Lyon is, in my opinion, like in the opinion of many others, the culinary capital of France. If you have ever tasted French food, from any region in France, imagine it much, much tastier, more beautiful and exquisite – that is what you will get in Lyon. Therefore, although Lyon has many attractions, it is worth dedicating time to its one and only special attraction: its restaurants and food markets.
There are, of course, the restaurants recommended in tourist books and on various tourist sites. As soon as we arrived in the city, we received the recommendation from the girl at the hotel reception – “Just go to Rue des Marronniers! We locals eat there.” That was enough of a recommendation for us.
We arrived at a street that was still empty due to the early hour, so we could walk around and choose the restaurant that looked the most pleasing to our eyes and sat down. We quickly realized that we had to summon all our pantomime skills to communicate with the waiter, who was really trying hard to make us happy. He described with clenched fingers that he held to his lips how delicious the dish he recommended was, and we – hungry and adventurous – agreed.
What we imagined when he explained with his hands what we would get, did not resemble in any way what we got. But the taste… the taste was divine. Like in that Master Chef mission, we tried to discover through one taste after another what we were eating, and I think we reached a conclusion. I admit that it was so pleasant to explore the different dishes during our five days in the city. Each of the waiters in the different restaurants had a different facial expression, a different world of associations expressed in their hand movements, and we were adventurous that week, and we were not disappointed even once.
The seating in the various restaurants is quite similar – table touching table, back touching back. The neighbors' conversation touches our conversation. So it turned out that at one of the dinners, a young Japanese couple were seated next to us, who didn't say a word the entire meal, and we had enough space for our conversations and our observations of them...
The term “restaurant” was probably invented inLyon By “Mothers of Lyon” (Les Mères lyonnaises). They started a project of cooking lunches for weavers of the silk industry in exchange for payment in products. Some of these restaurants are still run by their family members. But these are the most sought-after restaurants. Therefore, if you want to taste their flavors, it is advisable to make a reservation well in advance.
Lyon offers much more than just culinary delights. First and foremost, it offers thousands of special frames for the photographers among us. It has a particularly large and impressive collection of murals, the old town is the only old town in Europe that has not been damaged in any way and its houses are original, the covered market that is probably the greatest chefs of France They do their shopping there, its Croix-Rousse market is the most beautiful and sensual market I have encountered in Europe, it has impressive museums in the fields of art, textiles, miniatures, and more, spectacular squares, a shopping district with a special and impressive design, and a very popular festival of lights every December.
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Did the article make you hungry?
Don't worry! I've carefully selected a list of excellent restaurants for you, from popular restaurants ("bouchons") to luxury restaurants. You can find all the information and even get up to 50% off the menu in the article. Lyon Restaurants in Lyon: Where is the best place to eat in the gastronomic capital of France?
Looking for recommended hotels in Lyon?
I have collected for you a series of excellent hotels that can suit both those on a modest budget and those who want to pamper themselves with a stay in a 14th-century palace. All of these hotels can be found in the article Recommended hotels in Lyon.
You found a hotel in Lyon and now you're looking for something to do?
Great! I've already done the research for you and found a series of fascinating and inexpensive activities for you, from walking tours to culinary tours to cruises on the Rhône and Saône rivers. You can read about all these activities and more in the article. What to do in Lyon.
Wonderful article and I think if I were to go to France, you've made me want to visit Lyon. On the other hand, it would probably be very difficult to choose what to eat there... Everything you mentioned and photographed looks delicious!