Becbec ★ 4.3

L'Oiseau Perche ★ 4.1

L'Oiseau Perche in the 4e Croix-Rousse runs a €15-19 lunch ardoise from 11:00, one of the few lunch-only bistros with sub-€20 pricing. At 18 Rue de Cuire.

Try: Lunch ardoise plat

La Commune ★ 4.0

La Commune food hall in the 7e runs eight kitchens with plates from €8, the cheapest way to taste a sample of the city's modern food scene. Family-friendly.

Try: Food-hall plates across eight kitchens

Le Bouillon Paradis ★ 4.1

Le Bouillon Paradis in Lyon's 1er runs the Parisian bouillon format with Lyonnais classics: three courses for under €18 all afternoon, no reservation needed.

Try: Three-course bouillon set: oeuf mayo, blanquette, ile flottante

Order: Oeuf mayo to start, blanquette de veau for the plat, ile flottante to close.

Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 12:30 or after 14:00 to avoid the queue.

Fujiyama 55 ★ 4.2

Fujiyama 55 in Lyon's 2e is the city's most-booked ramen counter, with a 14-hour tonkotsu broth and a ticket under €18 including gyoza for the table.

Try: Tonkotsu ramen

Order: Tonkotsu ramen with extra chashu, gyoza for two.

Tip: No reservations; arrive at 18:45 to beat the queue that forms most weeknights.

Nafas ★ 4.1

Nafas in Lyon's 1er is the Middle Eastern counter on Rue Rene Leynaud cooking hummus bowls, wraps and falafel plates with house pickles, tahini and sumac.

Try: Hummus bowl with kebab and sumac onions

Order: The hummus bowl with kebab; add the falafel side for €3 more.

Tip: Lunch and early dinner only; closed Sunday. Take-away through the side window after 14:00.

Les Freres Barioz ★ 4.3

Les Freres Barioz in Lyon's 3e on Rue Duguesclin runs a lunch-only Italian sandwich counter with focaccia panini and rotating daily fillings from house.

Try: Mortadella and pistachio focaccia sandwich

Order: The mortadella-and-pistachio focaccia plus a Tarocco orange juice.

Tip: Lunch only; counter closes at 14:30 sharp. Cash and card Cash is faster than card.