10 Great Restaurants in Lille

Bloempot bills itself as a Flemish canteen and offers delicious food from original recipes with all-natural ingredients set in one of the most unusual places you'll find. The historic building was originally a carpentry workshop and still bears that sawdust-on-the-floor aesthetic (though without the actual sawdust), with clean wood panelling and elegant furniture with a handmade vibe. The food is locally sourced from independent farmers and local game producers, so you're always getting fresh and sustainable fare.

That also makes the menu a bit of a surprise: You pay the price and the chef whips you up an unforgettable meal. For an additional cost, you can pair it with a matching beverage. It's 7 minutes north of the city centre.

Il Ristorante offers a contemporary, almost industrial, design and features high-end casual fine dining with friendly service and authentic ingredients for traditional Italian cuisine. The restaurant has a mission to deliver quality products with authentic recipes in a friendly, contemporary setting simply and passionately. The portions here are generous to the point of encouraging sharing, and the staff are incredibly welcoming to families, couples and large groups. The decor is bright, casual and inviting.

Some of the menu highlights include the antipasto, tartare and carpaccio selections, pasta dishes of every kind and gourmet pizza from traditional margherita to 5-cheese and with unique toppings like arugula and buffalo mozzarella. It's all in the heart of the city centre.

La Table in the Clarance Hotel offers delectable dishes by famed chef Thibaut Gamba in a Michelin-starred restaurant with modern, distinctive cuisine and generous portions. This restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and is the ideal location whether you're looking for a romantic escape for 2 or you want a power lunch with unbelievable cuisine capable of closing a deal all on its own. The menu focus is on fish and seafood with some vegetarian items available.

Because the focus is on fresh, seasonal food, the menu changes constantly, so you're always getting something deliciously new. La Table can be found just 7 minutes north of the city centre.

Pancook Lille is a small corner restaurant, somewhere between a pavement cafe and a French answer to a diner with home cooking and an emphasis on flavour and value. The outstanding menu highlight, as you might expect, is the pancook, which is a bread bowl stuffed with various ingredients and then sealed off with a cheese topping. The setting is welcoming and family-friendly, as are the prices. The menu is a la carte, so you can design the specific meal you like, and the specials vary every day with the chef always whipping up something delicious.

Reservations are available and may be a good idea because this spot is quite popular. It's 8 minutes west of the city centre.

Le Compostelle offers savoury treats less than a mile from the city centre, with freshly prepared local delicacies and an outstanding curated wine list. Business professionals flock to this central location for meetings and power lunches, and even for conferences in the restaurant's onsite conference facilities. Some of the menu highlights here include lomo paprika pork with tomato confit, marinated prawns, duck foie gras with grand cru chocolate leaves and skin-on bass fillet with braised fennel and eggplant caviar.

The wine list is well-cultivated and includes ideal pairings with any dish you order. If you're not sure what selection pairs best, the knowledgeable staff will be happy to help with suggestions. The prices are reasonable even for a family.

Rouge Barre is a fine dining restaurant in the heart of Lille's historic city centre headed up by local chef Steven Ramon who serves up inspired, lively dishes. The decor here is of an exposed red-brick vibe with a casual yet elegant ambience. Meals are prepared using only the freshest, finest ingredients available for an overall irresistible experience. The cuisine is traditional northern French with a gourmet fine dining touch.

If the prices seem a bit high here, it's because you'll order full multi-course meals with delectable high-end French dishes. This is the place to come for a high-end professional meeting or a romantic date night for 2.

Brasserie de la Paix offers fresh, delicious seafood and meat with art deco surroundings, engraved mirrors and delectable seasonal menu offerings that are perfectly prepared for surf-and-turf dining. You'll be surrounded by elegant mirrors, elm woodwork and ceramics, all of which evoke the spirit of the Roaring '20s with a truly classic supper club vibe. You can also enjoy outdoor terrace dining. The menu here changes roughly every 2 weeks from top to bottom based on the availability of fresh, seasonal meats, fish and produce.

The prices here are midrange, making it ideal to take the family for an affordable meal with an upscale feel. It's just 7 minutes north of the city centre.

Bacio Divino offers a culinary trip through all of Italy from Sicily to Lombardy and beyond including the typical flavours of almost every region of that country. You'll experience dishes from Umbria and Tuscany and other contemporary and classic dishes, all representative of authentic Italian cuisine from their local regions. The chefs here think outside the box, coming up with ways to modernise and put a fresh spin on these dishes while maintaining their pure authenticity with only the freshest seasonal ingredients.

Menu highlights here include antipasto, buffalo burrata with black truffles, beef carpaccio, lasagna Bolognese, scallop truffle risotto and pork ribs. Bacio Divino is located just 10 minutes north of the city centre.

Balsamique Restaurant Benjamin Bajeux offers creative, original cuisine using fresh, locally sourced produce with Asian influences and a French bistro fusion touch. The service here is impeccable and friendly, and the vibe is of a casual, trendy bistro lounge setting with ultramodern, upbeat decor. The menu is constantly evolving but always with a focus on accessible gastronomy so you can try something new without the concern that alien flavours will melt your palate.

Some highlights include duck foie gras terrine, Breton lobster with raspberry balsamic, coral lentils with Madras curry and roasted sea bass with mashed sloe. For dessert, try the Le Benjamin dark chocolate mousse with caramel and nuts. It's just 21 minutes north of the city centre.

Monsieur Jean offers authentic, modern recipes combined with exquisite presentation served in a building that boasts authentic Flemish architecture and vibes. Michelin-starred chef Marc Meurin is a veteran of the local culinary scene, and foodies flock here to enjoy his enticing, unique dishes. Some of the menu highlights include black mullet carpaccio and pickled seaweed. The building is a magnificent, historic 17th-century landmark with a cosy, trendy interior decor that still maintains its classic charm.

For families with kids, a 'little gourmet' menu is available with dishes made up just for kids. This friendly, welcoming establishment is just 10 minutes north of the city centre.