Hello! I have an upcoming work trip to Lyon, so I will be dining solo. It will be my first visit to the city. I’d appreciate feedback about my dinner choices. (Also open to bakery recommendations!). Thank you in advance.
Thursday:
Regain
Friday:
Prairial or La Mutinerie
Saturday:
Morfal, Bistro B or Les Mauvaises Herbes
I will be following this thread as we just purchased an apartment in Vieux-Lyon.
But we’ve enjoyed the following thus far.
And for a quick bite …
Thank you for the recommendations! I will look them up and report back after my trip
We had a fabulous dinner recently at Le Gourmet de Sèze. The food was beautifully prepared and the service was attentive but not overly so. It was also well-priced given the quality.
Not interested in going to a bouchon? There are many to choose from. Can’t really get that food outside Lyon.
@ipsedixit mentions Daniel & Denise.
I was afraid that bouchons would be touristy, but I will look that one up!
I suppose that’s possible, but it would be like avoiding creole food in New Orleans.
Reporting back on my trip!
Regain - fun atmosphere (bustling, casual, chic) with amazing value, 40 euro for 7 courses (including amuses and pre-dessert). Only the scallop and sunchoke starter really stood out, but all the dishes were tasty. You’re offered two choices per course plus amuses. For my dinner the amuses were a pannise and a pumpkin soup.
Le Lion bar - I went here multiple times and sat outside for a charcuterie board, aperitif, and great people watching.
Prairial - beautiful restaurant design with an open kitchen, friendly service, delicious food. I loved how most of the tables angled towards the kitchen. Very enjoyable meal - maybe a little heavy in acid in some dishes, but the confit beet dish was exceptional and every course was interesting. I appreciated that it was a vegetable heavy meal with lots of bright flavors. Be prepared for a 3.5 hour meal (and I didn’t get the cheese) - there were some 25+ minute gaps between courses.
Pavlova Joel Maier - a delicious snack, I definitely recommend this. Served in a cute little bowl if you’re eating it right away.
Armada - suggested by my hotel. Fast service, relaxed atmosphere with inventive dishes. I loved my quail served over spicy grains. The asparagus and lardo was less interesting but nice to have something crunchy. I heard other tables complain it was too salty, but I didn’t have that problem. I wouldn’t rush back, but for a solo dinner on a casual night it fit what I was looking for perfectly.
Lastly, I didn’t get any pictures because it was such an overwhelming environment, but I did enjoy some traditional Lyonnaise food at the Les Halles de Lyon – Paul Bocuse.
Your dining experience in Lyon looks fabulous! It brought back wonderful memories of a visit (back in 2018). I loved experiencing the creativity that young chefs brought as well as traditional fare. Your photos tell the story so well.
