French regional€€Vieux-LilleTue 12:00-14:00 and 18:30-22:30; Wed 18:30-22:30; Thu 12:00-14:00 and 18:30-22:30; Fri 12:00-14:00 and 18:30-23:00; Sat 12:00-16:00 and 21:00-23:30; Sun 12:00-16:00 and 18:30-23:30
Chez Raoul on Rue de Gand in Lille is named for the singer Raoul de Godewarsvelde, an estaminet of chicken in maroilles, fricadelle and charcuterie boards.
Signature: Gratin de chicons, Welsh au maroilles
Order: Gratin de chicons, endives baked in ham and béchamel.
Tip: Closed Monday and Wednesday lunch. Saturday runs a long afternoon service then reopens late.
French regional€€Vieux-LilleMon-Thu 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-22:00; Fri 12:00-15:00 and 19:00-22:30; Sat 12:00-14:30 and 19:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-14:30 and 19:00-22:00
Au Soyeux on Rue de Gand in Lille runs 44 covers of ch'ti cooking, potjevleesch and carbonade with maroilles croquettes and roasted bone marrow.
Signature: Potjevleesch, Croquettes au maroilles
Order: Potjevleesch, the jellied terrine of four white meats.
Tip: Only 24 seats indoors plus a 20-seat terrace, so book for a weekend evening.
French regional€€GambettaMon-Fri 12:00-14:00 and 19:30-22:00; Sat 12:00-14:30 and 19:30-23:00; closed Sunday
La Ducasse has anchored the corner of Rue Solférino in Lille since 1979, an estaminet of welsh, carbonade flamande and andouillette casseroles.
Signature: Welsh, Carbonade flamande
Order: The welsh, cheddar melted flat under the grill.
Tip: The estaminet has kept the same regional card since 1979, cooked from fresh local produce.
French regional€€Vauban-EsquermesMon-Sat, lunch and dinner service; closed Sunday
Au Georges V on Boulevard de la Liberté in Lille calls itself the temple of welsh, and runs a smoked version alongside potjevleesch and carbonade.
Signature: Welsh fumé, Potjevleesch
Order: The welsh fumé, made with a blend of classic and smoked cheddar.
Tip: A vegetarian welsh is on the card. The current owners took the place on in 2022.
French regional€€Vieux-LilleTue 19:00-22:30; Wed-Sat 12:00-14:30 and 19:00-22:30; Sun 12:00-14:30; closed Monday
Chez Ronny on Rue de Gand in Lille is a 1970s-dressed estaminet named for the northern artist Ronny Coutteure, cooking northern French and Belgian plates.
Signature: Welsh, Boulets à la liégeoise
Order: Boulets à la liégeoise, the Belgian meatballs in sirop de Liège.
Tip: Sunday is lunch only, and it runs on bookings. It is the newest estaminet on this stretch of Vieux-Lille.
French regional€€Vieux-LilleWed 19:00-22:00; Thu-Sat 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-14:00; closed Monday and Tuesday
L'Estaminet Lillois on Rue de la Barre in Lille pours around twenty regional beers and cooks carbonade, potjevleesch and chicken in maroilles.
Signature: Poulet maroilles, Welsh pain d'épices
Order: The welsh made with pain d'épices instead of plain bread.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday is dinner only and Sunday is lunch only.