurant
134 Rue Duguesclin, 69006 Lyon|
Phone: 33 4 78 52 30 31
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Agastache Restaurant is down the street from the Church of Saint Pothinus of Lyon. The restaurant features an open concept kitchen, mustard leather booths, and plants that surround you while you eat.
This pristine and modern restaurant makes you feel calm and taken care of from the minute you walk in.
Like other restaurants throughout Lyon, Agastache Restaurant’s menu changes with the seasons and sometimes even monthly.
They do this so they can serve the best and freshest ingredients. Plus, a new menu is always exciting. Some dishes people love right now are their beet salad and ravioli.
