The 7 Best Lyon Food Tours in France’s Gastronomic Capital

Walking tours are ideal to discover Lyon and lyonnaise cuisine.

My first Lyon food tour was typical: it involved walking around the Old Town, sampling everything from pralines to saucisson. But the best part was meeting the various restaurant and shop owners, who explained the "why" of dishes, and the stories behind them.

The 7 Best Lyon Food Tours

Below you’ll find a list of the top 7 food tours to take in Lyon, and they're all highly rated, with a minimum of 4.5 out of 5 stars (most actually have 5/5).

Lyon has over 4,000 restaurants that feature French cuisine, including many local and regional specialties. Food has long been an important part of the local culture, and many of the best-loved recipes have been passed down through generations − that's how important food is here.

Most Lyon food gourmet tours traditionally involve a walk through the historic old town, where you'll visit several establishments and sample food and wine. A few other tours may take you to different parts of town, like the vegan tour that goes to Croix-Rousse or the bike tour that explores several parts of Lyon. 

Whichever you choose will be a great start to your Lyon culinary adventure − and you won't have to face the overwhelming decisions of what to try first, where, and you'll gain plenty of insight into the food culture. 

Let me add that many of the Lyon food tours are similar, varying only in length and the choice of local artisans along the way, whether charcuterie producers or praline makers. They're all highly rated and you'll do well with any of them.

Also, descriptions are accurate at the time of writing but stops and samples may change, so be sure to click through and check before you book!

1. Secret Food Tours Lyon with Private Food Tour Option

Indulge in the best of French cuisine including freshly baked pastries, a traditional Canut breakfast sampling, Lyonnais sweet treats, French cheeses, and a secret dish on this tasty Lyon food tour − which also, by the way, includes a tasting of French wine. 

This secret food tour in Lyon will explore the Old Town Neighborhood of the city. The group is limited to 12 people so it is the perfect way to experience the food culture in Lyon without a large crowd. 

You can also book this as a completely private tour for just your group. Not only does a private tour give you a more personalized experience, but it also can fit better with your schedule as you can select a start time based on your needs.

2. Lyon Old Town Half-Day Walking Food Tour with Local Specialties

This half-day food tour takes place in Lyon’s historic old town and stops at 6 different establishments, where you'll taste 10 different local specialities, meet local food producers and learn more about Lyon’s incredible gastronomical scene. Make sure you show up for this tour hungry, because it also includes a delicious lunch.

This highly rated food tour is limited to a small group of 12, so you’ll get a personalized experience and be able to interact with the local guide.

The tour takes place in Lyon’s old town and includes a walking tour to learn more about the history and culture of the neighborhood.

3. Vieux Lyon 4-Hour Food Tasting Tour

Another exploration of Vieux Lyon takes place with this 4-hour Lyon food tour, during which you'll taste 14 delicious local products. As part of your tour, you'll explore St Jean Cathedral, along with Old Lyon's traboules, or secret passageways, once used by merchants to keep their silk cloth dry.

This tour mixes history and food tastings and gives you the chance to explore Lyon’s oldest neighborhood while tasting some delicious food. Your guide will show you 5 different places where you can enjoy local food tastings and learn more about the food culture of Lyon.

4. Lyon Food Walking Tour with a Local Guide

This Old Town walking tour stops at 4 different places to meet with local artisans to learn more about French cuisine in Lyon. This afternoon food tour allows you to sample some of the best French food, including typical dishes – an assortment of regional cheeses, local cold-cut meats, brioche, praline pie and artisanal regional ice cream, along with French wine and local beer.

This food-tasting tour offers late afternoon starting times, which is perfect for anyone wanting to do their sightseeing in the morning, and is capped at 12 people to keep it small and intimate.

5. Do Eat Better Lyon Food Tour

Lyon is the perfect destination for foodies, and this food-tasting tour is sure to meet expectations for some delicious French cuisine. Wander through the Old Town of Lyon while making stops at 5 different places for some unique food tastings.

Try such Lyonnaise specialties as pike quenelle (dumplings) with rice, cervelle de Canut (a creamy cheese dip), praline brioche, and more while your guide explains more details about food culture in Lyon.

This small group tour is limited to 10 or fewer participants so that you can sample the foods promptly and have a chance to ask questions. The tour visits local artisan shops, bakeries, and more in the area of Lyon’s Old Town.

6. Lyon Vegan Food Tour

This vegan food tour in Lyon is an incredible food-tasting experience for those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet and lifestyle, and as of this writing, this is the only vegan tour in the city of Lyon. 

Not only will you get to experience some of the best vegan food in France, but you will also get to taste foods from a few of the best vegan restaurants in Lyon. Your professional guide will also be able to give you recommendations on where to eat vegan or vegetarian-friendly food during your stay in Lyon.

This small-group tour features 100% vegan food tastings, but you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy it. It is also a great option for people who want to try something different from the typical food tours in Old Town, whether they are vegan or not.

The tour explores the Croix-Rousse neighborhood of Lyon, which has an artsy, bohemian feel to it. This was once home to the silk weavers and their workshops, and today, it is filled with beautiful street murals, art galleries, and eateries.

7. Lyon Electric Bike Guided Tour With Food Tasting

Combine a food tour in Lyon with sightseeing on this electric bike tour with food tastings. A local guide will take you around the highlights of Lyon by electric bike, seeing all the interesting sites in Lyon’s UNESCO-heritage old town and along the beautiful Rhône River.

Your guide will tell you more about the history of Lyon and how it became known as the food capital of France. In addition to stopping at several historical sites, you’ll wrt stop at a local eatery to sample some of Lyon’s best foods.

On this tour of Lyon, you’ll see important sites such as the Place Bellecour, Place des Terreaux, the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, and more. The food stop at a local restaurant will also allow you to taste some of the famous Lyon cuisine. 

This is a great option for those who want to combine food tasting with sightseeing on either a 2.5-hour or a 4-hour tour. Both tours include food tasting and sightseeing, but the 4-hour tour includes a ride up to La Croix-Rousse for incredible views of Lyon.

Before you go...

In my story on Lyon as the world capital of gastronomy, read all about the Lyonnaise mothers, or mères lyonnaises, who contributed so much to the city's local culture as chefs during the 19th century.

Lyon is home to many regional and local food specialties, many with recipes passed down through generations.

Eating well is important here, and is one of the best things to do in Lyon.

My favorite foodie activity? Spend a few hours in Les Halles Paul Bocuse, the city's covered market with a wide range of high-end products.

So go out, explore, and eat to your heart's content!

Bonjour! I’m Leyla, born in Paris, I now live in the bucolic mountain foothills of Eastern France. My days are spent exploring my country. 

As a journalist and former diplomat, I spent years living abroad and now, it’s time to rediscover my own back yard.

Passionate about history and culture, I’ve created Offbeat France to seek out my country’s mysteries and legends, less-traveled destinations, with plenty of food stops and many castles – I am French, after all! 
Read more here.

Did you enjoy this article? I'd love if you shared it!

🇫🇷

Bonjour! I’m Leyla! I was born in Paris and now live in the bucolic mountain foothills of Eastern France between Lyon and Annecy. 

I'm rediscovering my own back yard after years of living abroad in Canada, Spain and Switzerland as a journalist and a diplomat － and I'm loving every minute.

Passionate about history and culture, I’ve created Offbeat France to seek out my country’s mysteries and legends, less-traveled destinations, along with plenty of food stops and many castles － I am French, after all!

Read more!

🇫🇷

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