It will come as no surprise that Lyon’s seventh arrondissement is the city’s most up-and-coming neighbourhood when you stumble upon gems like Le Kitchen Café. Open from Wednesday to Sunday for breakfast, lunch and afternoon cake and coffee, the undeniable highlight is the daily three-course lunch menu, priced at €23. Run by a Swedish-French couple, the food is multi-cultural, local and seasonal.

Les Apothicaires is a gastronomic masterpiece run by chef couple Tabata and Ludovic Mey. Brazilian Tabata and French Ludovic met in Lyon and travelled the world together before returning here to start their culinary adventure. Les Apothicaires’ proposal is simple: four, five or six courses – all of which reflect the chefs’ love of market-fresh produce and deep understanding of flavours, where Rhône-Alpes and Nordic influences mingle with South American accents to create an unforgettable dining experience.

Star chef Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex heads up the elegant one-Michelin star l’Auberge de L’Ile Barbe. His tantalising recipes, which include the “royale” of duck foie gras with seasonal green asparagus and morels and the unforgettable tender lobster with a sweet wine reduction and fresh figs, are served in the most romantic setting imaginable – an auberge (guest house) dating back to 1621 perched on a tiny, lush, green island set in between the banks of the river Saône.

The newest addition to Lyon’s restaurant scene is À La Piscine – a trendy eatery and terrace that overlooks the River Rhône and the famous outdoor swimming pool known by locals as the “Piscine du Rhône”.

Lyon may be the home of nouvelle cuisine, but the history of Lyonnaise cuisine has much humbler origins. To experience the city’s most authentic form of gastronomy, head to a “bouchon”, or butcher’s house, where you will find dishes made of animal parts you didn’t even know existed. For an authentic experience, try Daniel et Denise at one of its three locations across the city, where bestsellers include lamb sweetbread salad with chopped parsley, calf’s head cooked in court-bouillon with herb sauce, Bresse chicken and morels in creamy sauce, and hot game pâté.