Lyon’s best restaurants

LYON'S BEST GOURMET RESTAURANTS

1. Mertensia | Chef : Flavien Guarato

Opened in early 2025, Mertensia adds a touch of spice to Lyon's very select 6th arrondissement... with gentleness and refinement. Two characteristics that guide the cuisine of Flavien Guarato, formerly second in command at Culina Hortus. In this new ecru and celadon-hued restaurant in Lyon, the chef and his team (including the efficient Damien Vuillet in the dining room) compose harmonious journeys, in the colors of the weather and seasonal surprises. An apostle of localism, of products from the land and sea, Flavien Guarato offers two blind menus for lunch and dinner: one predominantly vegetal, the other marine; six sequences follow one another at lunch, and eight make up dinner. The menu changes every six weeks or so, adapting flexibly to individual tastes, as well as to younger guests - what a privilege it is for them to be introduced to haute gastronomy here!

During our visit, we crossed the autumn with delight, from the edges of the ending summer (with a gazpacho with heirloom tomatoes, yellow curry as light as a caress) to the poetic evocation of a walk in the forest thanks to a sublime dessert combining quince compote, candied clementine zest, chestnuts lightly passed through the flame... Fireplace atmosphere guaranteed. In between, an evocation of the chef's Franc-Comté roots with a subtle blend of potato (Délicatesse variety, of course)/cancoillotte/beetroot, with a hint of fig. Or the Japanese-style plate featuring oyster mushrooms eryngii produced in the Loire region, topped with a plum-flavored white miso, alongside catfish from Lac du Bourget, with its fine, melting flesh - a revelation!

For this incredibly affordable luxury, expect to pay between 32 and 39 euros at lunchtime, and 58 to 72 euros in the evening, excluding drinks. Mertensia's (deserved) reputation is still in its infancy, but something tells us that it would be hardly surprising to see its chef, just in his thirties, soon join the most courted of constellations. We therefore recommend that you make your reservations as soon as possible.

Mertensia
Tuesday to Saturday, Lunch: 12pm-3pm - Evening: 7.15pm-11pm
52 rue Tronchet, Lyon

2. La Mère Brazier | chef : Mathieu Viannay

This Lyon restaurant, founded in 1921, bears the name of Eugénie Brazier, a chef who earned 3 stars in two establishments and left her mark on the history of French gastronomy. Since 2008, chef Mathieu Viannay has been reviving the myth of La Mère Brazier at this restaurant, which has been awarded 2 stars in the Guide Rouge, by preserving emblematic recipes: Poularde de Bresse and blue lobster, Pain de brochet aux écrevisses, Pomme de ris de veau. A must-try.

La Mère Brazier
12 Rue Royale, 69001 Lyon
https://lamerebrazier.fr/

3. Le Neuvième Art | chef : Christophe Roure

Led by Christophe Roure, elected Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2007, Le Neuvième Art is rightly regarded as one of Lyon's finest restaurants, and just one year after opening its doors in the Brotteaux district, it was awarded two Michelin stars. The chef, who hails from the Haute-Loire region of France, demonstrates a delicate expertise in culinary innovation, paying close attention to the harmony of tastes and the sourcing of top-quality produce: Saint-Pierre lace and baby carrots, Cévennes arctic char, shaved duck foie gras, Pierre Eudes pigeon... A balanced cuisine with coherent pairings that arouse strong emotions.

Le Neuvième Art
173 Rue Cuvier, 69006 Lyon
https://leneuviemeart.com/fr/

4. Takao Takano

Chef Takao Takano is at the helm of this eponymous gourmet restaurant, which has been awarded two Michelin stars. In a sober, elegant setting designed to resemble a private apartment, the chef, who hails from western Tokyo and trained at the French school, delights the senses with precise Franco-Japanese cuisine: rare red tuna, monkfish tail, pink pigeon cooked on a trunk, cheeses from the Tête d'Or... We recommend the sharing menu to discover his remarkable score. Definitely the best foreign chef in Lyon.

Takao Takano
33 rue Malesherbes, 69006 Lyon
takaotakano.com

5. Les Loges | chef : Anthony Bonnet

It's in the Florentine-style courtyard of this 5-star hotel in Vieux Lyon, Cour des Loges, that the Michelin-starred restaurant Les Loges takes its place under a magnificent steel glass roof. Chef Anthony Bonnet, an avid vegetable connoisseur, accompanies seasonal rabbit, pigeon and game dishes prepared in the kitchen. Contrast and finesse are the watchwords of this son of market gardeners from the Monts du Lyonnais region, who draws his inspiration from the land, the farm and his producer friends. Please note: the restaurant is closed for renovation and will reopen in summer 2023.

Les Loges
Cour des Loges, 6 rue du Bœuf, 69005 Lyon
https://www.courdesloges.com/gastronomie

6. Têtedoie | chef :Christian Têtedoie

Perched on the Fourvière hillside, chef Christian Têtedoie's establishment places great emphasis on French tradition. His menus, in 3, 4 or 5 sequences, evolve according to new arrivals. His signature dish, lobster casserole and calf's head cromesquis, renamed HTV, gives way to other creations prepared with genius: trout with almonds and sorrel, Lozère doe, celeriac in compression, puffed farm egg confit with oyster mushrooms, grilled chestnut, yellow onion "like a soup", verbena and apple. A cuisine based on seasonal produce, awarded one red and one green Michelin star.

Têtedoie
4 Rue du Professeur Pierre Marion,69005Lyon
https://tetedoie.com/

7. PRaiRiaL | chef : Gaëtan Gentil

Located on Lyon's Presqu'île, PRaiRiaL's cuisine is rooted in the abundant nature of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Local and seasonal products are carefully selected by the duo of chef Gaëtan Gentil and Céline Boinon, who offer a responsible experience around 2 menus created according to the terroir and the weather, and enhanced by Céline's wine and food pairings. In an elegant setting combining natural stone, rough concrete and wood, the dozen or so tables face the kitchen, allowing us to observe the team at work. A highly ethical cuisine, awarded a green star and more recently, in 2025, a prestige star.

PRaiRiaL
11 Rue Chavanne, 69001 Lyon
https://www.prairial-restaurant.fr/

8. Culina Hortus | chef : Adrien Zedda

This restaurant, specializing in 100% vegetarian cuisine, offers meticulously-crafted, original dishes that are renewed weekly, following the course of the seasons. The tasting menu, designed by chef Adrien Zedda, is accompanied by a selection of organic and biodynamic wines. All products are selected with method and rigor to guarantee the best of taste: coffee is roasted in Lyon, beer is concocted by a local brewery, while vegetables, cereals, fruit, eggs and dairy products come from short circuits.

Culina Hortus
38 rue de l'arbre sec, 69001 Lyon
https://www.culinahortus.com/

TRENDY RESTAURANTS AND BISTROS IN LYON

9. Miraflores | chef : Carlos Camino

A culinary link between France and Peru, chef Carlos Camino offers a unique experience at Miraflores. In a contemporary setting, the vegetable specialist prepares a 7-course menu featuring fish, herbs and seasonal produce, taking us on a journey to the land of the Incas and Machu Picchu. The light, plant-based cuisine, which has been awarded a Michelin star, is the antithesis of traditional Lyon bouchons.

Miraflores
112-114 boulevard des Belges, 69006 Lyon
https://www.restaurant-miraflores.com/

10. Sauf Imprévu | chef : Félix Gagnaire

Headed by chef Félix Gagnaire, a son following in the footsteps of his famous father Pierre Gagnaire, this restaurant in Lyon's 6th arrondissement offers a "back from the market" style of cuisine based on French traditions: roast pork, homemade ratatouille, warm pâté en croûte, apple pie, meat terrine... A bistro with simple, fresh and tasty dishes, awarded a Bib Gourmand in 2022.

Sauf Imprévu
40 rue Pierre Corneille, 69006 Lyon