Cheddar melted down in beer and poured over toast spread with mustard and a slice of ham, then browned hard under the grill and buried under frites.
The dish is Welsh in origin and English in name, and how it reached the Nord is not settled. One story puts Welsh soldiers at Baincthun during the 1544 siege of Boulogne, though no reliable source supports it. What is certain is that it took root along the Cote d'Opale and across Nord-Pas-de-Calais, where the French version is heavier and more orange than the British one. Lille has run a Welsh'Fest every November since 2023, which tells you how seriously the city takes it.
6 editor picks for Welsh in Lille, ranked by editorial score. All Lille signature dishes · Welsh across every city.
Au Georges V ★ 4.3
Vauban-Esquermes · 104 bis Boulevard de la Liberté, 59000 Lille
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.
Les Compagnons de la Grappe ★ 4.3
Vieux-Lille · 26 Rue Lepelletier, 59000 Lille
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.
La Ducasse ★ 4.2
Gambetta · 95 Rue Solférino, 59800 Lille
La Ducasse has anchored the corner of Rue Solférino in Lille since 1979, an estaminet of welsh, carbonade flamande and andouillette casseroles.
Estaminet Chez Ronny ★ 4.1
Vieux-Lille · 80 Rue de Gand, 59800 Lille
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.
L'Estaminet du Welsh ★ 4.0
Vieux-Lille · 45 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.
Le Barbier qui Fume (Place Rihour) ★ 4.0
Lille-Centre · 22 Place Rihour, 59000 Lille
The Place Rihour branch of Le Barbier qui Fume in Lille runs non-stop from 10:00 to midnight, and puts smoked ham and Galloway cheddar into its welsh.