Food place in Lyon
Café Comptoir Abel
Rue Guynemer, Ainay — across the Saône from Vieux Lyon, Lyon
Open since 1928 inside a building two centuries older, with dark panelling, engraved glass and a menu that has not felt the need to move. Its pike quenelle is the one most often named as the best in the city.
Area
Rue Guynemer, Ainay — across the Saône from Vieux Lyon
Food type
Veg & non-veg
Price range
€35–50
Opening hours
Lunch and dinner; book ahead
About
What is Café Comptoir Abel famous for?
About ten minutes' walk from Vieux Lyon over the footbridge, in a quiet residential quarter — far enough off the tourist run that the room is mostly local. Come for the quenelle and the chicken with morels.
What to eat here
Best dishes to try at Café Comptoir Abel
Veg & non-veg · €35–50
Quenelle de brochet
Airy, soft, rich with cream and shellfish butter
Best at dinner, or a long lunch — it is heavier than it looks
Salade lyonnaise
Sharp, smoky, with a yolk running through it
Best at lunch, or as a first course at dinner
Saucisson brioché
Soft sweet bread against coarse, peppery sausage
Best at mid-morning at a market counter, or as a first course
Good to know
Is Café Comptoir Abel good for families?
Yes — Café Comptoir Abel is family friendly and serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. It is open for lunch and dinner; book ahead.
Make a morning of it
Photo spots near Café Comptoir Abel
Shoot nearby, then eat at Café Comptoir Abel.
Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Best photo · After dark, when the west front is floodlit and the square in front of it empties — the interior is dim at every hour and the clock is best watched rather than photographed
Best combo: Photos here, then quenelle de brochet at Café Comptoir Abel.
See photo spot
Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière
Best photo · The hour before sunset from the esplanade, when the light comes across the city towards you and the rivers pick it up — the basilica's own façade is better in the morning, when the sun is on it
Best combo: Photos here, then quenelle de brochet at Café Comptoir Abel.
See photo spot
La Croix-Rousse
Best photo · Sunset from the Gros Caillou terrace at the top of the hill, looking east over the roofs and the Rhône with the Alps behind on a clear day
Best combo: Photos here, then quenelle de brochet at Café Comptoir Abel.
See photo spotWant something else nearby?
Search Lyon food by craving
Why Café Comptoir Abel
Open since 1928 inside a building two centuries older, with dark panelling, engraved glass and a menu that has not felt the need to move. Its pike quenelle is the one most often named as the best in the city. The menu runs both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. This is a mid-range table, with most orders landing around €35–50.
🍽️ What to order
The safe orders here are the things the region does anyway, not the traveller page of the menu.
🕒 When to come
Timing in plain words - Lunch and dinner; book ahead.
📍 Where it is
Find it in Rue Guynemer, Ainay — across the Saône from Vieux Lyon, Lyon (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes).
✅ The short version
Families with children are normal here.
Questions
Café Comptoir Abel — FAQ
What is Café Comptoir Abel famous for?
Open since 1928 inside a building two centuries older, with dark panelling, engraved glass and a menu that has not felt the need to move. Its pike quenelle is the one most often named as the best in the city.
What are the must-try dishes at Café Comptoir Abel?
Don't miss Quenelle de brochet, Salade lyonnaise and Saucisson brioché.
Is Café Comptoir Abel good for families?
Yes — Café Comptoir Abel is family friendly and serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
What are Café Comptoir Abel's opening hours?
Café Comptoir Abel is open for lunch and dinner; book ahead.
Where is Café Comptoir Abel located?
Café Comptoir Abel is in Rue Guynemer, Ainay — across the Saône from Vieux Lyon, Lyon.