Le Passe Temps in Lyon's 6e is Younghoon Lee's one-star room where Korean technique meets French produce across a tightly-edited tasting menu.
Signature dishes: Tasting menu, Korean-French crossover
Must order: The full tasting; the wine pairing leans natural.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; lunch is the easier seating.
Address: 52 Rue Tronchet, 69006 Lyon
Ayla in Lyon's 6e is the Levantine kitchen on Place de l'Europe where wood-fired flatbreads and meze plates run alongside a Mediterranean wine list.
Signature: Levantine mezze, Wood-fired flatbreads
Order: The mezze platter for two with the manakish, then the labneh.
Tip: Lunch is busy with office workers; aim for 13:30 or after.
Chez Paul in Lyon's 1er is the working bouchon on Rue du Major Martin where regulars take the chalkboard menu and a pichet of cotes-du-rhone for lunch.
Signature: Saucisson chaud, Quenelle
Order: The saucisson chaud with potatoes, then the quenelle.
Tip: Cash-friendly. Closed Sunday and Monday.
L'Etabli in Lyon's 2e is the Ainay neighbourhood bistro running a tight set-lunch carte that fills the room with local office workers from 12:30.
Signature: Set lunch, Bistro plates
Order: The 22 EUR set lunch with daily plat and dessert.
Tip: Book 24 hours ahead for lunch; dinner is the harder seating.
Ayla in Lyon's 6e is the Levantine kitchen on Place de l'Europe where wood-fired flatbreads and meze plates run alongside a Mediterranean wine list.
Signature: Levantine mezze, Wood-fired flatbreads
Order: The mezze platter for two with the manakish, then the labneh.
Tip: Lunch is busy with office workers; aim for 13:30 or after.
Becbec in Lyon's 3e is the small-plates room on Rue Paul Bert where a young couple runs the kitchen and a tight natural-wine cellar from a 12-cover counter.
Signature: Daily plat, Natural wine pours
Order: Whatever is on the daily chalkboard, with a glass of natural Beaujolais.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive at 19:00 for a counter stool.
Les Freres Barioz in Lyon's 3e runs an Italian-style sandwich counter on Rue Duguesclin, with focaccia panini and rotating daily fillings from house charcuterie.
Signature: Italian-style sandwiches, Focaccia
Order: The mortadella-and-pistachio focaccia, plus a Tarocco orange juice.
Tip: Lunch only; counter closes at 14:30. Cash and card.
Nafas in Lyon's 1er is the Rue Rene Leynaud Middle Eastern counter cooking hummus bowls, wraps and daily falafel plates with house pickles and tahini.
Signature: Hummus bowl, Wraps
Order: The hummus bowl with kebab and sumac onions.
Tip: Lunch and early dinner only; closed Sunday.
