Restaurants in Burgundy & The Rhône
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Toutes les Couleurs
Lyon's dining scene tends to overlook vegetarians, but its saving grace is this exclusively vegetarian restaurant bio, the seasonal menu of which includes végétalien (vegan) and gluten-free options. No cow's milk here – only soy, almond or rice.
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Mère Brazier
Chef Mathieu Vianney has reinvented the mythical early-20th-century restaurant that earned Mère (Eugénie) Brazier Lyon's first trio of Michelin stars in 1933 (a copy of the original guidebook takes pride of place). Brazier was also the first-ever chef to earn two sets of three Michelin stars, a feat only equalled decades later by Alain Ducasse. Vianney is doing admirable justice to Brazier's legacy, claiming two Michelin stars himself for his assured cuisine accompanied by an impressive (and impressively well-priced) wine list.
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L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges
Heading some 6.5km north of central Lyon via quai Georges Clemenceau brings you to this triple-Michelin-starred restaurant of the city's most decorated chef, Paul Bocuse. Classics include the likes of sea bass stuffed with lobster mousse in a puff-pastry shell, and thyme-roasted rack of lamb, as well as Bocuse's signature soupe VGE (truffle soup created for former French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in 1975).
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Alyssaar
One of Lyon's finest exotic offerings, Alyssaar specialises in the cuisine of Aleppo, undoubtedly 'the gastronomic capital of the Middle East' as far as the Syrian-born owner of this cheap, cheerful and Syrian restaurant is concerned. Daabill (meatballs in spicy tomato sauce), kharouf (lamb in a sesame cream sauce) and kebab karaz (cherry beef) are all cooked up here.
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Loiseau des Vignes
Give yourself up to the splendour of delicate concoctions like an egg poached in white wine with shallots...light as a dream. Could be the best egg you ever eat in your life. Wines are served only by the glass (€3 to €80) from snazzy sleek red degustation contraptions ringing the hushed but relaxed dining room. Service is knowledgeable and attentive, making a meal here a true pleasure.
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Oxalis
Thanks to an Armenian grandmother and a generous dose of far-flung travel, Lyon-born chef Sonia Ezgulian fuses Mediterranean with Asian and African to create a cuisine that stuns, surprises and spans the globe. Wanna' know how to cook an Oxalis-style dinner in 45 minutes or how to make the most of Lyon's Halle de la Martinière? Sign up for one of Sonia's cooking courses.
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L'Ouest
With the emphasis at Ouest (meaning 'west') being island (any island) cuisine, chefs trained by legendary Lyon chef Paul Bocuse cook up everything from king-prawn spring rolls with fresh mint and saffron-spiced crab soup to wok-fried Asian cod in a state-of-the-art open kitchen. Décor is minimalist, avant garde and includes a deck overlooking the Saône.
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Grand Café des Négociants
Dubbed Les Négos by locals, this café-style brasserie with mirror-lined walls and a tree-shaded terrace has been a favourite meeting point with Lyonnais since 1864. Don't miss a pot of its deliciously thick hot chocolate (tip: it's cheaper before noon). Look for the gargantuan mulberry flower pots framing the apple-green and cherry-coloured tables out front.
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Le Pré aux Clercs
From the luscious lunch menu (which includes a glass of wine) to the nine-course dégustation menu, every detail is cared for at this top-notch restaurant looking out onto the Palais des Ducs. Diners stare in wonderment at concoctions like flan de foie gras with pear coulis or an 'opera' of truffles. Save room for the chocolate fondant.
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La Dame d'Aquitaine
Excellent Burgundian and southwestern French cuisine is served under the sumptuously lit bays of a 13th-century cave. Options include coq au vin rouge and magret de canard aux baies de cassis (duck's breast with blackcurrant sauce). Classical music filters through the elegant room and the wine list is extensive.
reviewed
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Plato
Sweep through thick pink curtains into this stylish plateau restaurant, decked out with contemporary flair and oozing theatre. Inventive dishes - creamy chestnut soup au foie gras or coriander-roasted magret de canard (duck) with an iced turnip and port creation - are even more delicious than their poetic names suggest.
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Café des Fédérations
Black-and-white photos of old Lyon speckle the wood-panelled walls at this treasure of a bouchon where nothing has changed for decades – including the heaping portions, the warm service and the convivial atmosphere among diners (and, yes, the Turkish toilet. No matter, this is bouchon dining at its best).
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L'épicerie
Done out like an early-20th-century grocer's, with distressed cupboards full of china and old boxes and canisters, serving thick-sliced tartines (open-faced sandwiches) with toppings like brie, walnut and honey and delicious desserts like praline tart. There's a handful of other branches in Lyon and beyond.
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Le Petit Roi de la Lune
A hip, younger crowd comes for French cuisine that, explains the chef, has been revisitée, rearrangée et decalée (revisited, rearranged and shifted). The hugely popular Camembert frit avec gelée de mûre (Camembert wrapped in breadcrumbs, fried, and then served with blackberry jelly) tops the list.
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Salmon Shop
Whether smoked, pan-fried, roasted or tartare (raw), salmon appears in every dish (well, more or less) at this Nordic-style spot. Go for the house specialty pavé de saumon – thick-cut, lightly cooked salmon fillet in chive cream sauce accompanied by salads, toast and unlimited fries.
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Le Comptoir des Filles
Elegant in its simplicity; quenelles (Lyonnais dumplings) are the specialty of this Saône-side spot. Six varieties are available each day, such as trois fromages (three-cheese) or St Jacques (scallops), along with market-prepared plats and light, luscious desserts like semolina cake.
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Le Restaurant de Fourvière
The views are so incredible that it'd be easy for this superbly located restaurant to be a tourist trap, so it's all the more impressive because it's not. Instead it concentrates on well-prepared local specialties including a superb salade lyonnaise (greens, bacon, poached egg and croutons).
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Le Cinoche
Reflecting Lyon's cinema heritage with its old projectors, reels, lights, books and posters, savoury galettes and sweet crêpes at this cosy crêperie are named after famous films, such as Orange Mécanique (Clockwork Orange), with orange, melted chocolate and vodka-infused chantilly.
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Café Chez Nous
This quintessentially French bar du coin (neighbourhood bar), often crowded, hides down a tiny alleyway near the covered market. Lunches are generally made with organic ingredients. Wine by the glass is a bargain (€1.20 to €2.40). Check the chalkboard for occasional dinners and live music.
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Osteria Enoteca Italiana
A lively Italian ristorante that's proud of its authentic, heaping plates of pasta (including vegetarian fettuccine), meat and fish dishes, and its scrumptious homemade desserts (think tiramisu). The decor hints at Venice, the chef's hometown, and the wine list is Italian (glass €3.50).
reviewed
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Brasserie Georges
Opened as a brewery in 1836 and still in the business (with four brews on tap), Georges' enormous 1924 art deco interior can feed 2000 a day! Famous customers include Rodin, Balzac, Hemingway, Zola, Jules Verne and Piaf; food spans onion soup, sauerkraut, seafood and Lyonnais specialities.
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Café de l'Esplanade
The café itself is nothing more than your quintessential French local, but its outside seating upon Esplanade de la Grand Côte is enviable. Soak in the Lyon panorama then strut down the hillside along artist workshop-studded Montée de la Grand Côte to place des Terreaux.
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Bistro Le Casse Museau
Fabulous find! Cram into this tiny but heaving wine bar, alias bistrot sans chiqué (bistro with no pretension) for a slurp of local Côtes du Rhone in the company of a retro tick-tock clock collection and weathered floor tiles with a thousand stories to tell.
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La Mère Folle
Look past the over-the-top medieval decor and you'll find Burgundian specialities such as magret de canard au miel, thym et mirabelles (fillet of duck with honey, thyme and cherry plums). Weekday lunches are a steal and include terrine straight from the crock.
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Le Bec
With two Michelin stars, this is the flagship restaurant of Lyon's hottest chef Nicolas Le Bec, famed for his seasonal, world-influenced cuisine. Le Bec is also the force behind the innovative new concept space Rue Le Bec, an airy restaurant set amid a covered-market-like layout of shops and eateries (florist, cheese shop, delicatessen, bakery and more) ranged around a tree-filled central 'street'; and full-service restaurant Espace Le Bec at St-Exupéry airport.
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