Estaminet Chez la Vieille is a french regional restaurant in Vieux Lille, Lille.
Editorially verified August 3, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Croquettes au maroilles, Poulet au maroilles
Must order: Maroilles croquettes first, then the chicken in maroilles sauce.
Tip: Same family runs four estaminets in Lille. This is the one to pick if maroilles is the point of the meal.
Address: 60 Rue de Gand, 59000 Lille
L'Estaminet du Welsh on Rue de Gand in Lille builds its whole card around welsh, a dozen versions of cheddar melted in beer over bread and frites.
Signature: Welsh au maroilles, Potjevleesch
Order: The welsh au maroilles, if you want the northern version rather than the cheddar one.
Tip: Closed Wednesday and Thursday at lunch. A vegetarian welsh is on the card.
La Petite Table has run on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille since 2003, a small estaminet doing carbonade, welsh and potjevleesch properly by hand.
Signature: Carbonade flamande, Potjevleesch
Order: Potjevleesch with the house frites.
Tip: Finish with the spéculoos mousse rather than the café gourmand.
Les Compagnons de la Grappe hides down a corridor off Rue Lepelletier in Lille, a courtyard terrace serving welsh, carbonade and grilled meat non-stop.
Signature: Welsh, Onglet frites
Order: Onglet frites, cooked over the grill.
Tip: The kitchen runs straight through the afternoon, which makes this the answer to a 16:00 arrival.
La Ch'tite Brigitte on Rue des Bouchers in Lille is Clément Richevaux's estaminet, built on the northern dishes his grandmother Brigitte cooked.
Signature: Croque-monsieur au maroilles, Rollmops
Order: The maroilles croque-monsieur, or the mixed northern platter.
Tip: The room takes bookings only, and it spreads across two shopfronts on Rue des Bouchers.
L'Estaminet du Welsh on Rue de Gand in Lille builds its whole card around welsh, a dozen versions of cheddar melted in beer over bread and frites.
Signature: Welsh au maroilles, Potjevleesch
Order: The welsh au maroilles, if you want the northern version rather than the cheddar one.
Tip: Closed Wednesday and Thursday at lunch. A vegetarian welsh is on the card.
La Petite Table has run on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille since 2003, a small estaminet doing carbonade, welsh and potjevleesch properly by hand.
Signature: Carbonade flamande, Potjevleesch
Order: Potjevleesch with the house frites.
Tip: Finish with the spéculoos mousse rather than the café gourmand.
Les Compagnons de la Grappe hides down a corridor off Rue Lepelletier in Lille, a courtyard terrace serving welsh, carbonade and grilled meat non-stop.
Signature: Welsh, Onglet frites
Order: Onglet frites, cooked over the grill.
Tip: The kitchen runs straight through the afternoon, which makes this the answer to a 16:00 arrival.
Le Barbu d'Anvers is a 130-seat Maître Restaurateur estaminet near Rihour in Lille, serving northern regional cooking across three panelled rooms.
Signature: Carbonade flamande, Welsh
Order: Carbonade flamande, the beef stew braised in brown beer.
Tip: A la carte runs 17 to 25 euros. The room closes for a summer break, so check before an August visit.
La Ch'tite Brigitte on Rue des Bouchers in Lille is Clément Richevaux's estaminet, built on the northern dishes his grandmother Brigitte cooked.
Signature: Croque-monsieur au maroilles, Rollmops
Order: The maroilles croque-monsieur, or the mixed northern platter.
Tip: The room takes bookings only, and it spreads across two shopfronts on Rue des Bouchers.
Le Chat qui Fume on Rue Henri Kolb in Lille is a neighbourhood estaminet doing carbonade, andouillette in beer and a maroilles potato gratin.
Signature: Gratin de pommes de terre au maroilles, Welsh complet
Order: The full welsh, made in house rather than assembled.
Tip: Book by phone. The kitchen does not take reservations by email.
