19 Best Restaurants in Lyon and the Alps, France

For anyone who's never dined in one of France's grand old restaurants, this two-star stunner would be a fine start, set in a century-old chalet-inn in the tiny storybook village of Talloires on the incomparably beautiful Lac d'Annecy. From start to finish you'll be pampered in the old style. Although chef Jean Sulpice has updated the cuisine, dishes like veal carpaccio with white caviar and horseradish cream; poulet de Bresse stuffed with truffles and foie gras; and steamed lake fish with scallops, fennel, and ginger beurre blanc feature all the luxe ingredients that distinguish French gastronomy. On a warm day, a table on the gracious terrace overlooking the lake is a must. Prices are not for the fainthearted, but good memories are priceless.

If you think the Pic empire has a lock on Valence gastronomy, think again: the extraordinary precision and refinement of Baptiste Poinot's cooking makes a foodie stopover in Valence an absolute must. Though the dining room itself is a bit on the quirky side, there is nothing to quibble over when it comes to the gorgeous presentation and scintillating tastes in dishes like melt-in-your-mouth trout fillet with salsify puree and crunchy grains of roasted buckwheat all in a cloud of curried foam. Desserts are equally tantalizing and the bountiful cheese cart is a sight to behold. The €38 lunch menu is a good introduction to this marvelous Michelin-starred cuisine.

The sleek, loft-like bistrot won a Michelin Bib Gourmand award for its great-value, top-quality market menu that's reinvented daily according to the inspiration of the two young chefs and "what the earth offers us." Along with stunning dishes that please the eye as much as the palate—white asparagus with pistachio mousseline; locally made burrata with wild garlic, herbs, and leeks; gyoza dumplings with homemade kimchi and locally grown shiitakes—you'll find a tantalizing list of local organic wines. As a foodie favorite in Grenoble, be sure to make reservations whether you're coming for lunch or dinner.

Hidden over Place des Terreaux, this semisecret upstairs dining room in a former silk-weaving loft prepares some of Lyon's finest and most daring cuisine. A place at the window (admittedly hard to come by), overlooking the facade of the Beaux Arts academy across the square, is a moment to remember—especially during December's Festival of Lights. The six-course €59 tasting menu at dinner is a steal for this quality of dining.

Set on the edge of Valence's Old Town, a few minutes from the Parc Jouvet, this hidden gem is one more reason to get thee to Valence. Chef Masashi Ijichi's Japanese roots and pedigreed French training (at the House of Pic) merge in a stunning cuisine that is virtuosic without being bombastic. Ijichi's delicate flavor pairings and poetic presentation rely on the intrinsic virtues of the freshest ingredients: an inky black sea urchin filled with golden pumpkin whipped cream and jellied lobster or white chocolate mousse and bright mango puree. The pared down dining room is an excellent backdrop to highlight the food, but be sure to leave some time, as this is a moment to savor.

The exceptional Domaine du Mont d'Arbois Four Seasons hotel has doubly distinguished itself by the enviable accomplishment of having scored a partnership with chef Anne-Sophie Pic, hands down France's most famous female chef and one the most starred cooks in the country, whose three-star restaurant in Valence is one of the most famous in France. Unlike most celebrity chefs, Pic stands by her reputation, insisting on actually cooking in the kitchen that bears her name. Meaning you're assured a stellar meal that makes the steep price of both dining room and hotel well worth the splurge.

Set back near the river in Annecy's picturesque old town, this casual, laid-back restaurant is a place the locals would rather keep to themselves. From the first amuse-bouche to dessert, diners can't wait to taste what's next from a cuisine anchored in French technique and enhanced with plenty of far-flung influences. Prices are gentle for this quality of food and its a favorite in town, so be sure to reserve.

Though delicious coffee, croissants, and pastries are on the all-day menu, Swedish chef Connie Zagora and her pastry chef husband, Laurent Ozan, dish up one of the more exciting gastronomic lunches in town in this luminous little café. A new concept that's catching hold in Paris and Lyon alike, the restaurant is open from 8 am to 6:30 pm, serving an all-day menu of sweet or savory breakfast foods (think broiled eggs with soy sauce, trout gravlax with dill cream, homemade granola, and fromage frais) and a range of homemade pastries. But the real star is the three-course (€29) lunch menu, offering such gourmet delights as velvety green parsley and leek vichyssoise, followed by marinated cod or steak with parsnip cream black sesame and shiitake mushrooms. All ingredients are locally sourced and the chef is vegetarian friendly.

Christophe Roure, who earned his chops with the likes of Bocuse and Gagnaire, now has two Michelin stars at this smashing restaurant. Considered one of Lyon's top tables, Roure's artistry extends to even the smallest details in dishes of exquisite refinement: Breton langoustine poached in saffron bouillon with tender violet artichokes; shellfish and shiitake ragout served with lemongrass-ginger hollandaise; pigeon and citrus-infused beets with a sauce of blackberry and bitter-orange marmalade. Stunning to behold, the desserts are a highlight from a master chef who counts pastry making among his many accomplishments.

Korean chef Younghoon Lee brings a pared-down aesthetic to both his stylishly spare dining room and a menu of exciting, imaginative dishes that has made this one of Lyon's most sought-after tables. The house Champagne-and-yuzu aperitif is a perfect send-off for a scintillating starter of pressed foie gras and smoked eel, followed by monkfish in a crayfish-and-shiitake bouillon or Wagyu beef with sweet onion puree and crispy hazelnut tuiles. For dessert, an ethereal almond cake with poached pear and cider ice cream is almost too good to be true. With an inspired list of small-producer wines and a well-priced six-course prix-fixe dinner menu (€105), there's plenty to discover.

Chefs Tabata and Ludovic Mey made instant waves when they opened this stylish but casual dining room serving a "liberated and sincere" menu that plays with textures, temperatures, and flavor pairings. Options include crisp white beans paired with velvety smoked eel and cubes of bone marrow with sparks of lemon thyme; you can also enjoy the crunch of roasted chamomile flowers over tender squid, with tart-sweet Meyer lemon and chamomile oil. The eight-course dinner menu (€98) is the best way to explore this virtuosic cuisine.

This chalet-style two-Michelin-star restaurant is one of your best options for a spectacular post-ski lunch or a romantic gastronomic dinner that will impress even the pickiest gourmand. Chef Benoit Vidal is uncompromising when it comes to local ingredients, and what he does with them is pure art. Dinners here are as elegant an affair as it gets, with linens, candlelight, and every attention to detail. At lunchtime the €68 three-course menu may seem pricey, but compared with a €30 hamburger elsewhere it's a steal.

Set on a tiny street at the foot of the Croix Rousse neighborhood, this small, casual eatery is surely the best bargain in town, with nothing on the menu over €10 and each plate a small delight of sublime and provocative flavors. It's also an invitation to travel, with far-flung influences that take you from Korea via an ethereal smoked mousse and kimchi, Japan with dishes like miso-barbecued chicken or teriyaki braised beef, and the Middle East in the Ajo Blanco zaatar-spiced zucchini. Don't spend too much time deciding because every single dish is excellent and once started you'll want to taste everything. Reservations are a must.

Culinary innovation runs deep in this food-centric city, and Gaëtan Gentil is among the new generation chefs shaking things up, with a fruit-and-vegetable-centered cuisine that's as subtle as it is surprising. Unexpected flavor combinations (grapefruit and marigold; chicken and lemon verbena) are refreshingly original and presented with an almost pictorial beauty. With only 10 tables, reasonable prices, and a shiny Michelin star, reservations are a must.

Cupid's arrows don't quite account for the rapturous reviews (and one Michelin star) garnered by Tsuyoshi Arai in his tiny chocolate box of a restaurant. The persnickety Lyonnais have fallen hard, waiting weeks to savor dishes that combine Japanese subtlety with rigorous French technique—like poached foie gras and creamy parsnip puree with caramelized carrot sauce, scallops rolled in sole and smoky bacon, verbena-infused lobster consommé with caviar, and salmon tartare in a gingery court bouillon with zucchini mousse. The cozy atmosphere only adds to its allure.

For 80 years this sawdust-strewn café with homey red-check tablecloths has reigned as one of the city's leading bouchons, and although its glory days are long past, it's still a good bet for an authentic experience. For a taste of classic Lyon gastronomy in a historic setting, the deftly prepared local classics like boudin noir, boudin blanc (white-meat sausage), or andouillettes (veal and pork tripe sausage) are hard to beat.

Deep blues and pearly grays dominate this elegantly streamlined dining room where chef Élie Michel-Villaz has made seasonality and simplicity his hallmark. Dishes change weekly, but diners have come to rely on his ingenious combinations of local grass-fed meats and organic vegetables with exotic accents, like tonka bean or smoked eel. What's more, the wine list is outstanding, prices are gentle, and you're encouraged to taste, sip, and savor this reliably delicious cuisine at your leisure.

Accomplished chef Julien Gautier struts his considerable stuff at this stylish upper-Brotteaux-district bistro east of the Rhône. Expect an inventive, market-driven cuisine, characterized by dishes like slow-cooked lamb with grilled eggplant, buffalo mozzarella, and pine nuts; jumbo shrimp in a broth of garlic and tarragon; or succulent Basque chicken with grilled chorizo and roasted red peppers to savor along with a fine selection of good-value wines by the bottle or glass. Consistently fabulous food, gentle prices, and a sleek contemporary design have made this bistro an exceedingly popular choice among fashionable foodies.