Lyon has called itself the gastronomic capital of France for a century and the claim rests on two things. 20 bookable food tours below — plus the neighbourhoods and dishes the city is built around.
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The guide
Lyon has called itself the gastronomic capital of France for a century and the claim rests on two things. The first is geography: Bresse chickens, Charolais beef, Rhône wine to the south, Beaujolais to the north, and Alpine cheese to the east all arrive within a short distance. The second is the bouchon, a small restaurant serving offal-heavy worker food at a fixed price, which grew out of the silk trade and the women who cooked for it. This is not light cooking. Pork, cream, and butter carry most dishes. The city takes lunch more seriously than dinner.
Where to focus
Four neighbourhoods to anchor a few days of eating
Vieux Lyon
Renaissance streets on the west bank, a UNESCO site. Full of bouchons, some genuine and some aimed at coach parties. Look for the official certification plaque.
Presqu'île
The peninsula between the two rivers, and the commercial centre. Les Halles Paul Bocuse indoor market sits at the eastern edge.
Croix-Rousse
The hill where the silk workers lived, and where the bouchon tradition started. A daily market along the boulevard and restaurants without a tourist trade.
Guillotière
Across the Rhône, and the most diverse eating in the city. North African, Vietnamese, and Chinese kitchens at prices the centre does not offer.
What to eat
The dishes the city is known for
- 01
Quenelle
· Pike mousse poached into a light dumpling and baked in Nantua crayfish sauce. Delicate in theory and very rich in practice. - 02
Andouillette
· Coarse tripe sausage with a strong smell that divides people permanently. A bouchon signature, served with mustard sauce. - 03
Salade lyonnaise
· Frisée with lardons, croutons, and a poached egg in mustard vinaigrette. Ordered as a starter and often large enough to be lunch. - 04
Cervelle de canut
· Fresh cheese whipped with herbs, shallot, vinegar, and oil. The name means silk worker's brain, which tells you who was eating it. - 05
Praline tart
· Bright pink sugared almonds baked in cream in a pastry shell. Sold in every patisserie window and impossible to miss. - 06
Beaujolais
· Gamay from just north, served young and slightly chilled. The house pour in a bouchon, in a heavy-bottomed pot bottle.
Practical notes
Meal timing, tipping, payment
Lunch 12:00 to 14:00 and it is the serious meal here. Dinner 19:30 to 21:30. Bouchons work on a fixed-price formule and often close weekends, which surprises visitors. Look for the Authentique Bouchon Lyonnais plaque to avoid the imitations in Vieux Lyon. Service is included. Les Halles closes Sunday afternoon and Monday.
All 20 food tours
Viator last revised 2026-11-09The full list · sponsored partner links
- 01
Lyon Old Town Food Tour with Local Specialties Tasting & Lunch
Lyon Food Tour offers a 4-hour unique gastronomy experience with lunch. Accompanied by a passionate local guide discover the capital of gastronomy during a rhythmic visit full of unusual anecdotes and exceptional culinar
4h - 02
Guided tour and wine tasting Northern Rhône Valley
A unique guided tour to meet the wines and winemakers of the Rhone Valley North. I am Justine PONCET, founder of SUR LES SENTIERS DE L'OENOTOURISME. I am your local Guide, who knows the region well and will know all alo
4.3h from $119 - 03
Lyon Wine Tasting: Small-Group Blind Tasting with a Sommelier
Five wines across four regions: Crémant de Bourgogne to open, then Beaujolais, Burgundy, Northern Rhône, and a wildcard from Savoie or the Jura Led by a certified sommelier in plain English, zero wine snobbery Blind tast
2h from $99 - 04
Lyon Sunset Food Tour & Wine -Taste of France by Do Eat Better
Do Eat Better Experience Lyon Food Tour is a walking tour around the old town. You will be guided by a Local Expert who's able to explain every detail of the selected restaurants, their preparations, and any other releva
3.5h - 05
Lyon Old Town Food Tour with 5 Authentic Dishes & Fine Wine
Food is undoubtedly one of Lyon's most beloved traditions. Since 1935, the city has been considered the world capital of gastronomy. When Lyon's culinary traditions were being forged, the famous "Mères Lyonnaises" (Lyonn
3.5h - 06
Lyon Small-Group Food Tour with Wine & Full Meal by Do Eat Better
Thanks to the Do Eat Better Experience Food Tours you will have an overview of the gastronomic tradition of the beautiful city of Lyon and feel like a true local, while walking through the streets and tasting delicious t
3.5h from $99 - 07
Beaujolais wine tour from Lyon half day
Called the french Tuscany, the south of the Beaujolais is warm with its golden stone which shines in the sun. This limestone, full of iron oxide reflects light in the heart of the green vineyards. Come and taste a volupt
4h from $109 - 08
Lyon French Wine & Cheese Experience with a Sommelier
What makes this experience unique is the combination of authentic French wine culture and a private tasting salon located in the heart of Lyon. The tasting takes place in an elegant and intimate venue designed for wine
2.5h from $195 - 09
Croix Rousse Market & Rooftop Cooking Class in Lyon
This unique experience combines a market tour, hands-on cooking class, and a delectable 4-course French lunch on a picturesque rooftop overlooking the city. Explore the lively Croix Rousse Market, handpick fresh ingredi
3.5h from $186 - 10
Gourmet tour of Presqu’île & Vieux Lyon 4 hours - meal included
Accompanied by a passionate local Guide, you will explore Lyon’s two iconic districts on this 4-hour gourmet tour combining gastronomy and heritage. You will taste local products during 5 carefully selected tasting break
4h from $89 - 11
Afternoon Old Town Food tour
Go to discover the Old Town district between murals paintings, traboules, must-see places punctuated meetings passionate locals craftsmen who will share their expertise and their delicious products emblematics of Lyon.
3h from $75 - 12
Beaujolais & Perouges Medieval Town (9:00 am to 5:15 pm - Small Group Tour Lyon
Escape from city and discover Lyon's magnificient countryside and its best sights. Visit Oingt & Pérouges listed among the 157 most beautiful towns in France and taste award winning Beaujolais wines at a small family win
8.3h from $145 - 13
Pastries & Stories of Lyon with a Local Guide
This guided pastry tour is made for food lovers who want to discover the city through its most indulgent traditions with Anna, your local foodie friend in Lyon. You’ll taste some of the finest French and Lyonnais pastr
2h from $69 - 14
Beaujolais Crus wine tour from Lyon Full day
You will explore the most sensual vineyard in France ! Let’s go to the north of Lyon to discover a very nice hilly wine region that produces a light, fruity and gourmet wine with some character.
6h - 15
Lyon: Private Burgundy Half Day Wine Tour by Vintage Land Rover
Take a Vintage Land Rover tour with us from Lyon to Burgundy. The south of Bourgogne/Burgundy produces white wine, it's a region known as Mâconnais which is the border with beaujolais region. The area's first source of i
4h from $230 - 16
4h Complete Lyon Experience: E-Bike, Food Tasting & Old Town Walk
This 4-hour complete Lyon experience is designed for travelers who want to discover the city from every angle in a single tour. By combining an electric bike ride, a local food tasting, and a guided walking tour of Vieux
4h - 17
Lyon: Private dining experience through 3 restaurants
Why choose one good restaurant when you can discover three? Our insiders will take you for a lunch or a traveling dinner, discovering restaurants frequented primarily by locals. Along the way, you will discover three bi
2.5h from $195 - 18
Cotes du Rhone Wine Tour (9:00 am to 5:15 pm) - Small Group Tour from Lyon
Carved on the rock by generations of wine-makers along the Rhone River, the Northern Cotes du Rhone Valley provides a striking spectacle with the vertigo-inducing vineyards of Cote Rotie & Condrieu. Discover the Côtes du
8.3h from $160 - 19
Beaujolais Crus Wines & Castles (2:00 pm - 6:30 pm) - Small Group Tour from Lyon
Brouilly, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-a-Vent, Juliénas, etc. Welcome to the Northern Beaujolais Region where the elite Gamay wines called "crus" are produced! Along this wine tour, as you drive through charming t
4.5h from $109 - 20
Private Half Day Wine Tour from Lyon in Beaujolais
Come discover the hidden gems, good wines and back roads of Beaujolais with us onboard our Vintage Land Rovers. During this exclusive experience with a passionate local insider, you’ll visit 2 wineries usually closed to
4h from $220
Frequently asked
- How much do food tours in Lyon cost?
- Roughly $69–$230 per person, with the median around $119.
- When should I book?
- One to two weeks ahead in peak season; same-day is sometimes possible off-peak but limits choice.