As a world capital of gastronomy, Lyon, France, boasts many absolutely delicious culinary specialities that locals enjoy as much as visitors. The Lyonnais love to eat, and will linger over a meal with friends for hours. And why not? They enjoy next level cuisine that every visitor to the city should similarly learn to appreciate. Whether it’s gooey cheese, a delicate quenelle in nantua sauce or floating meringue islands in crème anglais, the foods of Lyon have something to suit all tastes.
Decadent and delicious culinary dishes of Lyon
Salade Lyonnaise
Meals in Lyon can tend on the heavier side – all that butter, cream and the like. So starting a meal with a fresh salade Lyonnaise is always a good plan. This classic salad is made with lettuce (usually dandelion greens), smoky bacon, croutons and a poached or soft-boiled egg. It’s a perfect dish to whet your appetite at the beginning of a meal.
Cervelle de canut
Truly a signature dish of Lyon, cervelle de canut is named after Lyon’s silk-workers, known as ‘canuts.’ They were unable to afford the delicacy of lamb’s brains (cervelle) back in the day; instead, they ate this speciality made with drained fromage frais, garlic, shallots, chives, salt and pepper all mixed together and served with toast or boiled potatoes. The dish makes for a savoury starter or cheese course at a party with friends.
Pâté en croûte
This is a delicious combination of charcuterie and pastry, made with cooked pâté in a short crust pastry. It was one of the main dishes of medieval French cuisine. Making it is labour intensive, but the final product always tastes as good as it looks. DYK: There’s even a world pâté en croûte championship.
Rosette de Lyon
A form of dry sausage is that 40 cm long or more; considered one of Lyon’s most iconic specialities.
Quenelle Lyonnaise
Whether it’s plain or pike-flavoured, quenelle is THE Lyonnais dish that everyone must try when visiting. Quenelle Lyonnaise takes time to prepare and is oven-cooked au gratin, then served with a tomato sauce, the famous Nantua sauce (made of crayfish) or béchamel, Quenelle Lyonnaise is a perfect dish for winter days, though it can certainly be enjoyed at any time of year.
Saucisson brioché
Sausage wrapped in bread, what’s not to love? Saucisson brioché is made with a cooked Lyonnais saucisson, usually filled with pistachios and wrapped in loaf of soft brioche bread. This delicious dish is definitely one of the stars of Lyonnais cuisine. You’ll have try a few varieties to judge if you prefer it with or without pistachios. (I’m team pistachio.)
Tablier de sapeur
Not my favourite thing, but tripe is very popular in France and Italy, so don’t be surprised to see it featured on a Lyonnais menu. This dish features a piece of tripe marinated in white wine and cooked in stock and then coated with breadcrumbs.
Tablier de sapeur owes its unusual name to the Maréchal de Castellane, Lyon’s military governor under Napoleon III and a former sapper (‘sapeur’ in French) in the military engineering corps. These soldiers wore a leather apron (‘tablier’ in French), which bears an uncanny resemblance with the dish.
Saint-Marcellin Cheese
This super creamy cow’s milk cheese is soft with a bloomy rind, and is considered by many to be one of the best French cheeses. While technically not originally from Lyon, Saint-Marcellin has become ‘of place’ thanks to Mère Richard, a famous Lyonnais cheese seller who specialized in maturing Saint-Marcellin in Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse.
Lyonnais Desserts
Sweet treats in Lyon tend towards the tooth-achingly sweet variety. Super rich but super delicious. Why not indulge?
Bugnes
These delicious, light as air fritters sprinkled with icing sugar are generally made just before Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent begins. In Lyon you can find them year round. Their name comes from the local word ‘bugni’, which means ‘beignet’ (French for ‘fritter’ or ‘doughnut’).
Coussin de Lyon
Made with a chocolate ganache filling coated in almond paste (marzipan) and flavoured with curaçao, the Lyonnais “coussin” (pillow) was created in the 1960s by the chocolate-maker Voisin.
These sweet treats are a true local institution and take four days to make. The shape is like a plump cushion, on which municipal magistrates are said to have placed a seven-pound candle and a golden escutcheon in 1643, to entreat the Virgin Mary to spare the city during an outbreak of the plague. Tip: A box of Coussin de Lyon makes an ideal sweet souvenir of Lyon.
Ile Flottante
Also known as oeufs a la neige, the floating island or île flottante is a light-as-air dessert consisting of soft meringue floating on crème anglaise. A favourite of children of any age, the dessert can be served at room temperature or chilled
Tarte à la praline
Pink pralines can be found everywhere in Lyon. Buy a wee snack bag or enjoy the super sweet candy when made into a fuschia-bright tart that brightens the end of every meal. A little goes a long way to accompany afternoon tea or after a fine Lyonnais dinner.
Where to find all these sweet and savoury Lyonnais delicacies? The shops and stands in Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse or the marketplace of Saint Antoine are great places to find many of these dishes and sweets. Dining-wise, a local buchon restaurant that specializes in the best of Lyonnais cuisine will have many of these signature dishes.
Pin for Later
Photo credits: Claudia Laroye and Visit Lyon
- Coming of age in the shadow of Chernobyl - April 26, 2026
- How to enjoy two days in magnificent Montreal - April 8, 2026
- This summer, choose Canada with the Canada Strong Pass - March 31, 2026