Lyon did not steal its title. Crowned« World capital of gastronomy »in 1935 by the food critic Curnonsky, the city has deserved it every day since. Between its century-old bouchons, its radiant Halles, the heritage of the Mothers of Lyon and numerous incredible chefs like Paul Bocuse, Lyon embodies a living culinary tradition, driven by exceptional producers and passionate artisans. This guide gives you the keys to understand, but also to taste, what makes Lyon a unique city in the gastronomic world.

In 1925, the gastronome Maurice Edmond Sailland, known as Curnonsky, elected «Prince of Gastronomes» by 3,338 chefs and restaurateurs, publishes: Gastronomic France, a culinary tour of France in 28 volumes. Upon arriving in Lyon, he could no longer find a superlative strong enough: «Lyon, we do not hesitate to say it, to write it, to proclaim it, is the gastronomic capital of the world.»

He definitively established this title, which he forged, in 1935 in a work co-authored with the Lyon journalist Marcel Grancher, simply entitled Lyon, world capital of gastronomy. Since then, no other city in the world can claim this title with as much legitimacy.

The reason for this recognition? Lyon's unique geographical position, crossroads of France's finest terroirs Bresse poultry, Côte-Rôtie and Beaujolais wines, Dauphiné cheeses, pike and carp from the Dombes, Ventoux truffles, vegetables from the Rhône valley. Lyon does not produce everything, but concentrates the best of everything.

 
Before the media-featured starred chefs, before cooking shows and Michelin guides, there was the Lyon Mothers. These women of modest background were often former cooks from bourgeois households who had been laid off after the 1929 crisis. They eventually opened their own dining rooms and invented a cuisine based on fresh ingredients that was simple, generous, and irreproachable.

 

Françoise Fayolle, known as Mère Fillioux (1865-1925), is the first to establish the reputation of the Mothers of Lyon. Located on Rue Duquesne in the 6th arrondissement, it served the same menu for three decades: creamy truffle soup, poularde demi-deuil (a chicken with truffle slices placed under the skin), gratinéeed quenelles, artichoke bottom with foie gras, praline ice cream... All without ever lacking clientele. She is the one who trains Mère Brazier, transmitting a gestural language and a level of exacting standards that would span the century.

Eugénie Brazier (1895-1977) is the most emblematic figure of this tradition. Born in the Ain department, an unwed mother at 19, she arrived in Lyon in 1914 and opened her first restaurant at 12 rue Royale in 1921. In 1933, she became the first person to win three Michelin stars in two establishments simultaneously an achievement that would not be equaled until 64 years later by a man, Alain Ducasse. Among her apprentices would be Paul Bocuse: it is Mère Brazier who taught him rigor, a love for the product, and the fundamentals of Lyon cuisine.

The Mothers of Lyon are not a closed chapter of history. The Mother Léa (Léa Bidaut), the Mother Richard (whose cheese shop still exists in the Halles Paul Bocuse) and many others have perpetuated this simple and traditional cuisine. Today, the La Mère Brazier restaurant, taken over in 2008 by Mathieu Viannay (Meilleur Ouvrier de France), continues to serve the "poularde demi-deuil" and the artichoke bottom with foie gras as a tribute to Eugénie.

Born in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or in 1926, Paul Bocuse comes from a family of chefs dating back to the 17th century. Trained by La Mère Brazier and then by Fernand Point in Vienne, he earned his first Michelin star in 1958, his second in 1962, and his third in 1965. He will keep his 3 stars for 53 years, until his death in January 2018.

Named« Chef of the Century »by Gault & Millau, creator of the Bocuse d'Or (the most prestigious global culinary competition, founded in Lyon in 1987), Bocuse made Lyon an international gastronomic reference. In his honor, the Halles of Lyon bearing his name since 2006. His monumental mural still watches over Cours Lafayette, facing the covered market he frequented every morning.

Lyon's cuisine offers must-try dishes. These are dishes born of the local soil, the genius of the Lyon mothers, and above all that had to be simple yet delicious in order to satisfy the Lyon food lovers accustomed to eating well. Here are the most important ones to know:

Probably the most iconic dish in Lyon. A sort of very light choux pastry, soft, incorporating pike meat, and most often coated with a Nantua crayfish sauce. It really has nothing to do with its industrial version! In Lyon, several artisans still shape it by hand.

Invention of Mère Fillioux, perpetuated by Mère Brazier and then by Paul Bocuse: a Bresse poultry in which of the black truffle slices are slid under the skin before cooking. The visual contrast (white and black) earned it its name. An exceptional dish that tells the whole story of Lyon gastronomy.

Beef tripe marinated, breaded and grilled. A typical "bouchon" dish, generous and uncompromising. Its name is said to come from the soldiers of the Military Engineering Corps, whose leather aprons resembled the thick breading that covers the cut.

Bright pink sugar-coated almonds, crushed and mixed with cream, on a crispy shortcrust pastry. Impossible to leave Lyon without having eaten a slice. Every baker has their recipe, every Lyonnais has their favorite.

The rosette is an exceptional dry sausage, cured in a natural casing. The cooking sausage eaten warm, poached, often served with a vinaigrette or wrapped in brioche (saucisson brioché). Two pillars of Lyon charcuterie, essential in any self-respecting bouchon.

It is the most consumed cheese in Lyon. Under the Halles Paul Bocuse, the Mère Richard cheese dairy has become famous for its aging process that makes it runny, almost liquid, which is called «Lyonnaise style». It has become a global benchmark for soft cheese. An absolute must.

The bouchon is at the heart of Lyon's gastronomic identity. These typical restaurants with checkered tablecloths, a friendly atmosphere, and generous portions were born in the 19th century. They were frequented first by the silk workers (the Canuts) and by the Journeymen of the Tour de France.

Today, a official certification of the «Les Bouchons Lyonnais» association guarantees the authenticity of certain establishments: homemade cuisine, local products, short menu. It is the label that distinguishes real bouchons from tourist imitations. Our guides know the addresses that are truly worth the detour.

At 102 Cours Lafayette, in the Part-Dieu district, Les Halles Paul Bocuse bring together the best artisans of Lyon under one roof. 13,500 m², over 50 artisans and merchants, including several Meilleurs Ouvriers de France: you will find cheesemongers, pork butchers, fishmongers, pastry chefs, and chocolatiers.

Paul Bocuse himself bought his supplies there every morning. The Halles have borne his name since 2006, in recognition of a lifetime dedicated to defending local producers and artisans.

If Lyon is the capital of gastronomy, it is also because’she is surrounded by the finest terroirs from France – and therefore the products that come from it! Within a radius of 100 km are located:

Reading about Lyon's gastronomy is one thing. Experiencing it is something else. At Lyon Food Tour, our guides are passionate locals, some historians, others sommeliers, all in love with their city. They take you to the places they frequent themselves, in groups limited to 12 people to guarantee an authentic and friendly experience.