Recently taken over by its owner/chef, this small restaurant has been turned into a beautiful, contemporary eatery serving tasty and light modern cuisine.

In the rapidly changing Gerland neighbourhood in the 7^th <i>arrondissement</i>, this restaurant takes you on a culinary journey. At the helm is a close-knit couple: Jennifer Palopoli on the restaurant floor and Ashwin Vijaykumar, who was born in India and trained in French pastry-making and cuisine in New Zealand. In a former neighbourhood bistro that has been turned into a bright and contemporary space, the chef creates dishes with exotic accents, drawing on spices from India and Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. We were particularly taken with the grey prawn toast with fine herbs, with a dab of turmeric mayonnaise and gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), one of their vibrant, generous dishes. A small courtyard to the rear completes this exotic haven.

Pieter Riedijk, ex-chef of Le Montgomerie (K2 Altitude), has left Courchevel for the valley to open this bistro serving "food for sharing". In a warm, rustic-style decor, Riedijk sources quality ingredients that he crafts into country recipes rich in hearty flavours: rillettes of black pork, veggie pickles; chuck confit beef, Mondeuse sauce; chocolate, hazelnut and caramel mousse. In a bid to make the most of the region’s treasure trove of bountiful spring and summer crops, he cherry-picks local farm produce, as well as foraging his own. A splendid addition to the valley’s culinary landscape!

This unfussy, up-to-date bistro sets the scene for instinctive, well-crafted food in the zeitgeist. Fine seasonal produce and a distinct fondness for vegetables result in dishes that combine formal elegance with flavoursome coherence. Now add lashings of generosity and a friendly vibe and you will find yourself in one of the best establishments on the Left Bank of Lyon.

This bistro with its hip Scandinavian-inspired decor specialises in seasonal, local ingredients. Examples of the deftly crafted, well-presented culinary pageant include pork chop from Breuil-sur-Couze, pressed aubergine in basil and chanterelles; apricot mousse, shiso and Auvergne honey ice cream.

Located on a pedestrian street, with an open kitchen that is already visible from outside, Agave references the plant from which tequila and mezcal are made. Raphaël and Fernanda Pillon, a French-Mexican couple and trained pastry-makers, create a brilliant fusion cuisine of French ingredients and Mexican flavours. After a stint in Mexico, the pair returned to his roots in the Ain, where they create balanced dishes, discerningly complemented by a variety of sauces and condiments: scallops and macha salsa, pastrami-style roast beef given a boost by salsa verde, veal rump elevated by an intense mole sauce. Their expertise in patisserie brings the meal to a wonderfully indulgent close.