Café Bellot on Rue Jeanne d'Arc in Lille is a neighbourhood bar and bistro in one, chalkboard plates at lunch and natural wine into the small hours.
Signature: Potato croquettes with smoked trout, Pork meatballs with cheddar
Order: Potato croquettes stuffed with smoked trout, in trout roe cream.
Tip: Lunch runs on reservation only. A Burgundy red starts around 7 euros a glass.
Le Chat qui Fume on Rue Henri Kolb in Lille is a neighbourhood estaminet doing carbonade, andouillette in beer and a maroilles potato gratin.
Signature: Gratin de pommes de terre au maroilles, Welsh complet
Order: The full welsh, made in house rather than assembled.
Tip: Book by phone. The kitchen does not take reservations by email.
L'Impertinente on Boulevard Papin in Lille has run as a tea room since 2015, shortbread, cheesecakes and cookies with a weekend brunch service.
Signature drink: Pot of tea with shortbread
Tip: Afternoons only. Weekend brunch is the busiest service, so book if you want a table.
Café Bellot on Rue Jeanne d'Arc in Lille doubles as a natural-wine cave, pouring growers' bottles beside chalkboard cooking in the Saint-Michel quarter.
Signature pour: Burgundy red by the glass, around 7 euros
Wine focus: Natural wines, mostly French growers
Food: Chalkboard lunch, sharing plates at night
Tip: Lunch is reservation only. The wine shelf is priced the same whether you drink it in or carry it out.