Prairial in Lyon's 2e is Gaetan Gentil's one-star vegetable-forward dining room on Rue Chavanne, with a tasting menu rooted in foraged herbs and Rhone producers.
Must order: The vegetable tasting; ask for the herbal-juice pairing instead of wine.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Tuesday; the lunch menu is half the price of dinner.
Address: 11 Rue Chavanne, 69002 Lyon
Le Passe Temps in Lyon's 6e is Younghoon Lee's one-star tasting room on Rue Tronchet where Korean technique meets French sourcing across a six-course set.
Order: The full tasting; the natural-wine pairing leans Loire and Beaujolais.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; lunch is the easier seating.
Les Muses de l'Opera sits on top of the Lyon Opera house in the 1er, with Davy Tissot's MOF-winning kitchen and a panoramic dining room above Place de la Comedie.
Order: The five-course tasting; the dome view from the dining room sells the bill.
Tip: Book a window seat on the opera-house side at sunset for the full payoff.
Ombellule in Lyon's 6e on Cours Franklin Roosevelt is Olivier Paget's tasting-menu room with a tight, four-course modern-French set and a curated wine list.
Order: The chef's set; ask for the pairing if the cellar list overwhelms.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Monday; book the chef's counter for the kitchen view.
L'Atelier des Augustins in Lyon's 1er is Nicolas Guilloton's tasting-menu room on Rue Hippolyte Flandrin, with a 28-seat dining room and a market-driven changing carte.
Order: The four-course tasting with paired wine flight; the dessert course is the closer.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Monday; the lunch carte is the price-point entry.
Regain in Lyon's 1er is the Cuisine d'Auteur tasting-menu room at the foot of the Croix-Rousse where Maxime Laurenson runs a Mediterranean-forward weeknight carte.
Order: The full tasting; the natural-wine pairing comes from the Rhone.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Monday; lunch is the easier seating and half the price.
La Mere Brazier in Lyon's 1er is the restaurant Eugenie Brazier opened in 1921 and Mathieu Viannay now runs at two-star level on Rue Royale.
Order: Volaille de Bresse demi-deuil with the original 1933 service.
Tip: Lunch is half the dinner price; the dining room is the original 1921 one.
