Joseph Viola © Recettes et Confidences

How can you recognise a "real" Lyonnais bouchon?

Bouchons are part of the city's heritage. They represent a certain type of cuisine, along with a very distinctive decor and atmosphere! You will find home-made dishes including calf’s head, chitterling sausage, tablier de sapeur, quenelle sand liver terrine on your plate. The decor is simple, with chequered tablecloths, balloon wine glasses, bistro chairs, Lyonnais wine jugs, a wooden counter and meals served from copper platters. Finally, and perhaps most importantly of all, the atmosphere is friendly and lends itself to discussions between tables. It's a place where you automatically feel at ease and are in no hurry to leave. 

What is the "Bouchon Lyonnais" label?

Launched in January 2013, this quality label seeks to guarantee the quality and authenticity of Lyon’s bouchons, particularly among foreign visitors to the city. Above all, it guarantees that all dishes are home-made, a little like a "maître restaurateur", mais avec les spécificités du bouchon. 

label, but tailored to the specific characteristics of a bouchon.

What are the specialities at Daniel et Denise ? 

Among our specialities as a starter, you have the legendary pâté en croute, the crayfish tail omelette, the ris d’agneau salad and the œufs Meurette (poached eggs in a red wine sauce).
For the main course, we serve an excellent bouchée à la reine, a pike quenelle with Nantua sauce, Bresse poultry with morel mushrooms and cream but also veal brains and veal kidneys, accompanied by the traditional macaroni au gratin.
After you can continue your meal with some Saint-Marcellin cheese by Mère Richard or a Cervelle de Canut (cheese).
And your dessert, you can finish with our île flottante aux pralines or our baba au rhum! 

How would you describe the atmosphere in your restaurant? 

It’s quite simple: at the start of the evening people you can hear whispering among the guests and as the meal progresses, the volume increases! The diners are in no hurry to leave…you find them chatting and laughing … That's an authentic bouchon!

Do you have a Lyonnais recipe you'd like to share?

A simple recipe: Lyonnais salad with a poached egg!
Firstly, the lettuce must be curly, yellow and tender. To prepare the poached egg, submerge a very cool egg for three minutes in boiling water that contains plenty of vinegar but make sure its not salted. Deglaze the bacon bits with vinegar and grill the croutons. For the vinaigrette sauce, add a chopped hard-boiled egg to the usual recipe.
A simple yet delicious dish!

Favourite picks from the locals:

The best place to enjoy a quenelle (pike dumpling)?
For the quenelle, try the Café du Jura on rue Tupin.

The best place to go for a romantic walk? 
On the hillsides of the Croix-Rousse, on a fine sunny day!

The best place to meet the "real" people of Lyon?
In the markets on Sunday mornings: at quai Saint-Antoine, at la Croix-Rousse or at the Halles Paul Bocuse, while enjoying oysters on the half shell at Antonin’s or at Mère Richard’s while selecting a variety of fine cheese.

The best place to buy a souvenir of  Lyon? 
At Voisin's for their coussins (a traditional confectionery product) or at Colette Sibilia's at les Halles Paul Bocuse for their rosette sausage!