The city of Lyon is often considered the capital of French gastronomy, and the bouchons lyonnais are one of its most emblematic expressions.
Bouchons are small, typical restaurants serving friendly, generous cuisine, often based on popular traditions. Historically, these establishments originated in the 19th century, thanks in particular to the “mères lyonnaises”, talented cooks who left the big bourgeois houses to open their own small restaurants, offering simple but tasty cuisine. In the bouchons, you’ll find such emblematic dishes as tablier de sapeur, quenelles, gras-double, cervelle de canut and hareng pomme à l’huile (Herring with potatoe in oil)
The latter, though not specifically Lyonnais in origin, has become perfectly integrated into this culinary tradition. It’s a simple dish: marinated herring fillets served with warm potatoes, drizzled with a good oil and often accompanied by shallots and parsley. Its success in the bouchons stems from its authentic, rustic and nourishing character, perfectly in tune with the spirit of these establishments. What’s more, it’s an economical dish, perfect for the workers and laborers who once made up the bouchons’ main clientele. This combination of tradition, simplicity and conviviality makes the bouchons lyonnais an inseparable part of Lyon’s gastronomic identity. In fact, if you’ve ever tasted a good potatoe-herring in oil in a typical bouchon, you know just how delicious it can be!
