Lyon’s world-renowned culinary reputation extends beyond fine dining – the city excels at all-day café culture, too
From laid-back cafes to more refined spots, the city is awash with great places to enjoy a mouth-watering start to your day. Some are dotted around the city centre, while others can be found in characterful neighbourhoods, often less well-known but invariably just as enticing. Whatever your preference, these are some of the best brunch spots to try while in Lyon.
Palmarosa
Situated in Lyon’s 7th arrondissement, a brisk 20-minute walk across the river from the city centre, Palmarosa has gained a loyal following since opening its doors in 2025. Featuring large bay windows and a charming terrace, the café has rapidly become the go-to choice for both locals and visitors seeking a hearty brunch, with menu favourites including avocado toast, crispy chicken waffle, and granola bowl, plus signature drinks such as the highly rated dirty pumpkin spice latte.
36 Av. Jean Jaurès
Les Papas Sucrés
Part café, part tea room, part restaurant, Les Papas Sucrés is one of Lyon’s most popular weekend haunts for brunch. On both Saturdays and Sundays, this cozy eatery in the 2nd arrondissement, close to Place Bellecour, serves up an enticing menu featuring both sweet and savoury dishes, all expertly prepared on site using fresh ingredients, often from local producers. The portions are generous and the ambience is relaxed, making it a fine choice for an unhurried late-morning meal in the heart of the city.
42 Rue Sala
Anahera
A short stroll from Saxe-Gambetta metro station, just east of the city centre on the edge of the 3rd and 7th arrondissements, Anahera bills itself as Lyon’s urban oasis – and the description is certainly well earned. Combining a café-restaurant with a concept store, the space is warm, leafy, and inviting, with a focus on healthy, local, and seasonal cooking. Its Saturday brunch is served across two sittings, with changing themes alongside speciality coffees, teas, homemade pastries, pancakes, and granola bowls.
22 Av. Jean Jaurès
Café Gadagne
If you like your brunch to come with a view, Café Gadagne is hard – if not impossible – to beat. Set on the top floor of the Musée Gadagne, this perched above the rooftops of the Old Town and overlooking a pristinely-landscaped Renaissance garden, the café-restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat weekend brunch of sweet and savoury dishes, with hot drinks and juices adding to the sense of leisurely indulgence. Diners can savour the food in the cosy indoor space, or on the shaded terrace under the vines.
1 Pl. du Petit Collège
La Cour des Loges
For a more polished brunch experience, La Cour des Loges brings five-star refinement to the heart of Old Lyon. Housed within a striking Renaissance building, the Radisson Collection hotel serves its generous morning and early afternoon spread in a charming inner courtyard, with chef Anthony Bonnet and his team overseeing a sumptuous buffet built around local produce, breads, and other baked goods. One of the city’s most atmospheric settings, this is a sure-fire winner with anyone seeking a memorable start to the day in Lyon and has the budget to match.
6 Rue du Bœuf