Drinking in this gourmet city remains closely tied to the ancient winemaking heritage of the surrounding Rhône Valley, while a new generation of addresses have stylishly embraced world cocktail culture, drawing on Lyon’s long-coveted gastronomic know-how and rich local seasonal produce. Some sensational new drinks and food pairings that only the French can make. Come the warmer days of spring and summer, the city’s vibrant café life spills over to beautiful sidewalk terraces and floating bars anchored along the rhône’s landscaped Rive Gauche (Left Bank) hum with dance parties and festivities after dark. Clubbing remains quite common.
For more Lyon inspiration, check out our guides to the best hotels, restaurants and things to do.
Find a bar by area
Presqu’île
Le Penthouse
Located on the sixth floor of the design hotel Maison Nô, this bar is open all day and has a 180-degree panorama from its perch on the skyline. On warm days (which is quite common in this very “southern” city), head out onto the deck for sunny views of Fourvière’s wedding cake basilica and the Eiffel Tower-like (west) or Lyon’s ugly but iconic “Crayon” skyscraper. Part-Dieu business district (east). The White Negroni is as traditional as it gets on the highly original cocktail menu. Gourmet delicacies to share include duck heart, lobster and marinated beef.
To contact: maisonno.com
Nearest Metro: Hôtel de Ville
Price:%s: £££
Enter: Table reservations recommended on weekends
Monkey Club
Just around the corner from the Opera House, this vintage-style cocktail bar with a bijou sidewalk terrace overlooking the Rhône’s traffic-heavy quays – open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays – has long been a popular spot to mingle with fashionistas in a glittering atmosphere . French CanCan (mixing champagne with calvados, apricot liqueur and lemon juice) or other seasonal craft cocktail. Victorian velvet armchairs, potted greenery and antique books inject a handsome touch of 19th-century exotica into the living room interior, and talented mixologists play up the cabinet of curiosities theme with unusual potions and bitters. For a sweet taste of Lyon, order the Rosa Sour, which mixes praline syrup with Hendrick’s Gin, champagne, lemon and fresh raspberries.
To contact: themonkeyclub.fr
Nearest Metro: Hôtel de Ville
Price:%s: ££
Enter: Table reservations recommended on weekends
L’Officine
Old-school elegance reigns supreme at this retro-chic cocktail bar with elegant wood paneling, copper finishes and luxurious olive green banquet seating inside the Grand Hôtel-Dieu. Beautiful views of the medieval hospital’s iconic 18th-century dome pair perfectly with world-class cocktails from Lyon’s mixologist virtuoso Marc Bonneton and head bartender David Capdeville. Classics have a creative twist, but half a dozen signature cocktails like the Lyonnaise (Grey Goose vodka, ginger ale, lemon juice, strawberry and hibiscus) truly ooze local seasonal flavor. Live piano sessions and jazz evenings add to the pleasant lounge atmosphere.
To contact: office-lyon.fr
Nearest Metro: Cordeliers
Price:%s: ££
Enter: No shorts or sneakers; to get dressed
Soda Bar
DJs playing Soul, Funk, Groove and Hip-Hop bring weekend crowds together at the city’s original cocktail and music bar; It is as lively, fun and innovative as the night it opened in 2006. The elaborate drink menu reads like a history of cocktail culture, with expert bartenders shaking up everything from the intoxicating Prohibition-era Zombie (rums, citrus, exotic fruit syrups and flaming absinthe) to 1990s Tiramisu Martini cocktails and new millennial favorites filled with unusual bitters and flavored spirits. a part of. Arrive early to snag a spot on the pocket-sized sidewalk terrace.
To contact: soda-bar.fr
Nearest Metro: Hôtel de Ville
Price:%s: £
Enter: Just walk in
Vieux Lyon
Smoking Dog
You can watch a variety of sports matches on the big screen at this seasoned English pub, one of the few bars on the Vieux Lyon (Rue Ste-Catherine, behind Place des Terreaux on the Presqu’île, is the other notable English Pub street). Cheap pints (11 beers on tap) attract punters during Happy Hour (Monday to Friday, 6pm to 8pm); Tuesday night is exam night; and most weeks drinks include a locally brewed guest beer carte (Menu). Check the Facebook page for a weekly schedule of live sports screenings.
To contact: 00 33 478 28 38 27; facebook.com/Smoking-Dog-Lyon
Opening hours: Monday-Friday, 16:00-01:00; Sat-Sun, 12:00-01:00
Nearest Metro: Vieux Lyon
Price:%s: £
Enter: Depending on the match being shown, you may have to go in or not go in at all. Arrive well before kick-off for big games.
baragons
Cleverly using Lyon’s term of endearment for a ‘gone’ or Lyon boy, this popular cocktail bar draws on Latin panache and the colors of South America and the Caribbean for inspiration. Specialty cocktails and mocktails are seasonally prepared and paired with tapas that mix empanadas with rosette lyonnaise (local salami). Sign up for a hands-on cocktail class to learn some of the experiences of expert mixologists. Come summer, the action spreads across two beautiful terraces: streetside and rooftop.
To contact: baragones.fr
Nearest metro: Vieux Lyon
Price:%s: £
Enter: In warm weather, arrive at 17:00 when the bar opens to prepare a table outside.
Croix-Rousse
Café du Gros Caillou
When a deliciously mellow, quintessentially French evening on a traditional café pavement terrace beckons, join the locals at this village-like café-bar located in a pedestrianized square on the Croix-Rousse hill (“complete with gros caillou,” or “very large stone boulder”) ) ‘ view of Mont Blanc at its far end and on clear days). Order a Communard – a glass of local red Côte du Rhône or Beaujolais, scandalously mixed with blackcurrant liqueur elsewhere in France – as an aperitif or take out the pot (Lyonnais carafe) accompanied by a tempting mixed cheese plate, regional charcuterie or a sticky tour of St-Marcellin.
To contact: cafedugroscaillou.eatbu.com
Nearest Metro: Croix-Rousse
Price:%s: £
Enter: Table reservations recommended on weekends
Intersection
Le Sucre
An upcycled 1930s candy warehouse is the quirky venue for this uber-cool riverside rooftop bar and electro-dance club in the Confluence district, where hipster urbanites come to drink. The view over the Saône from the umbrella-shaded wooden rooftop terrace is predictably spectacular, and most Friday evenings feature a live band, themed party or other cultural event. Other nights are enjoyed with after-work drinks and board games. Firmly established on the international scene, the dance club hosts some of Europe’s best techno DJs and artists.
To contact: le-sucre.eu
Nearest Metro: T1 Tram to Hôtel de Région stop or Vaporetto boat shuttle to Confluence stop
Price:%s: £
Enter: The rooftop bar is free. Club entry requires a ticket (purchase online in advance).
Rive Gauche
La Barge
As the sun sets, join the fun-loving crowds on this steel barge anchored next to the Passerelle du Collège footbridge on the Left Bank of the Rhône. Wicker-woven sails provide daytime shade and tropical fun on the upper deck, while faux palm trees illuminate the tables after dark. The extensive drinks menu includes nine beers on tap, classic cocktails, French aperitifs like pastis and kir (white wine with black currant, peach, blackberry or raspberry liqueur), house-made sangria (by the pitcher or glass) and boozy house-flavored rums (caramelized pineapple). gets. and fresh vanilla). Food-wise, expect nachos, roasted Camembert with sweet fig chutney, shared cheese and charcuterie boards, and more.
To contact: labarge-lyon.fr
Nearest Metro: Foch
Price:%s: £
Enter: Table reservations recommended on weekends
La Marquesa
Summertime in Lyon means hot, muggy evenings spent drinking and dancing under the stars; floating in a traditional atmosphere penis (riverboat), like this legendary grand dame of a cafe-bar and dance club docked on Quai Victor Augagneur. Soirées open with cold mojitos or beer and views of the river al fresco at the deck bar or around tables on the dock, followed by a live band and dancing in the cabin. Most concerts start at 8.30pm, and subsequent underground sessions can last until 5am. DJ sets cover a wide range of sounds (electro, funk, disco, new wave, punk, house).
To contact: markiz.net
Nearest Metro: Place Guichard or Guillotière
Price:%s: £
Enter: Free up to €10 (£8.90), payable online or on the door; Check the schedule online.
Les Assembleurs
French wine enthusiasts will quickly fall in love with this unusual wine bar, which features several dozen wines on tap, delicious food, and friendly sommeliers on hand to pair each course with a different concoction (blend). Aspiring winemakers can order their own blend of grape varietals to drink by the glass: mix a local white Viognier from the Rhône Valley with a Sardinian Vermentino, perhaps sip it with a dozen freshly shucked oysters, or sip a red Rhône Valley Syrah from Burgundy. Sip it with Pinot Noir to compliment a classic steak fry. Themed tasting evenings with DJ sets add a party atmosphere.
To contact: lesassembleurs.fr
Nearest metro: Cordeliers
Price:%s: ££
Enter: Book a table a few days in advance to avoid disappointment.
How do we choose
Every bar, venue or experience on this curated list has been tried and tested by our visiting destination expert to give you the insider’s perspective. From casual pubs to exquisite cocktail bars, we cover a range of budgets and styles to best suit every type of traveller, and consider service, drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up-to-date recommendations.