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Luxury travel blog » Culinary Tourism » Lyon restaurants and who is this man I call my husband?

Lyon restaurants and who is this man I call my husband?

March 20, 2016 by Carol Perehudoff 29 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Visiting Lyon, France? Often called the Food Capital of the World, it’s the perfect place to dive lips first into food tourism. Here are some of the best Lyon restaurants (and what they taught me about my husband).

Lyon Restaurants city view

 

Lyon restaurants, a romantic food adventure

As I often say to my husband (at least when he’s not around), I am the exciting person in this marriage. That’s why, during a trip to Lyon, France, one of the great food cities of the world, I had to rethink our roles in the relationship. And it’s all because of Lyon restaurants.

It happened the moment Mark ordered L’ Assiette du Canut: Museu de Boeuf, Pied de Veau et Lentilles a l’ Echalotes at Daniel & Denise, a busy Lyon restaurant with red gingham tablecloths and a reputation for down home Lyonnaise fare.

Lyon Restaurants, my husband in Daniel & Denise

Who is this person?

A Canut is a silk worker

“Canut’s Plate,” I read the menu translation. “Beef nose, veal foot and lentils with shallots. Seriously?”

I may have looked aghast but secretly I was relieved. It meant I didn’t need to order it. Lyon is famous for its local cuisine, which, while some may define it as cooking the parts of the beast no one else wants, has chefs the world over raving over its authenticity and rustic deliciousness. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that some of France’s top chefs such as Paul Bocuse, creator of nouvelle cuisine, and celebrity chef Daniel Boulud hail from these parts.

Daniel & Denise, Lyon restaurant in France

Food fun at Daniel & Denise

Lyon’s restaurant culture

Of course, because I am the exciting one in this marriage, I planned to dive into Lyon’s restaurant culture wholeheartedly – as long as it didn’t involve eating an actual heart. Or a nose, hoof or cheek. Okay, maybe a cheek. I was drawing the line at cheek.

“How is it?” I peered at Mark’s face intently as he took his first bite of nose.

He chewed, tilted his head and nodded. “Good.”

Who is this man, I wondered, taking a bite of my not-quite-as-adventurous-but-equally-satisfying Fried Veal Cutlet with Thyme Juice. The man I married has to be dragged to Sunday dim sum in Chinatown and has yet to understand the joy of Korean kimchi. Either his mind had been taken over by aliens or Lyon had ensnared him in its meaty charms.

Lyon, food capital of the world

Lyon, food capital of the world

A long gastronomic tradition in Lyon, France

Lyon, the third largest and one of the most picturesque cities in France, has a long history of eating. Hahahaha. So do I. But hear me out. Sitting at the confluence of the Saone and Rhone Rivers, Lyon is known for the simplicity of its cuisine, the fine ingredients that come from the surrounding regions and for its bouchons, inexpensive family-owned bistros that serve hearty, meat-heavy dishes traditionally served to the city’s 19th-century silk workers – the canuts.

Today, Lyon’s canuts are history but offal has undergone a renaissance and bouchons are hip, gourmet and a key part of any Lyon restaurants tour. If you want to understand the city, bouchons are a good way to start.

Lyon, France, city view

Dive into the food culture

The Lyon food adventure continues

The next day we asked the concierge at our hotel to recommend one of the best Lyon restaurants. He sent us to the train station. While your image of train station restaurants may consist primarily of plastic-wrapped egg salad sandwiches, if you’ve ever visited Le Train Bleu Restaurant at Paris’s Gare de Lyon Station, you would know what I know: Someone forgot to tell the French citizenry that train station food is supposed to be bad.

Lyon restaurants, Brasserie George

Not your average train station restaurant

Top Lyon restaurants: Brasserie George

With its Art Deco entrance, white tablecloths and red moleskin banquettes the elegant Brasserie George is an ode to Lyonnaise gastronomy. Opened in 1896, the restaurant sports a legendary list of patrons that includes the Impressionist sculptor August Rodin, the jazz singer Edith Piaff, the writers Jules Verne and Ernest Hemingway, and a tremendously long list of French poets.

If you harbour a deep and abiding love for sauerkraut, Brasserie George is your restaurant. After all, it holds the Guinness World Record for the biggest sauerkraut ever served, a 1.5 tonne lump of it. (Just FYI: It also holds the record for the world’s largest Baked Alaska.)

Mark and I both ordered the Thursday lunch special, Roasted Breast of Guinea Fowl with Cured Ham and Comté Cheese, and while we were eating the moist savoury dish we planned what to do with the hours remaining until dinner.

Lyon restaurants, guinea fowl at Brasserie George

Guinea Fowl

 

Of course, because this is Lyon, our activity would involve food. An entire hall of it. We were going to rent bikes and cycle to Les Halles Paul Bocuse.

Les Halles Paul Bocuse

Les Halles, a vast cathedral of fine food in the 6th district of Lyon, sells just about every type of gourmet product imaginable, from foie gras and black truffles to neon-hued macarons. Mark and I were on a mission, however. We’d been told to sample a pink praline tart at Boulangerie Jocteur.

Lyon restaurants, pink praline at Les Halles Paul Bocuse

Pink praline paradise

 

Pralines are basically crushed almonds and heated sugar, but why they are bright pink in Lyon is a mystery. I like to think it’s a chemical miracle involving rose blossoms, cherry trees and rainbows rather than red food colouring, but if I’m wrong please don’t burst my bubble.

Once we’d sampled our praline, and were able to unhinge our jaws that had been glued together by sugar, we strolled around, wishing we had a reason to buy all the iconic Lyon produce that Les Halles – and Lyon itself – is known for: Bresse chicken, Saint-Marcellin cheese, and sausage  from Charcuterie Sibilia. Instead we bought what was possibly the most expensive fruit salad known to man, went outside, sat on a step and ate it.

Les Hall Paul Bocuse Lyon restaurants

Taking food seriously at Les Halles

Paul Bocuse

That done, Mark and I plotted our next meal. When it comes to the best Lyon restaurants, Paul Bocuse’s 3-Michelin star Auberge du Pont de Collonges is the region’s bright star. Reservations, unfortunately, were impossible to get. No matter, with something like 1800 Lyon restaurants and eateries to choose from, there’s always a Plan B.

Les Fines Gueules, Lyon restaurants and bouchons

Les Fines Gueules

Vieux Lyon restaurants

Since it was a warm evening Mark and I decided to stroll through the Old Town, a twisty mix of lanes that sits under the shadow of the looming Fourviere Hill. We sat on the terrace at Les Fines Gueules, a bouchon at 16 Rue Lainerie, an amiable cobblestone street made even more amiable by the ‘pot’ of Beaujolais we ordered. In Lyon, a city that insists on being unique, you order a ‘pot’ of wine rather than a carafe, and it’s just enough for two.

In true foodie fashion, I went for the Quenelle de Brochet Artisanale Bisque d’Etrilles Maison. Translation: Artisanal Pike Fish Souffle with Homemade Crab Sauce.

Wandering Carol in Lyon, France

I am so a foodie

 

There are only two places in the world famous for Quenelles de Brochet, Lyon and Nantua, and since I had no idea where Nantua was I thought I’d best try it here in Lyon. By ordering such a quintessential Lyon dish, I knew I’d truly embraced authentic Lyonnaise cuisine and was now, once again, the exciting half in our marriage.

Then Mark trumped me, ordering Breaded Pig’s Trotters (Pig’s Feet) Loaf with Mushrooms, Fresh Herbs and Veal Sauce.

Lyon flag, the lion of France

Lion alert!

 

“You win,” I said, setting down my fork. Lyon might be the ‘lion’ of cities but my husband, his cutlery ready to sink into any animal part you can throw at him, is surely the King of the Beasts.

 

Travel guide for Lyon restaurants

Brasserie George is at 30, Cours de Verdun Tel: 04 72 56 54 56

Paul Bocuse’s restaurant Auberge du Pont de Collonges is about 4 km outside Lyon at 40 Quai de la Plage, 6966 Collonges au Mont d’Or. Tel: 04 72 42 90 90.

Daniel & Denise is at 36, rue Tramassac Tel: 04 78 42 24 62

Les Halles Paul Bocuse is the largest covered market in France with some 59 food stalls, bars and restaurants. Located at 102, Cours Lafayette, 69003 Lyon, France

About Bouchons Lyon is so intent on preserving the tradition and quality of Lyon’s bouchons that it officially recognizes the best. Look for Les Bouchons Lyonnais certificate.

Read more about Lyon. You can’t eat all the time so here’s what to do in Lyon besides eat. Read more: About Europe: Europe’s top destinations. Staying in France? Find out where to go in the South of France.

 

Filed Under: Culinary Tourism, Europe, France

About Carol Perehudoff

A former freelance travel columnist for the Toronto Star, Carol has won more than 20 writing and blogging awards and honours. A spa and luxury travel expert, she's written for top travel publications around the globe.

Comments

  1. Am says

    March 30, 2016 at 5:47 pm

    One day hope to go some place that you go and will be thinking of you and your very useful information. Thank you and keep wandering Carol.

  2. Carol Perehudoff says

    March 30, 2016 at 5:21 pm

    Thanks, Am – that is so sweet of you to say.

  3. Sarah Bailey says

    March 28, 2016 at 11:22 am

    What a lovely post and beautiful photos – it sounds like you had some great foodie adventures! x

  4. Carol Perehudoff says

    March 27, 2016 at 9:51 am

    Thanks, Tracy. So great to hear from you. Hopefully we can explore Vancouver more in the near future.

  5. Tracy says

    March 26, 2016 at 11:46 pm

    Another great article Carol! Nice to hear about the foodie adventures of you and Mark in Lyon, France. You are braver than I. I don’t think I would enjoy some of those foods as I am not much of a meat eater. By the looks of things…you and Mark are both doing great! Happy Easter to both of you! Tracy

  6. Carol Perehudoff says

    March 26, 2016 at 10:27 am

    Do we go to ALL the same restaurants in France, Patricia?

  7. Patricia Sands says

    March 25, 2016 at 11:19 pm

    We loved Lyon too and ate at Daniel et Denise and Brasseries George (amazing tartare de boeuf). Like you, I avoided weird body parts!

  8. Miss Millennia Mag (@MissMillMag) says

    March 25, 2016 at 2:53 am

    I have always wanted to visit France. It sounds like there are so many delicious places to eat in Lyon. I would love to go there one day!

  9. John lopez says

    March 24, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    Reading your blog made me actually feel like I was actually in Lyon France. The pictures of the food you had are awesome I like that one play with the fish in the chicken concoction.

  10. Rebecca says

    March 24, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    Nice photos and great article. As I recall from our visit to Lyon a few years ago, my meat-loving daughter was very happy there. We also enjoyed the textile museum. I wish we had thought to ride bikes!

  11. Jeanine says

    March 23, 2016 at 11:47 am

    My husband will try anything. He loves everything, and I’m like noooo way no how! He’d love this though. I would love to visit France I think it would be just amazing.

  12. Dina Demarest (@dinade) says

    March 23, 2016 at 10:12 am

    I have France on my list. I bet the food is amazing! After going to Rome last year it’s time for me to spread my wings and travel more.

  13. michele d says

    March 23, 2016 at 9:30 am

    Food Capital? Oh I must visit there. I can see why you loved it. The food looks so good! Can’t wait to visit.

  14. Tori Gabriel (@anadultieradult) says

    March 23, 2016 at 6:35 am

    Oh, good on him for trying different things! I’d be surprised too as my husband seems to believe “if I’ve never tried it before it’s yucky!” My Toddlet believes the same mantra.

  15. valmg @ Mom Knows It All says

    March 23, 2016 at 12:37 am

    I have always wanted to visit France. It’s been near the top of my travel bucket list for a very, very long time.

  16. mariamichelle117 says

    March 22, 2016 at 10:55 pm

    I’ve only visited Paris but have been thinking that I would like to visit other areas in France. I love to eat but being a vegetarian I probably won’t be as adventurous as you two. Thank you for sharing the list of places that you enjoyed in Lyon.

  17. Anita Fonte says

    March 22, 2016 at 5:58 pm

    So many delicious dishes to eat. So hard to choose which one when they all look scrumptious.

  18. swood97 says

    March 22, 2016 at 4:52 pm

    I’m with you, I hope they are using rose blossoms, cherry trees and rainbows to get the bright red in those scrumptious looking pralines too because I’d be enjoying one for sure. Yes, your hubby is brave to eat such things. Neither my hubby or myself would try. Escargot is about as adventurous as we get. It seems like you both are adventurous! Love it!

  19. Carol Perehudoff says

    March 22, 2016 at 4:13 pm

    Thanks, Michele. Yes, I’ll stick with the pralines.

  20. Carol Perehudoff says

    March 22, 2016 at 4:12 pm

    Who knew trotters were so popular, Pam.

  21. Carol Perehudoff says

    March 22, 2016 at 4:12 pm

    I think my husband can eat anything that involves meat, Alli – sounds like yours.

  22. Carol Perehudoff says

    March 22, 2016 at 4:11 pm

    Yes, Lyon is definitely a food hub, Franc. In France and the world.

  23. Liz Mays says

    March 22, 2016 at 3:04 pm

    I think being an adventurous eater is definitely a great way to go when you’re visiting someplace new. Your restaurant visits sounded great!

  24. Jenn @ EngineerMommy says

    March 22, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    There are so many delicious places to eat in Lyon. Those pralines sound & look so delicious. I’d love to visit Lyon & try some of these fabulous eateries.

  25. Franc Ramon says

    March 22, 2016 at 1:01 pm

    Lyon looks like an excellent hub for food lovers. They do have a lot of class and variety in their food offerings.

  26. Alli Rutherford Smith says

    March 22, 2016 at 11:25 am

    My husband would be ordering all of those weird things that I would never eat. I don’t eat pork and could never eat pig’s feet, but my husband would try anything once.

  27. Pam Wattenbarger says

    March 22, 2016 at 11:23 am

    My husband isn’t normally the adventurous eater in our family either. It took years for him to eat sushi….but he would definitely order those Trotters!

  28. A Taste for Travel (@atastefortravel) says

    March 21, 2016 at 11:42 am

    I love food but can’t do Pig’s Trotters either. Fun post

  29. Am says

    March 21, 2016 at 4:25 am

    Hi Carol, thank you for all lovely story I feel like actually there! Love your blog. Thanks again. Am

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