Restaurants in Vieux-Lille

Coup de Main ★ 4.5

€€€ Modern FrenchVieux LilleChef Victor Berthe

Coup de Main on Rue Saint-André in Lille is a small kitchen and wine shop in one, a short card of small-producer cooking with a sommelier on the floor.

OrderThe six-course Vendanges menu at dinner.

TipLunch menus run 22 and 25 euros, dinner 70 euros. The wine shop keeps longer hours than the restaurant.

Le 49R ★ 4.5

€€€€ Modern FrenchVieux LilleChef Antoine Coutier

Le 49R occupies a restored 17th-century mansion on Rue Royale in Lille, Antoine Coutier's tasting menu upstairs and a dining bar for a glass downstairs.

OrderThe single menu, which is the only option in the evening.

TipThe evening runs one menu only. The dining bar takes walk-ins for a glass and a snack.

La Brasserie du Cerisier ★ 4.2

€€€ BrasserieVieux Lille

La Brasserie du Cerisier is the ground-floor room under the starred kitchen on Avenue du Peuple Belge in Lille, a weekly market card and a cocktail list.

OrderThe market menu, rewritten every week.

TipIt shares an address and a phone line with the starred dining room upstairs, so specify which one you want.

De Rode Koe ★ 4.0

€€ VegetarianVieux Lille

De Rode Koe on Rue des Trois-Mollettes in Lille cooks a fresh-produce card that leans vegetarian and vegan, with fish, meat and house burgers alongside.

OrderThe ravioles, from the vegetarian half of the card.

TipPlates land around 15 euros. Saturday runs non-stop from 11:30, which is unusual in Vieux-Lille.

Le Broc (Vieux-Lille) ★ 3.9

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

The Vieux-Lille branch of Le Broc sits on Place Louise de Bettignies, the same cheese-led card of fondue, raclette and tartiflette in a wood-lined room.

OrderFondue, if there are at least two of you.

TipBoth Lille branches keep the same hours and the same card, so pick on location alone.

Bacio Divino ★ 4.2

€€€ ItalianVieux Lille

Bacio Divino on Rue Saint-André in Lille cooks a dinner card of Italian classics six nights a week, and turns the room over to brunch every Sunday.

OrderTraditional lasagne, from the standing card.

TipDinner runs Monday to Saturday. Sunday belongs entirely to the all-you-can-eat brunch.

Le Barbier qui Fume (Vieux-Lille) ★ 4.0

€€ American BBQVieux Lille

Le Barbier qui Fume on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille smokes its own meat, onglet and Quebec-style brisket, and runs a weekday lunch formula at 18.50 euros.

OrderBeef onglet with shallots, from the smoker.

TipWeekend service runs non-stop from 10:00, which is unusual for a smokehouse.

Le Porthos ★ 3.8

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Le Porthos on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille is a brick-walled estaminet cooking the regional card: carbonade, potjevleesch and welsh, served all day at weekends.

OrderCarbonade flamande, with the house frites.

TipThe kitchen runs 12:00 to 14:00 and 19:00 to 22:00 on weekdays, then straight through from 12:00 to 22:30 on Saturday and to 22:00 on Sunday.

Fine Dining in Vieux-Lille

Le Restaurant du Cerisier 1 ★ ★ 4.7

€€€€ Tasting €105Modern FrenchVieux LilleChef Guillaume Barengo

Le Restaurant du Cerisier holds a Michelin star on Avenue du Peuple Belge in Lille, where Guillaume Barengo runs one set menu from an open kitchen.

OrderWhatever the single set menu is running that week.

Book3 weeks ahead

TipThere is no a la carte here. The vegetarian version of the Amarelle menu runs at the same 105 euro price, so say so when you book.

Pureté 1 ★ ★ 4.7

€€€€ Tasting €90 to €110Modern FrenchVieux LilleChef Gérald Guille

Pureté is Gérald Guille's Michelin-starred room on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille, a narrow dining room built around tasting menus and an open pass.

OrderThe five-course menu, the shortest way into this kitchen.

Book3 weeks ahead

TipThe 55 euro weekday lunch is the cheapest seat in a starred Lille dining room, and it runs Wednesday to Friday only.

La Table du Clarance ★ 4.2

€€€€ Tasting €89Modern FrenchVieux Lille

La Table du Clarance sits in an 18th-century Lille mansion off Rue de la Barre, serving seasonal set menus under panelled ceilings and on a garden terrace.

OrderThe Eclats du Soir dinner menu.

Book2 weeks ahead

TipThe kitchen changed hands and the room lost its Michelin star after the 2025 guide. It now runs a looser, cheaper card.

Bloempot ★ 4.8

€€€€ Tasting €80French regionalVieux LilleChef Florent Ladeyn

Bloempot is Florent Ladeyn's converted carpentry workshop in Lille, cooking Flanders produce hard and plating it plainly on brutalist ceramics.

OrderRed cabbage steak with concentrated meat jus and a cherry quenelle.

Book3 weeks ahead

TipThe 37 euro weekday lunch is the cheap way in. Beers come from Ladeyn's own Bierbuik brewpub down the road.

Le Braque ★ 4.6

€€€ Modern FrenchVieux LilleChef Damien Laforce

Le Braque on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille is Damien Laforce's room, built on foraging, hunting and line-caught fish, with the kitchen open to a counter.

OrderLine-caught fish handled by the ikejime method.

Book2 weeks ahead

TipCounter seats line the walls under the glass roof and the kitchen is open to the room. Book anyway, because it fills.

Chez Georges ★ 4.5

€€€ Modern FrenchVieux Lille

Chez Georges is a dinner-only auberge on Rue Saint-André in Lille, terracotta-toned and cooking northern terroir with tight technique and maceration wines.

OrderThe tasting menu, which is where this kitchen argues its case.

Book2 weeks ahead

TipDinner only, six nights a week. Glasses start around 8 euros and lean heavily on macerated whites.

Le Lion Bossu ★ 4.1

€€€ Tasting €50 to €70FrenchVieux LilleChef Laurence Coué

Le Lion Bossu occupies a 1681 brick house off Place du Lion d'Or in Lille, where Laurence Coué cooks classical French menus under exposed beams.

OrderThe Grand Gousier menu, the 70 euro long form of the kitchen.

Book1 week ahead

TipThe 50 euro menu is the sensible order. The Grand Gousier at 70 euros is the longer version of the same classical kitchen.

Casual Dining in Vieux-Lille

Estaminet Au Vieux de la Vieille ★ 4.2

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Au Vieux de la Vieille spills onto the cobbles of Rue des Vieux Murs in Lille, the terrace estaminet locals send visitors to for carbonade and welsh.

OrderGratin de la Vieille, a pancake baked with endive, ham and maroilles.

TipThe courtyard terrace fills first on a warm evening. Plat du jour runs at 9.90 or 14.90 euros.

Estaminet Chez la Vieille ★ 4.1

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Chez la Vieille on Rue de Gand in Lille is the maroilles house of the strip, a cluttered estaminet where the cheese turns up in almost every course.

OrderMaroilles croquettes first, then the chicken in maroilles sauce.

TipSame family runs four estaminets in Lille. This is the one to pick if maroilles is the point of the meal.

L'Estaminet du Welsh ★ 4.0

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

L'Estaminet du Welsh on Rue de Gand in Lille builds its whole card around welsh, a dozen versions of cheddar melted in beer over bread and frites.

OrderThe welsh au maroilles, if you want the northern version rather than the cheddar one.

TipClosed Wednesday and Thursday at lunch. A vegetarian welsh is on the card.

La Petite Table ★ 4.2

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

La Petite Table has run on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille since 2003, a small estaminet doing carbonade, welsh and potjevleesch properly by hand.

OrderPotjevleesch with the house frites.

TipFinish with the spéculoos mousse rather than the café gourmand.

Les Compagnons de la Grappe ★ 4.3

€€ FrenchVieux Lille

Les Compagnons de la Grappe hides down a corridor off Rue Lepelletier in Lille, a courtyard terrace serving welsh, carbonade and grilled meat non-stop.

OrderOnglet frites, cooked over the grill.

TipThe kitchen runs straight through the afternoon, which makes this the answer to a 16:00 arrival.

Estaminet La Ch'tite Brigitte ★ 4.2

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

La Ch'tite Brigitte on Rue des Bouchers in Lille is Clément Richevaux's estaminet, built on the northern dishes his grandmother Brigitte cooked.

OrderThe maroilles croque-monsieur, or the mixed northern platter.

TipThe room takes bookings only, and it spreads across two shopfronts on Rue des Bouchers.

Bierbuik ★ 4.4

€€ French regionalVieux LilleChef Florent Ladeyn

Bierbuik is Florent Ladeyn's brewpub on Rue Royale in Lille, wood-fired Flemish street food downstairs and the Bloemeke estaminet menu upstairs.

OrderFrites with maroilles sauce, from the ground-floor brewpub counter.

TipThe upstairs Bloemeke runs a three-course estaminet menu at 30 euros. Beers use Mont des Cats hops.

Chez Raoul Estaminet ★ 4.1

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Chez Raoul on Rue de Gand in Lille is named for the singer Raoul de Godewarsvelde, an estaminet of chicken in maroilles, fricadelle and charcuterie boards.

OrderGratin de chicons, endives baked in ham and béchamel.

TipClosed Monday and Wednesday lunch. Saturday runs a long afternoon service then reopens late.

Estaminet Au Soyeux ★ 4.1

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Au Soyeux on Rue de Gand in Lille runs 44 covers of ch'ti cooking, potjevleesch and carbonade with maroilles croquettes and roasted bone marrow.

OrderPotjevleesch, the jellied terrine of four white meats.

TipOnly 24 seats indoors plus a 20-seat terrace, so book for a weekend evening.

Estaminet Chez Ronny ★ 4.1

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Chez Ronny on Rue de Gand in Lille is a 1970s-dressed estaminet named for the northern artist Ronny Coutteure, cooking northern French and Belgian plates.

OrderBoulets à la liégeoise, the Belgian meatballs in sirop de Liège.

TipSunday is lunch only, and it runs on bookings. It is the newest estaminet on this stretch of Vieux-Lille.

L'Estaminet Lillois ★ 4.0

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

L'Estaminet Lillois on Rue de la Barre in Lille pours around twenty regional beers and cooks carbonade, potjevleesch and chicken in maroilles.

OrderThe welsh made with pain d'épices instead of plain bread.

TipClosed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday is dinner only and Sunday is lunch only.

L'Arrière Pays ★ 4.0

€€ FrenchVieux Lille

L'Arrière Pays on Rue Basse in Lille builds open-faced sourdough tartines and regional plates, with a lunch formula that still lands under 14 euros.

OrderThe tartine en boîte, cured ham under melted camembert with walnuts and raisins.

TipTwo tartines run 10.90 euros and three run 12.90, which is about the cheapest sit-down lunch on this stretch of Vieux-Lille.

La Piazzetta ★ 4.2

€€ ItalianVieux Lille

La Piazzetta opened on Rue de la Barre in Lille as a fresh-pasta counter and Italian grocery, run by a chef who came from Big Mamma's La Bellezza.

OrderWhatever ravioli is rolled that morning.

TipLunch only, five days a week. There are very few seats, so come early or take the pasta away.

Estaminet La Vieille France ★ 4.1

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Estaminet La Vieille France on Rue de Gand in Lille seats 65 and cooks the northern canon, carbonade, blanquette de veau, potjevleesch and pot au feu.

OrderCarbonade flamande, cooked long in brown beer.

TipClosed Tuesday and Wednesday at lunch. Sixty-five covers fill up, so a weekend evening needs booking.

Cafés in Vieux-Lille

Paddo Café ★ 4.4

€€ CaféVieux LilleWifi

Paddo Café on Rue du Cirque in Lille brought Antipodean brunch north, ricotta pancakes and avocado toast alongside properly pulled specialty coffee.

DrinkFlat white

TipNo reservations at all, and the kitchen stops an hour before the room does.

Tamper! Espresso Bar ★ 4.6

€€ CaféVieux LilleWork-friendlyWifi

Tamper! sits on the pedestrian cobbles of Rue des Vieux Murs in Lille, an espresso bar working filter, siphon and piston alongside salads and quiches.

DrinkFilter coffee, siphon or pour-over

TipBeans are graded to a minimum of 85 points, so ask which single origin is on filter today.

Elizabeth's ★ 4.1

€€ CaféVieux LilleWork-friendlyWifi

Elizabeth's on Rue Basse in Lille has run as an English tea room since 2011, scones with orange marmalade, cupcakes and a Sunday brunch service.

DrinkPot of tea, poured properly

TipSunday brunch runs 11:00 to 13:45 and books out, so reserve a table rather than walking up.

Oxalis et Bergamote ★ 4.2

€€ CaféVieux Lille

Oxalis et Bergamote on Rue d'Angleterre in Lille is a pastry counter and tea room, hazelnut granola and cinnamon rolls with a chicory latte to match.

DrinkChicory latte

TipSunday hours are short, 10:30 to 12:30 only, and the counter empties fast.

Maison Scarlett ★ 4.0

€€ CaféVieux Lille

Maison Scarlett on Place des Patiniers in Lille is a pastry counter and tea room of tartelettes, pavlova, madeleines and cannelés, with savoury plates too.

DrinkFlavoured latte

TipQuiches and burgers run alongside the pastry, which makes this a workable light lunch stop.

Bakeries in Vieux-Lille

Aux Merveilleux de Fred (Rue de la Monnaie) ★ 4.5

€€ BakeryMeringue and whipped cream pastryVieux LilleWalk-in only

Aux Merveilleux de Fred started on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille, and this counter still sells the meringue and cream pastry that gave the brand its name.

Worth the queueThe merveilleux

TipBuy the small size and eat it standing. The cream collapses within the hour.

L'Ogre de Carrouselberg ★ 4.6

€€€ BakeryFine patisserieVieux LilleWalk-in only

L'Ogre de Carrouselberg on Rue des Vieux Murs in Lille builds the prettiest pastry in the city, from the Fraisier de Phalempin to trays of P'tits Pouchins.

Worth the queueLe Fraisier de Phalempin

TipThe shop closes annually from 12 to 23 August, so do not plan a mid-August visit around it.

Boulangerie Vianney Degruson ★ 4.5

€€ BakerySourdough and organic breadsVieux LilleWalk-in only

Vianney Degruson bakes sourdough and organic breads on Rue Saint-André in Lille, with viennoiserie laminated in AOP butter and a counter of galettes.

Worth the queuePain d'épices

TipTheir bread supplies other Lille kitchens, including the banh mi counter on Avenue du Peuple Belge.

Boulangerie Brier ★ 4.3

€€ BakeryRegional pastryVieux LilleWalk-in only

Boulangerie Brier on Rue Esquermoise in Lille bakes the regional canon, cramique au sucre, palet de dame and a vanilla-filled gaufre of its own.

Worth the queueGaufre fourrée à la vanille

TipThis is the cheaper place to try a gaufre fourrée before you queue at the famous one up the street.

Maison Miettes ★ 4.0

€€ BakeryPatisserieVieux LilleWalk-in only

Maison Miettes on Rue Lepelletier in Lille is a small pastry counter in the middle of Vieux-Lille, open six days a week from mid-morning to early evening.

Worth the queueSeasonal tartelettes

TipIt opens at 10:30, later than the bread bakeries, so it is an afternoon stop rather than a breakfast one.

Boulangerie Mosin ★ 3.7

€ BakeryTradition baguettesVieux LilleWalk-in only

Boulangerie Mosin on Rue Colbert in Lille is a weekday-only bakery of tradition baguettes, croissants and apple turnovers, with cakes made to order.

Worth the queueChausson aux pommes

TipWeekdays only. This is a workers' bakery, not a weekend destination.

Oxalis et Bergamote ★ 4.2

€€ BakeryPatisserie and viennoiserieVieux LilleWalk-in only

Oxalis et Bergamote on Rue d'Angleterre in Lille bakes cinnamon rolls, financiers, brioches and flan, and pours a chicory latte to go with them.

Worth the queueCinnamon roll

TipSunday is a two-hour window only, 10:30 to 12:30. Everything else is afternoons.

Maison Scarlett ★ 4.0

€€ BakeryPatisserie and viennoiserieVieux LilleWalk-in only

Maison Scarlett on Place des Patiniers in Lille runs a pastry counter of tartelettes, pavlova, madeleines and cannelés, with savoury plates at lunch.

Worth the queueCannelés

TipThe savoury side, quiches and sandwiches, makes this a workable lunch as well as a cake stop.

Méert ★ 4.7

€€ BakeryVanilla-filled flat waffleVieux LilleWalk-in only

Méert has traded on Rue Esquermoise in Lille since 1761, and its flat waffle filled with Madagascar vanilla sugar is still the counter's signature.

Worth the queueThe Méert waffle

TipThe waffle is meant to be eaten at room temperature, not hot. The tea room at the same address opens at 12:00 Tuesday to Friday and at 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

Wine Bars in Vieux-Lille

Le JaJa ★ 4.2

€€ Wine barVieux Lille

Le JaJa on Rue Saint-André in Lille pours from a visible cellar, wines by the glass with generous boards of charcuterie, cheese and seafood.

PourWhatever the sommelier is pouring blind

WineGlass-pour list with a visible cellar

FoodComposed sharing boards

TipThe in-house sommelier runs blind tastings. Ask when the next one is rather than guessing.

Au Gré du Vin ★ 4.3

€€ Wine barVieux Lille

Au Gré du Vin on Rue au Péterinck in Lille is a red-brick cellar with a paved terrace, biodynamic bottles drunk among the racks with small plates.

PourA biodynamic white from the shelf behind you

WineBiodynamic and organic growers

FoodGravlax, truffle and tapenade plates

TipIt shuts by 19:30, so this is an aperitif rather than a late-night room.

Les Frères Pinard ★ 4.4

€€ Wine barVieux Lille

Les Frères Pinard on Rue des Vieux Murs in Lille is a wine bar and grocery in one, where you compose your own board from the shelves before you sit.

PourA bottle chosen from the vaulted cellar downstairs

WineRegional French list across two floors

FoodBuild-your-own cheese and charcuterie boards

TipThe vaulted cellar downstairs is the quieter room. Ask for it when you arrive.

La Cave à Manger de Jacques Dumas ★ 4.1

€€ Wine barVieux Lille

La Cave à Manger de Jacques Dumas on Rue des Bouchers in Lille sells growers' bottles to drink in or take away, with charcuterie boards alongside.

PourA grower's bottle taken from the shelf

WineIndependent vignerons

FoodMixed charcuterie boards

TipEvenings only, five nights a week. Bottles cost the same to drink in as to carry out.

Bars in Vieux-Lille

Joker Cocktails & Bar ★ 4.4

€€€ Cocktail barCocktail barVieux Lille

Joker on Place Louise de Bettignies in Lille rewrites its cocktail list every week around house-made juices, syrups, purees and its own infusions.

DrinkThe Mayagarita, built on Tequila Patron Silver

FoodDrinks only

TipThe card changes weekly, so ask what came in rather than ordering from memory.

Little Havana ★ 3.9

€€ Cocktail barCocktail barVieux Lille

Little Havana on Place Maurice Schumann in Lille is the city's mojito room, a Cuban-themed bar running the drink through a long list of fruit variations.

DrinkMojito, in white peach or basil and strawberry

FoodCharcuterie platters

TipIt traded as Le Draque before this. Order a flavoured mojito rather than the classic.

Genever ★ 4.3

€€€ Cocktail barSpirits barVieux Lille

Genever on Rue Saint-André in Lille builds its bar around the northern grain spirit of the same name, poured neat and stirred into spiced cocktails.

DrinkGenever with lychee

FoodDrinks only

TipThis is the easiest place in Lille to drink genievre without ordering a bottle in an estaminet.

Bartown ★ 4.0

€€ Cocktail barCocktail barVieux Lille

Bartown on Rue Saint-Sébastien in Lille serves gourmet tapas boards beside house cocktails named for city landmarks, Eglise Caipi and Tour Mojito among them.

DrinkHouse cocktails named for Lille landmarks

FoodTapas boards

TipThe room is small and fills after 21:00 at weekends. Go early for a seat at the bar.

Le Quai des Bananes ★ 3.8

€€ Cocktail barCocktail barVieux Lille

Le Quai des Bananes on Rue Royale in Lille is jungle-dressed and loud, pouring large-format tropical drinks with its own kitchen counter attached.

DrinkLarge-format tropical cocktails

FoodBanana Kitchen, the in-house food counter

TipThe alcohol-free list runs past forty mocktails, which is rare at this scale in Lille.

Le Noao ★ 4.0

€€ Cocktail barCocktail barVieux Lille

Le Noao on Rue de Weppes in Lille pours classics and revisions, Old Fashioned through Basil Smash, with tapas and a vaulted cellar bar underneath.

DrinkBasil Smash, from the revisited classics

FoodTapas

TipThe basement room hosts themed nights and can be booked out, so check what is on downstairs.

La Planque ★ 4.0

€ Cocktail barCellar barVieux Lille

La Planque hides down a staircase off Rue des Trois Mollettes in Lille, a vintage-dressed cellar where cocktails and half-litre beers both cost 5 euros.

DrinkCocktails and 50cl beers, both at 5 euros

FoodDrinks only

TipThere is no sign worth looking for. Find the staircase, then keep going down.

Amor Amor ★ 3.9

€€€ Cocktail barCocktail barVieux Lille

Amor Amor occupies a former private mansion on Rue Royale in Lille, a hundred-capacity cocktail room with DJs, live performers and a tapas card.

DrinkCocktails, wine and champagne

FoodTapas

TipIt works as a bar early and a dancing room late. Come before 22:00 if you want to talk.

La Capsule ★ 4.4

€€ Cocktail barCraft beer barVieux Lille

La Capsule on Rue des Trois Mollettes in Lille sells no mainstream lager at all, running 28 taps and a bottle list of lambics and sours instead.

DrinkKriek de Ranke, from the bottle list

FoodDrinks only

TipThe operator counts more than 300 different beers across a year, so the taps change constantly.

La Luck ★ 4.2

€€ Cocktail barBar and bistroVieux Lille

La Luck on Rue Princesse in Lille pours creative cocktails and natural wine, and now brews its own beer on the premises alongside a bistro card.

DrinkHouse-brewed beer

FoodBistro plates and weekend brunch

TipWeekend opening starts in the morning, which makes it one of the few Vieux-Lille bars that does brunch.

Street Food in Vieux-Lille

Bierbuik ★ 4.4

€€ Street foodVieux Lille

Bierbuik's ground-floor counter on Rue Royale in Lille does Flemish street food over wood fire, and the frites in maroilles sauce is the house classic.

TryFrites sauce maroilles

TipEat downstairs at the brewpub counter rather than booking the estaminet upstairs.

La Broche ★ 4.1

€ Street foodVieux Lille

La Broche on Rue de Gand in Lille marinates its chicken for a full day and confits it on the spit for three hours before it ever reaches the bread.

TryKebab from the spit

TipThe kitchen runs to 00:30 on Thursday and Friday, which is late for Rue de Gand.

UNIK Kebab Vieux-Lille ★ 3.5

€ TurkishVieux Lille

The Vieux-Lille branch of UNIK Kebab on Rue Royale serves until midnight every night, a few doors from the busiest bar strip in the quarter.

TryKebab

TipIt sits on the same street as the brewpub, which is exactly why it stays open until midnight.

Smokey Banh Mi ★ 4.3

€ VietnameseVieux Lille

Smokey Banh Mi on Avenue du Peuple Belge in Lille smokes its own meat and buys its bread from the Degruson bakery up the road in Vieux-Lille.

TryBanh mi au porc, €11.50

TipEverything is made in house except the bread, which comes from a named Lille bakery.

Arancini Lovers ★ 4.1

€ ItalianVieux Lille

Arancini Lovers on Rue Saint-André in Lille fries Sicilian rice balls to order, with a different filling promoted every month alongside the regulars.

TryArancini

TipAsk what the monthly special is. Cacio e pepe has been one of them.

Les Fishtons ★ 4.3

€€ SeafoodVieux Lille

Les Fishtons on Rue des Bouchers in Lille fries Boulonnais fish for a small room of fish and chips, plus a crispy fish burger with Flemish compote.

TryFish and chips

TipThe fish comes off the Boulogne boats, which is the whole point of eating it this far north.

Kitchen Market ★ 3.9

€ Food hallVieux Lille

Kitchen Market fills a floor of the Tanneurs centre in Lille with sixteen stalls, Greek souvlaki, ramen, Neapolitan pizza and northern frites side by side.

TrySixteen stalls, from souvlaki to ramen

TipIndividual stalls shut an hour before the hall does, so order by 22:00.

Breweries in Vieux-Lille

Brasserie Célestin ★ 4.3

€€ BreweryFamily microbrewery, largely organicVieux Lille

Brasserie Célestin brews on Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in Vieux-Lille and runs guided visits with tastings, with a beer shop on Rue Esquermoise.

TipThe 14:00 Saturday visit runs in English. Book it rather than turning up.

Bierbuik ★ 4.3

€€ BreweryBrewpub using Mont des Cats hopsVieux LilleChef Florent Ladeyn

Bierbuik on Rue Royale in Lille brews on the ground floor under Florent Ladeyn's estaminet, rotating short-run beers made with Mont des Cats hops.

TipThe beers change constantly because they are brewed in small batches. Ask what is on before you sit.

La Luck ★ 4.1

€€ BreweryBar brewing its own beerVieux Lille

La Luck on Rue Princesse in Lille started as a bar and bistro and now brews its own beer on site, alongside cocktails and a natural wine list.

TipWeekend service starts in the morning, so the house beer can be a brunch drink here.

Markets in Vieux-Lille

Marché du Vieux-Lille ★ 4.4

Vieux Lille

The Place du Concert market is the Vieux-Lille one, three mornings a week of organic and regional produce with Asian and North African stalls between them.

TipSunday morning here is calmer than Wazemmes and a short walk from the estaminets on Rue de Gand.

Budget Eats in Vieux-Lille

Bernard et Léon ★ 4.1

€ BistroVieux Lille

Bernard et Léon on Rue de la Clef in Lille is a bowl canteen named for the founders' two grandfathers, open at lunch only and priced under 16 euros.

TryBowl formule

TipLunch only. The bowls take their names from the two grandfathers who gave the place its name.

L'Estaminet du Welsh ★ 4.0

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

L'Estaminet du Welsh on Rue de Gand in Lille runs a lunch menu at 12.90 euros and a plat du jour from 9.90, built around a dozen welsh variations.

TryWelsh au maroilles

TipThe plat du jour starts at 9.90 euros, which is the cheapest sit-down welsh in Vieux-Lille.

Estaminet Au Vieux de la Vieille ★ 4.2

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Au Vieux de la Vieille on Rue des Vieux Murs in Lille runs its plat du jour at 9.90 or 14.90 euros, maroilles gratin included in the cheaper price.

TryGratin de la Vieille

TipThe 9.90 euro plate is a full meal. The terrace on Place aux Oignons costs nothing extra.

L'Estaminet Lillois ★ 4.0

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

L'Estaminet Lillois on Rue de la Barre in Lille prices its regional card from 13 euros, carbonade and potjevleesch with twenty local beers to drink alongside.

TryCarbonade flamande

TipIt opens five days only, closed Monday and Tuesday, so check the day before you plan around it.

Estaminet La Vieille France ★ 4.1

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Estaminet La Vieille France on Rue de Gand in Lille feeds 65 covers of carbonade, poulet au maroilles and potjevleesch at neighbourhood prices.

TryPoulet au maroilles

TipClosed Tuesday and Wednesday at lunch, which catches out a lot of visitors.

Smokey Banh Mi ★ 4.3

€ VietnameseVieux Lille

Smokey Banh Mi on Avenue du Peuple Belge in Lille sells a pork banh mi at 11.50 euros, meat smoked on site and bread from a Vieux-Lille bakery.

TryBanh mi au porc

TipAt 11.50 euros this is the best value sandwich in Vieux-Lille.

Arancini Lovers ★ 4.1

€ ItalianVieux Lille

Arancini Lovers on Rue Saint-André in Lille fries Sicilian rice balls to order, a cheap and filling walk-up lunch in the middle of Vieux-Lille.

TryArancini

TipTwo arancini and a coffee makes a lunch for well under 10 euros.

Costaud ★ 4.2

€ SandwichVieux Lille

Costaud on Place du Vieux Marché aux Chevaux in Lille builds sandwiches to order by day and turns to shared plates at night, across three floors.

TrySandwich Costaud

TipThe garlic and cheese bread at 9.50 euros is the order to add if you are two.

Hidden Gems in Vieux-Lille

Estaminet Chez la Vieille ★ 4.1

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Chez la Vieille on Rue de Gand in Lille is the maroilles house of the strip, a cluttered estaminet where the cheese turns up in almost every course.

Why locals goA cluttered maroilles house on the historic Rue de Gand, with a summer terrace looking straight at the Porte de Gand.

TipReservations are essential in the evening. The room fills with regulars before the visitors arrive.

Estaminet Au Vieux de la Vieille ★ 4.2

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Au Vieux de la Vieille spills onto the cobbles of Rue des Vieux Murs in Lille, the terrace estaminet locals send visitors to for carbonade and welsh.

Why locals goIt sits on the tiny Place aux Oignons rather than the main circuit, which keeps the terrace calm on a busy Saturday.

TipTake the terrace on Place aux Oignons rather than a table inside. It is the quieter side.

L'Estaminet Lillois ★ 4.0

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

L'Estaminet Lillois on Rue de la Barre in Lille pours around twenty regional beers and cooks carbonade, potjevleesch and chicken in maroilles.

Why locals goClosed Monday and Tuesday, with Wednesday dinner only, which keeps it a locals' room rather than a tourist stop.

TipWednesday is dinner only and Sunday is lunch only. Check before you build an evening around it.

Estaminet La Vieille France ★ 4.1

€€ French regionalVieux Lille

Estaminet La Vieille France on Rue de Gand in Lille seats 65 and cooks the northern canon, carbonade, blanquette de veau, potjevleesch and pot au feu.

Why locals goSixty-five covers doing the regional canon rather than a tourist carte, on the busiest estaminet street in the city.

TipClosed Tuesday and Wednesday at lunch, which catches out most people who just walk up.

Les Fishtons ★ 4.3

€€ SeafoodVieux Lille

Les Fishtons on Rue des Bouchers in Lille fries Boulonnais fish for a small room of fish and chips, plus a crispy fish burger with Flemish compote.

Why locals goA small room on Rue des Bouchers frying Boulonnais fish, which most visitors walk past on their way to the bigger terraces.

TipThe fish burger uses cornflakes for the crust and Flemish apple compote instead of tartare.

Costaud ★ 4.2

€ SandwichVieux Lille

Costaud on Place du Vieux Marché aux Chevaux in Lille builds sandwiches to order by day and turns to shared plates at night, across three floors.

Why locals goThree floors of a 19th-century building on a small square off the main Vieux-Lille circuit, sandwiches by day and shared plates at night.

TipThe square it sits on is one street off the tourist route, which is why it stays a local room.

Smokey Banh Mi ★ 4.3

€ VietnameseVieux Lille

Smokey Banh Mi on Avenue du Peuple Belge in Lille smokes its own meat and buys its bread from the Degruson bakery up the road in Vieux-Lille.

Why locals goMeat smoked on the premises and bread bought from the Degruson bakery up the road, which is why an 11.50 euro sandwich has a following.

TipAsk what has been in the smoker that day. The pork is the constant, the rest rotates.

Bernard et Léon ★ 4.1

€ BistroVieux Lille

Bernard et Léon on Rue de la Clef in Lille is a bowl canteen named for the founders' two grandfathers, open at lunch only and priced under 16 euros.

Why locals goA lunch-only canteen on Rue de la Clef whose bowls are named after the founders' own grandfathers, Bernard and Leon.

TipLunch only, and it shuts at 14:30 on weekdays. Saturday runs half an hour later.

Brunch in Vieux-Lille

Paddo Café ★ 4.4

€€ €10-20CaféAntipodean all-day breakfastVieux Lille

Paddo Café on Rue du Cirque in Lille brought Antipodean brunch north, ricotta pancakes and avocado toast alongside properly pulled specialty coffee.

OrderRicotta pancakes, from the all-day breakfast card.

TipNo reservations at all. The kitchen stops at 16:00 even though the room stays open.

Bacio Divino ★ 4.2

€€€ €32, €37 with a glass of wineItalianAll-you-can-eat Italian Sunday brunchVieux Lille

Bacio Divino on Rue Saint-André in Lille runs an all-you-can-eat Italian brunch every Sunday at 32 euros, in two sittings, with lasagne included.

OrderTraditional lasagne, from the hot side of the brunch.

TipTwo seatings only, 11:00 and 13:00. Under-eights pay 15 euros.

Late-Night Eats in Vieux-Lille

Le Barbier qui Fume (Vieux-Lille) ★ 4.0

€€ American BBQVieux LilleUntil 00:00

Le Barbier qui Fume on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille smokes its own meat and keeps the kitchen running until midnight, seven nights of the week.

TryBeef onglet with shallots

TipThe weekday lunch formula is 18.50 euros. Weekends run non-stop from 10:00.

La Broche ★ 4.1

€ Street foodVieux LilleUntil 00:30 Thursday and Friday

La Broche on Rue de Gand in Lille keeps its spit turning to 00:30 on Thursday and Friday, chicken marinated a day and confited for three hours.

TryKebab from the spit

TipSaturday runs non-stop from 11:30 to midnight, which is the longest service on Rue de Gand.

Bierbuik ★ 4.3

€€ French regionalVieux LilleUntil 01:00 Thursday and Friday, 02:00 Saturday

Bierbuik's brewpub on Rue Royale in Lille runs to 01:00 on Thursday and Friday and to 02:00 on Saturday, and the kitchen stops at 23:30 then.

TryFrites sauce maroilles

TipOn those three nights the bar outlasts the kitchen, so order food before 23:30.

UNIK Kebab Vieux-Lille ★ 3.5

€ TurkishVieux LilleUntil 00:00

The Vieux-Lille branch of UNIK Kebab on Rue Royale serves until midnight every night, a few doors from the busiest bar strip in the whole quarter.

TryKebab

TipIt sits on the bar strip, which is why it stays open to midnight all week.

Costaud ★ 4.2

€ SandwichVieux LilleUntil 01:00 Thursday to Saturday

Costaud on Place du Vieux Marché aux Chevaux in Lille runs to 01:00 from Thursday to Saturday, shared plates replacing the daytime sandwich card.

TrySandwich Costaud

TipEvenings turn to sharing plates. The sandwich card is a daytime thing.

Nightlife in Vieux-Lille

La Planque ★ 4.0

Vieux LilleMon-Thu 18:00-00:00; Fri 18:00-01:00; Sat 18:00-02:00; closed Sunday

La Planque hides down a staircase off Rue des Trois Mollettes in Lille, a vintage cellar where cocktails and half-litre beers both cost 5 euros.

TipThere is no sign worth looking for. Find the staircase, then keep going down.

Le Privilège ★ 4.1

Vieux LilleSun-Wed 17:00-01:00; Thu-Sat 17:00-02:00

Le Privilège on Rue Royale is the best known LGBTQ+ bar and club in Vieux-Lille, with a dancefloor, drag shows and karaoke on Wednesday nights.

Maloot ★ 4.4

Vieux LilleTue-Wed 18:00-01:00; Thu-Sat 18:00-02:00; closed Sunday and Monday

Maloot on Rue de la Barre in Lille is a Japanese-inspired hi-fi bar over two floors, vinyl and DJ sets played through a custom Palladium Audio system with craft cocktails.

TipIt opened in February 2024 and DJ sets run Tuesday to Saturday, so arrive early for a seat in the upstairs lounge near the system.

La Capsule ★ 4.4

Vieux LilleMon-Wed 17:30-01:00; Thu-Fri 17:30-02:00; Sat 16:00-01:00; Sun 17:00-00:00

La Capsule on Rue des Trois Mollettes in Lille sells no mainstream lager, running 28 taps of lambics, sours and small-brewery beer instead.

TipThe operator counts more than 300 different beers across a year, so the taps change constantly.

Book food experiences in Lille

Sunday Food Tour, Discovering Lille

Guided tour · 3 hours

Sunday Food Tour, Discovering Lille

A gourmet tour of 6 spots to discover Lille! Enjoy small portions from Vieux Lille's best savory and sweet spots. Fun facts and good vibes with our fantastic guides!

from€65 Check dates
Lille Beer Tour★ 5.0 (2)

Guided tour · 2 hours

Lille Beer Tour

A guided zythological walk that will take you from specialized bars and wine merchants to micro-breweries to discover the know-how and the brewing revival that is shak...

from€35 Check dates

See all 65 bookable experiences in Lille

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Cuisines in Vieux-Lille