France in general is a food and wine loverโs orgy – the kind of place where, after two weeks or so, your body is going, โPlease, for the love of God, STOP.โ
But oh, what a way to overindulge.
Considered the gastronomic capital of the world, Franceโs third largest city has both Michelin-starred restaurants and hole-in-the-walls that are fairly astounding in quality. You can spend hundreds of dollars at glamorous, two and three Michelin-star restaurants (of which there are more per capita than anywhere in the world)โฆor enjoy a $35 three-course prix-fixe at a small, Old Town eatery that will absolutely floor you.
The top restaurants, like legendary chef Paul Bocuseโs three-Michelin star Auberge du Pont de Collonges, are well-known and easily Google-able. So, in this article, weโll focus on how to dine like a French queen on a peasantโs budget.
For starters, there are the wonderful โbouchonsโ – homey bistro-style restaurants, most of which have been family-run for generations. These are where you will find prix-fixe lunch and dinner meals with extraordinarily inventive cuisine, most of which run about $25 at lunch and $35 at dinner for three (sometimes four) courses.
Tips:
- Like everywhere in France, donโt rush in for a 30-minute meal; these are two-hour affairs meant to be appreciated and lingered over, even at lunch. Theyโre proud of their food, and they donโt want you wolfing it down like youโre sitting behind a steering wheel.
- Be adventurous. Some of the dishes Iโve tried โ lambโs feet, sweetbreads – are things I would never have considered at home. Sure, you can order chicken breast and salmon, but why not get a story out of it?
Two of our favorites in Old Town are:
Les Adrets
Notre Maison
[Paul Bocuseโs famous food hall]
Then, thereโs Paul Bocuseโs food hall, a farmerโs market on steroids, where you can get some of the most exquisite cheeses, petit fours, etc. imaginable. Many foods there are like little works of art. Itโs a great place to have a quick bite โ grab some gruyere, bread and wine โ in an atmosphere of locals.
Then, there are the wonderful small-group tasting tours, which generally run 3-4 hours, and include a number of stops at Old Town eateries. (Lyonโs medieval Old Town is insanely charming.) If youโre limited on time and want to have a chance to sample about four different restaurants, this is the way to go. Here, youโll enjoy items like French cheeses, meats, casseroles, desserts and wine. Arrive hungry. A big part of these tours is getting to meet and connect with the owners and experience their passion for food.
Here are two excellent ones:
About $80 –
About $100-175, depending on the number in your group (great if, say, 4 or 6 of you want to do a private tour)
[Sebastien, of Lyon is Yours Tours, is in the middle]
And finally, there are the privately guided city tours that include a meal or two – like Lyon is Yours Tours, run by a guide named Sebastien. A former flight attendant for Air France, heโs a Lyon native who speaks flawless English, is super warm and knowledgeable, and very gay-friendly. On a full-day tour of Lyon, Sebastien included lunch at the Restaurant Fourviere, adjacent to the Basilica Fourviere. Sitting atop Lyonโs highest hill, their outdoor patio had stunning views. (Sadly, it recently closed.) Lyon is Yours also offers half and full-day wine tours (Sebastienโs family is in the wine business).
If youโre taking a Rhone river cruise (like Brand gโs Provence to Burgundy cruise in 2020), youโll discover that of all the charming cities and villages you hit along the way โ and there are MANY – Lyon is the one youโll want to return to for a full-fledged vacation. Thereโs a reason so many Lyon natives return to their birthplace; like the mafia, just when you think youโre out, it pulls you back in.