10 Must Visit Restaurants in Lyon, the Gastronomic Capital of France, For Food Lovers (2025) theworldinmypocket.co.uk

Whenever I am in Lyon, I spend almost all my day eating. The city is considered the international capital of gastronomy, so eating and restaurant-hopping is one of the most exciting things to do in Lyon. From its iconic Bouchons serving traditional Lyonnaise classics to avant-garde establishments pushing the boundaries of gastronomy, the city’s dining scene offers a fantastic gourmet journey.

I go to Lyon every year for the long weekends of November because it is one of the easiest day trips from Paris, and I always make sure to book all my restaurant spots one month in advance (no it’s not overkill). So I’ve had the opportunity to try dozens of the city’s eateries, and today I will share with you my top 10 must visit restaurants in Lyon I always go back to.

First of all, I will be honest with you: traditional Lyonnaise food is not for everyone – you either like it or you don’t, and you need a solid stomach to wolf it down every day. I made sure to list in this post 3 good options among the Lyonnaise restaurants (or, as they call it, “Bouchons Lyonnais”), as well as 7 other excellent restaurants to try from various foreign cuisines worldwide. In any case, Lyon, like the rest of France, is a very cosmopolitan city, so featuring restaurants from Lyon’s immigrant communities reflects the true diversity and history of France as a multicultural nation.
So here it is, my pick of the 10 best restaurants in Lyon I always return to.