Mediterranean Neo-bistro€€€1er
Regain at the foot of the Croix-Rousse in the 1er is Benjamin Sanchez and Thomas Rolland's neo-bistro, with raw walls, globe lighting. Priced at €€€.
Signature: Panisse fries, Mediterranean small plates
Order: The panisse fries with black-olive powder and aioli, then the daily set.
Tip: Lunch is the easier seating; lunch formulas €25-59, dinner menus €55-75.
Lyonnais Bouchon€€1er
Le Garet on Rue du Garet in Lyon's 1er is the canonical bouchon, four blocks from the Opera, with a chalkboard menu rooted in the classic Lyonnais repertoire.
Signature: Tablier de sapeur, Quenelle de brochet
Order: Tablier de sapeur to start, then the quenelle de brochet with sauce Nantua.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Monday; book a fortnight ahead for the dinner service.
Lyonnais Bouchon€€2e
Cafe-Comptoir Abel in Lyon's 2e is the 1928 bouchon on Rue Guynemer where the wood-panelled dining room and Label Bouchons Lyonnais menu survive unchanged.
Signature: Salade lyonnaise, Tablier de sapeur
Order: Salade lyonnaise with a poached egg, then the chicken vinaigrette.
Tip: Closed Sunday; cash and card. The pichet of cotes-du-rhone is the order.
Lyonnais Bouchon€€5e
Daniel et Denise Saint-Jean in Vieux Lyon is Joseph Viola's bouchon in the old town, where the pate en croute won the world championship and remains.
Signature: Pate en croute, Quenelle
Order: The pate en croute as a starter, then the quenelle de brochet sauce Nantua.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Monday; book three days ahead; service can run long.
French Brasserie€€2e
Brasserie Georges in Lyon's 2e on Cours de Verdun is the 1836 brasserie that has served choucroute and the sole meuniere lunch grid for almost two centuries.
Signature: Choucroute, Sole meuniere
Order: The choucroute royale and a half-litre of the house lager.
Tip: Open daily until 23:00; the dining hall takes walk-ins after 21:00.
Lyonnais Bouchon€€1er
Le Bouchon des Filles in Lyon's 1er is the all-woman-run bouchon on Rue Sergent Blandan, where a fixed-price set lunch runs the dining room and the kitchen.
Signature: Saucisson chaud, Cervelle de canut
Order: The set menu with saucisson chaud and cervelle de canut for dessert.
Tip: Open evenings only Wed-Sat plus Sunday lunch; book a fortnight ahead.