Soma is a mediterranean neo-bistro restaurant in 5E, Lyon.
Soma on Place Saint-Paul in Lyon's 5e Vieux Lyon is the small Mediterranean neo-bistro from chef-owner Sarah Hamza, whose Algerian-rooted plates rotate.
Editorially verified May 19, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Blackboard plates from chef Sarah Hamza, Mediterranean produce with Algerian roots
Must order: Whatever the chef sends; the blackboard plates change often.
Tip: Dinner Tue-Sat, lunch Fri-Sat; book ahead, the room is small.
Address: 9 Place Saint-Paul, 69005 Lyon
Semo on Rue des Fantasques in Lyon's 1er is the small-plates wine bar where the chef-couple run a tight evening menu paired with a natural cellar.
Signature: Daily small plates, Wine bar carte
Order: Order four small plates between two; the cheese board is the closer.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Tuesday; book a fortnight ahead.
Gus and Gas in Lyon's 7e is the neo-bistro on Rue Chevreul running a two-course set lunch and a chef's tasting at dinner with natural pours by the glass.
Signature: Daily set, Natural wine
Order: The €22 weekday set lunch; dinner moves to a chef's tasting.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Monday; small room, book ahead.
Jaja Bistro in Lyon's 2e is the Rue Laurencin natural-wine bistro with a daily blackboard of small plates and a tightly-edited French growers' list.
Signature: Wine-bar plates, Daily blackboard
Order: The pate en croute from the blackboard, plus a glass of Loire chenin.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Monday; the back room is the quieter seating Booking recommended for weekends.
Arsene on Rue Vaubecour in Lyon's 2e runs a working neighbourhood bistro with a €19 weekday set lunch and a slow-changing evening carte. Priced at €€.
Signature: Daily plats, Bistro classics
Order: The daily plat from the blackboard, plus a half-pichet of Cote-Rotie.
Tip: Closed Sunday-Monday; book ahead for the evening.
L'Antr'O Potes in the Brotteaux is chef Julien Le Guillou's labelled bouchon, where the former Paul Bocuse disciple cooks the Lyonnais canon across two.
Signature: Pate en croute, Volaille a la creme
Order: The pate en croute, then the volaille a la creme; the praline tart closes.
Tip: Open Tue-Fri 12:00-13:30 and 19:30-21:30; book a fortnight ahead for the courtyard.
Daniel et Denise Crequi in Lyon's 3e is the original 1968 location, now run by MOF Joseph Viola, whose pate en croute won the world championship in 2009.
Signature: Pate en croute (world champion 2009), Quenelle de brochet sauce Nantua
Order: The pate en croute as a starter, then the quenelle de brochet.
Tip: Closed Sat-Sun; book a fortnight ahead. The bouchon label is genuine here.
