For Daniel Boulud, the French culinary capital of Lyon is not simply the city that shaped him as a chef. It’s the place he returns to for family, memories and the tastes that taught him how food could carry a sense of place.
Since moving to the United States in 1982, Mr. Boulud has opened Michelin-starred restaurants and dining rooms around the world. His newest project, Brasserie Boulud, a two-level flagship inspired by France’s grand brasserie tradition, opened this month across from Lincoln Center in Manhattan.
Mr. Boulud, 71, was raised on his family’s farm in St.-Pierre-de-Chandieu, just outside Lyon, where he spent his childhood helping care for cows and goats, working in the fields, and cooking alongside his relatives. Those early experiences, he said, gave him “a deep appreciation for fresh ingredients, seasonality and the rhythms of the land.” The farmhouse where he learned to cook remains in his family today, and his brothers and sisters live nearby. Mr. Boulud visits every summer when his schedule allows. “No matter where life and my career have taken me, Lyon will always be home,” he said.
Asking a chef to choose a favorite place to eat — especially in his hometown — can feel a bit like asking a grandparent to choose a favorite grandchild. But Mr. Boulud took on the challenge, and his recommendations vary widely. Honorable mentions include Le Suprême, which he likes for “very good chef-driven cooking at very fair prices,” and Daniel et Denise, a classic local spot known as a “bouchon,” which he calls “a deeply rooted Lyonnais experience.” He also loves Bernachon chocolates, whose “bean-to-bar craftsmanship and rich praline work make it one of the most respected names in Lyon’s chocolate culture.”
Here are Mr. Boulud’s five favorite places in Lyon.
1. Villa Florentine
At the highest point of Lyon’s historic district, with sweeping views of the city, the Villa Florentine hotel occupies a 17th-century former convent washed in creamy ocher and peach hues. “Every time I stay here, I’m reminded of how beautiful the city is,” Mr. Boulud said. “What makes it even more unique is its history,” he added. “You can still feel that character and sense of heritage throughout the property.” Sunlight streams through large windows to fill the common areas, while dark wood furnishings, caramel-toned rugs and upholstery, and spare, framed artworks give the hotel a calming ambience.
2. La Mère Brazier
You can’t talk about Lyon’s culinary history without mentioning La Mère Brazier. Founded in 1921 by the pioneering female chef Eugénie Brazier, this local institution serving specialties like pâté en croûte and artichoke foie gras is now led by the two-Michelin-starred chef Mathieu Viannay. For Mr. Boulud, it’s “one of those rare places where you feel the legacy of Lyonnais cuisine in every detail.” Its appeal, he said, has little to do with trends or design. “It’s about essence. The history of Lyon is quite literally embedded in the walls, in the rhythm of service and in the precision of the cooking.”
3. Parc de la Tête d’Or
This 259-acre, English-garden-inspired jewel, one of France’s largest urban parks, opened in 1857. It features a zoo, rose gardens, a merry-go-round, pony rides and pedal boats that visitors can rent to ply the lake at its center. “I spent a lot of time there growing up, and that connection is part of why I later named my steakhouse in New York La Tête d’Or,” Mr. Boulud said.
4. Fourvière
Perched on a hill, the Fourvière district is where Lyon’s layers are easiest to see: Ancient ruins and views of the old city spread out below. Mr. Boulud is quick to point out that although people casually call the striking Notre-Dame de Fourvière a cathedral, it is a basilica. (A cathedral is the seat of a bishop; basilica is a special designation, often bestowed by the pope.) Also on the hill, the Théâtres Antiques de Fourvière, a complex of Roman theaters, are still used for concerts today. It’s “one of those places where Lyon’s Roman history feels very present,” Mr. Boulud said.
After exploring Fourvière, he recommends taking the funicular down to Vieux Lyon, one of Europe’s most beautiful Renaissance-era neighborhoods, with narrow cobbled streets, hidden courtyards and the covered passageways that locals call traboules. “It’s a simple walk, but an extraordinary one,” he said.
5. Maison Reynon
“Lyon has always been a source of inspiration for me,” Mr. Boulud said. “That Lyonnais touch is present throughout my cuisine wherever I go.” If you’re looking to indulge in a distinctive taste of the city, he recommends a Lyon-style saucisson from Maison Reynon, a classic charcuterie known for the kind of practical, unfussy cooking the city does so well. For him, saucisson is “one of those simple, authentic pleasures” that capture the spirit of the city.
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