During my 3.5 days in Lille, I managed to eat my way around the city! Having learnt before going to Lille of what key menu items I needed to try, I gave it my best effort. As I travelled solo, it was harder to try as many things. When I travel with my Dutch Hunk, I can try twice as many foods as when solo, so I must say, I didn’t get through everything on my list! Which only means I’ll need to go back to Lille, which I can’t wait for!
So, What to Eat in Lille, and Where to eat it? I’ve got you covered.
Eating in Lille
Lille is a foodie paradise! With the influences from both French and Belgian cultures, the cuisine reflects this perfectly! Some of the best dishes to eat in Lille include the Carbonades Flamandes, which is a Flemish stew, a Belgian version of the Dutch Stroopwafel, and of course French Macarons. Actually, one menu item I saw everywhere but did not try was a dish called ‘Welch’. It is supposedly not related to Welsh cuisine, however I’ll let you be the judge. It is a slice of bread, covered in ham and cheese, with a beer element. So, kind of a Welsh Rarebit, kind of a French Croque Monsieur. The beer part coming from the Flemish influence.
Important to know about restaurants in Lille: After the lunch service the restaurants close until 7pm. So for those of you who like to dine early, Lille is not for you… or you’ll need to buy snacks to get you through until an acceptable dining time.
Hot Tip: Now, I went to a restaurant at 7:30pm one evening, I was starving. I was ALONE in the restaurant until around 8:30pm, before it promptly filled up by 9pm. So, if you want a guaranteed table at a nice restaurant, just try arriving earlier than Lille-acceptable hour.
Coffee
Okay, so generally, we start our mornings with caffeine, & finding great coffee when I’m travelling is one of the key things for me. I cannot do life with out coffee, so not drinking coffee on vacation will just see me spiral into a permanent headache and being grumpy. So, start your morning at either of these 2 coffee spots I found and loved!
Tamper! Espresso Bar
10 Rue des Vieux Murs, 59800 Lille, France
I went to Tamper! one morning to grab a coffee, but once I walked inside, I changed my mind and decided to grab a table and stay a while. With good vibes, nice baristas and a cool design inside, it was the perfect way to start the day.
With Free Wifi, the stimulating aroma of coffee and comfy pillows surrounding me, I ordered the banana bread (one of my favourites!) & a flat white. One of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had was paired with a banana bread deliciously scattered with chocolate chips! I don’t usually eat chocolate for breakfast but – vacation calories don’t count!
CoffeeMakers
151 Rue Pierre Mauroy, 59800 Lille, France
Before heading to my cooking class with L’atelier des Chefs, I knew there was a well-regarded cafe near by that I wanted to sample the coffee of. Coffeemakers is not only a cafe with exceptional coffee, but also a roastery where their staff travel across the world sourcing the beans they will use in the cafe!
I had 2 coffees at Coffeemakers, a Flat White and the Malteasers Cappuccino. I’m not usually one for chocolate with coffee (no mocha’s for me) but Malteasers are my favourite candy, so I caved and ordered it. To my surprise, it was divine! The Malteasers were the right kind of melty as I drank the delicious cappuccino. If you are in Lille, you really just have to try it!
Cake
Maison Meert
25-27 Rue Esquermoise, 59000 Lille, France
Beautiful French pattisserie Meert is an institution in Lille – so you simply cannot miss out on making a visit! They are well known for their waffle with vanilla, but I did not try it – opting for a glorious slice of cake and pot of tea instead! My cake was the Imperial with hazelnut and chocolate layers.
L’impertinente
9 Boulevard Papin, 59800 Lille, France
Well known as one of the best places to come for cake in Lille, this tiny tea room down by the Port de Paris was a great spot to rest my tourist feet! I had a slice of carrot cake and an iced tea in the sunshine on their street terrace.
Galettes/Crepes
I stumbled upon a small creperie along my wanderings around Lille, and to be honest, I only went inside because of the lunch menu! 2 galettes (1 savoury, 1 sweet) for a very good price (which I cannot remember!). My savoury option was the ham, cheese and egg – top choice! I had my eyes on the chocolate crepe after and it was so sweet I went into a sugar coma! In a good way 😉
Steak & Frites – Le Petit Cour
17 Rue du Cure Saint-Etienne, 59800 Lille, Frankrijk
This place oozed charm and the atmosphere was delightful. I dined alone, since I was on a solo trip to Lille, however I didn’t feel alone here! The head waiter befriended me and made sure I felt comfortable always. On my way out he gave me a shot, because I had the courage to eat alone! Very sweet but also, not necessary. Aside from the charm of this place, the food was excellent! A simple entrecote steak with a bowl of fries never tasted so good.
Carbonades Flamandes – Estaminet Au Vieux de la Vieille
2-4 Rue des Vieux Murs, 59000 Lille, France
The Carbonades Flamandes is a dish I heard I had to try from my walking tour guide. And he told me that this restaurant was the place to try it! He was right, of course. I enjoyed trying this stew however it was a little sugary – which I didn’t love. However most other people I saw eating it were raving over how good it was! The ambience of this restaurant is also fantastic. Being in Old Lille, there is charm in every detail of the restaurant.
Beer –
Beerstro
10 Rue du Pont Neuf, 59000 Lille, France
This bar/restaurant has a fairly unique concept. Pour as much beer as you want from any of the beer taps and pay later. You receive a card which is your tab. Swipe the card before you can pour any beer, and the screens show how much you’ve taken. I tried a few different beers here. And what was great was that I could just take small glasses of each to try to work out what I wanted a larger glass of!
Vivat Factory
3 Place Gilleson, 59000 Lille, France
Right by the cathedral, the Vivat Factory is beer heaven. There isn’t much in the way of food, but they will serve you many delicious beers and that’s fine by me!
La Goudale
brewed in Douai not far from Lille, this is a local beer which can be found in many establishments – give it a try!
Creme Brulee – Estaminet Au Vieux de la Vieille
2-4 Rue des Vieux Murs, 59000 Lille, France
OH-MI-GOD. When in France it’s pretty standard to eat creme brulee at every moment possible. So naturally I tried it a couple of times in Lille – with the version from Aux Vieux Lille being the standout winner! Add this to your eating list for Lille!!!
Cooking Class – Atelier des chefs
74 Boulevard de la Liberté, 59000 Lille, France
When I’m not travelling or working my day job here in Amsterdam, I consider myself a whiz in the kitchen! I love to cook and love learning new tips and tricks. And doing a cooking class in France is a bucket list item if you ask me – so in Lille I joined a class to learn the art of French cooking!
I ended up being the only student in the 1pm class (everyone else took the 12noon class) so I had the chef to myself in a one-on-one! He taught me how to chop an onion without crying (brilliant!) and I cooked a divine asian/french fusion Duck dish for my lunch!
I highly recommend the Atelier des chefs – the chefs are lovely and there are always handy tips you can take home and add to your kitchen skills!
The class cost: €17
I hope this has tickled your taste buds! Want to find out more about Lille? I’ve written a guide to Lille, including what to see and do, where to stay and more!
Interested in spending a weekend in Lille? Check these tours out!
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Australian expat, married to a Dutch guy, living in Amsterdam. Previously lived in London for 3 years, too! Lover of travel, coffee, brunch, beaches, fresh flowers, and family. Now a new mum, navigating life with a baby!
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A mouth watering read