We had lunch at the pretty, cosy Bistrot Lillois on a rainy Saturday late November afternoon - we…read morewere lucky to get a table without having made a reservation. Be warned that all of the restaurants on the Rue De Gand attract a good crowd at the weekend and booking is essential if you want to dine at the most popular places. After bagging the only available table we received a warm welcome from the young waiter and before long the chef wandered over and gave us a lengthy run through the specials of the day (written up on mirrors on the walls). I didn't like to interrupt his flowing French description so I nodded, smiled and murmured ah oui whenever it seemed appropriate. All the classic local dishes were present on the menu (if you are in Lille for long you will not really need to consult a menu as most restaurants offer exactly the same dishes - what is different is the quality). I went for the Le Welsh Complete while B went for the daily special of roast duck leg. Our food turned up pretty quickly and looked quite nice on the plate although it was obvious straight away that our frites were of the frozen mass produced variety as were the sprouts and green beans which came with the duck leg. No matter as we were cold and hungry and in need of sustenance which is what we got from the Bistrot Lillois. I followed the example of the young French fella on the table next to me and perked my Welsh up with a good dose of Worcestershire sauce. B declared that the duck leg was well warmed through and had plenty of flavour. We washed our food down with a couple of beers - we went for the very easy drinking and toothsome Poperings Hommel which was the house beer. Before leaving we went downstairs and paid a visit to the toilets. I don't want to give the game away and spoil the experience for others but a visit to the toilets at the Bistrot Lillois is an absolute must and should be on the itinerary of every tour of Lille - a very strange and weird homage to something or someone I suspect. I wanted to like the Bistrot Lillois more but it really needs to up it's game on the food front. This was most definitely an eat to live experience and not one I will be rushing back to experience (but do go to check out the toilets!!).

We had lunch at the pretty, cosy Bistrot Lillois on a rainy Saturday late November afternoon we…read morewere lucky to get a table without having made a reservation. Be warned that all of the restaurants on the Rue De Gand attract a good crowd at the weekend and booking is essential if you want to dine at the most popular places. After bagging the only available table we received a warm welcome from the young waiter and before long the chef wandered over and gave us a lengthy run through the specials of the day (written up on mirrors on the walls). I didn't like to interrupt his flowing French description so I nodded, smiled and murmured ah oui whenever it seemed appropriate. All the classic local dishes were present on the menu (if you are in Lille for long you will not really need to consult a menu as most restaurants offer exactly the same dishes what is different is the quality). I went for the Le Welsh Complete while B went for the daily special of roast duck leg. Our food turned up pretty quickly and looked quite nice on the plate although it was obvious straight away that our frites were of the frozen mass produced variety as were the sprouts and green beans which came with the duck leg. No matter as we were cold and hungry and in need of sustenance which is what we got from the Bistrot Lillois. I followed the example of the young French fella on the table next to me and perked my Welsh up with a good dose of Worcestershire sauce. B declared that the duck leg was well warmed through and had plenty of flavour. We washed our food down with a couple of beers we went for the very easy drinking and toothsome Poperings Hommel which was the house beer. Before leaving we went downstairs and paid a visit to the toilets. I don't want to give the game away and spoil the experience for others but a visit to the toilets at the Bistrot Lillois is an absolute must and should be on the itinerary of every tour of Lille a very strange and weird homage to something or someone I suspect. I wanted to like the Bistrot Lillois more but it really needs to up it's game on the food front. This was most definitely an eat to live experience and not one I will be rushing back to experience (but do go to check out the toilets!!).

Hidden in a back alleyway, Les Compagnons de la Grappe is the place to come to try out Northern…read moreFrench dishes in a gorgeous garden or dining room setting. The service here was extremely friendly and attentive, offering us careful explanations of all their best dishes and accommodating all of our requests! The item to order if you don't know what to choose is the L'Assiette du Nord, a sampler plate which came with small square bowls of four of the Northern French specialties on the menu. The carbonnade was a sweet and savory stew made with tender chunks of beef and onions; the Welsh des Compagnons was a decadent dish of beer boiled with cheese, served over a slice of ham and a slice of bread (pain d'epices); the Pot'jevleesch was a cold terrine made with chunks of pork, chicken, and rabbit in a savory jelly; and the croquette de crevettes was a fritter made with a creamy batter mixed with little shrimps and served with a thick, creamy dip with herbs (almost like tzatziki). Every item on this plate was absolutely delicious, but I was a particular fan of the Welsh (great for spreading on more bread), the Pot'jevleesch (surprisingly flavorful yet refreshing), and the croquettes (the crispy exterior, the creamy, umami interior, and the cooling cream sauce went perfectly together). In addition to the sampler plate, I also ordered the Filet de Bar, or sea bass in a crispy parmesan crust, served over a tomato-onion compote in an iron plate. On the side also came a "bouillabaisse" in a tiny metal pot--this was a boiled soup made with seasonal summer vegetables including eggplant, zucchini, red onions, and tomatoes. This was a light and delicious seasonal dish, and the presentation and flavors of all the food here were extremely on point!

This was my favorite restaurant while visiting Lille…read more This cozy restaurant is set like family style... it has that warmth and shabby chick that you get as you walk into someone's dinning room. Very unpretentious and nice inside... outdoor you will find an open terrace with warm lighting and heaters for those winter days. It is a beautiful place. Having said that, the best part of this restaurant is the food... heart warming dishes, incredibly tasty bread, awesome wines and service couldn't get any better. Service here was friendly and very attentive. I usually heard of people in France being rude... but I could not disagree more. All of the people in this place were friendly... even other people at the restaurant with whom we talked for a bit and got a few recommendations as they are regulars here. We had a salmon tartare, raw tuna steak (very good), steak and fries and a lamb stew that was delicious all followed by a dessert that had a lot of things... I forgot the name but it was huge. Everything here was delicious. Prices are "very" reasonable. This place is a most visit when coming to Lille. Thumbs up.

Found on TripAdvisor, this youthful and funky restaurant has excellent service and food. I was…read moresurprised that little English was spoken, but nonetheless they were able to interpret my bad French to come up with a vegetarian dish. I had a fish that was served cold with coriander and avocado while my friend had the swordfish. Good cheesecake, a bit heavy perhaps. I love the decor!

This place was lovely. We did not have a reservation and we also speak very little French. The…read morestaff were extremely helpful, moving tables to accommodate us, verbally translating the menu, etc. The food was great. It arrived promptly, piping hot and delicious. We enjoyed a lovely, relaxed meal in a friendly atmosphere with very attentive and professional staff. Thank you!!

From the owner: Cadre exceptionnel En plein coeur de la Fondation Septentrion, ce restaurant offre un cadre…read morevraiment agréable et paisible. Les amateurs de gastronomie y dégusteront une cuisine savoureuse et délicate, accompagnée de très bons vins. A ne pas rater.

Excellent lunch at this honest and friendly place with one menu of the day... the food was…read moredelicious! The service was great! Price-quality fantastic! I visited this small restaurant this week with family and decided to order salmon for myself and veal for my two-year old... I shared with him and cannot tell you which of the two dishes I liked better... they were both soooo nice! The salmon came with a cauliflower sauce and a variety of fresh and very tasty vegetables. The veal had a wonderful sauce with purée and vegetables. It's not that we hadn't eaten well for a while... on the contrary... but for all of us this was our highlight of the past week food wise... Enjoy! I'll be glad to eat there again if in the area.