RESTAURANT Takao Takano

The 24 Best Restaurants In Lyon 2024

"Picasso said every act of creation starts as one of destruction, so don’t feel too bad about wrecking the artful plates from Takao Takano’s ever-changing menu. Picasso also said every child is an artist, and our niece can't draw for sh*t. Anyways. Courses of rich crawfish bisque over swiss chard, seared tuna topped with samphire and edible flowers, and lavender-infused clementines with chestnut mascarpone are as beautiful as they are delicious. It’s tiny, so book well in advance." - anna richards

"One cannot help but be impressed by the trajectory of Takao Takano's career. Originally from Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, he didn't stick with his law studies for long, instead devoting himself to his true passion: cooking. Since 2013, he has been plying his trade in this elegant, pared-back restaurant located in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon. And if it has proved to be a hit with diners ever since opening, it is thanks to the original and refined dishes, which delight and surprise at the same time. They certainly fulfil the objective that the chef has set himself: "Keep it simple and delicious". Let's linger for a moment over the perfectly cooked fillet of Arctic char with crayfish tails, chanterelles and Chambéry vermouth, or the Poitou pigeon with Jerusalem artichokes, guanciale and Vaucluse truffle... Intelligently devised dishes replete with beautifully balanced flavours: that's Takao Takano down to a T." - Michelin Inspector

Takao Takano

Takao Takano - Review - 6th Arr. - Lyon - The Infatuation

Asian Chefs Shine in the Record-Setting MICHELIN Guide France 2018

"Japanese-born Chef Takao Takano has been the toast of Lyon for a while, thanks to his long-standing commitment to French gastronomy as well as his passion for his adopted hometown." - Colin Ho

7 Michelin-Starred Restaurants In France That Are Led By Asian Chefs

"Japanese-born chef Takao Takano has been the toast of Lyon for a while, thanks to his long-standing commitment to French gastronomy as well as his passion for his adopted hometown. Training under one of Lyon’s rising culinary stars Nicolas Le Bec, who won two Michelin Stars for the restaurant that bore his name, chef Takano was thrust into the spotlight after Le Bec’s move to Shanghai. Chef Takano’s beautifully conceived and executed contemporary French cooking has made his restaurant one of the most sought-after reservations in town. It is hard not to be won over by his sense of precision, his humility in handling ingredients, his absolute respect of flavours and his subtle compositions." - Michelin Guide Digital-Singapore

Patrick Ng

Google

Underwhelmed. Was expecting more from a 2 star restaurant. Food was uninspiring even though the chef tried to introduce his Japanese heritage into his dishes.

Tiberiu Hrihorciuc

Google

Very surprised of the 2 star Michelin rating. Intimate, small place with 8 tables seating 16 people. Looks nice and was expecting to be mind blown by the details, but it was far from it. Fish was nothing impressive. A different dish had sandy abalone. Lamb was very plain and did not taste like it. Pigeon was good, even though we asked for it from the less expensive menu. Bread was good, but still.. Staff did not feel extremely knowledgeable..

Robert Alexander

Google

Incredible fresh unique flavors hats off to the kitchen. The morel dish was so good if it was put on an old boot i would eat it. Our main server and her wait- assist had the perfect level of stealthiness in their smooth style of service. The wine service was a little off balance apparently because the sommelier was kidnapped by one diners who was having lots of issues with the temperature of his wine. It amazes me how one person can throw off the vibe in an entire restaurant dining room. In spite of the show we had a great meal and hope to return.

John Min

Google

The food was truly special and deserving of the reputation and stars. Unfortunately, I can’t say all aspects of it was five stars. Maybe the expectations were too high but I think some ground rules for the establishment (especially two star status) would be beneficial. Service isn’t just about being accommodating, it’s about providing the best experience possible for all their guests. I will visit again but this visit was painfully long (with extremely potent perfume from a neighboring table and two tables with non-service animals). It was very difficult to ignore the fragrance and it unfortunately was something I tasted through some of the more delicate dishes. In regards to the companions, while I love all animals, I think they are best left with friends or at home when visiting an establishment of this caliber.

Russell Wong

Google

Must visit in Lyon. Two Michelin stars is well deserved. Exceptional service from our waiter who told us about the wines and food, even though we couldn't speak French. Every dish built upon themselves and everything was executed perfectly. Great wine list from whites to reds. Cheese cart to die for. Still dreaming of the fish and pigeon. Plus we got a copy of the menu for souvenir!

BC Q

Google

A beautiful experience where fine dining is at its best. The minimalistic decor is set off nicely with the warm lighting. The staff welcome you with bright smiles & make you feel at ease - with easy banter and a friendly manner. The menu is well explained and we were informed of the day’s special dish of veal kidneys (which we did try as a additional dish to the basic degustation menu for an additional Euro 20 per person). The Japanese chef excels in how he has combined the fineries of French cuisine with the pureness of Japanese cooking. Every dish was a sight to behold & combinations were quite complicated yet one could taste individually the various components. Definitely the chef knows his craft well & has placed alot of thought in how to serve them. It is difficult to point out a particularly special dish as each one was superb. We were being adventurous in adding the kidneys but for the faint hearted, it may not be recommended. Although tender with nice texture, the offal taste was a little overpowering & the centre fatty portion of kidney was served intact (we are used to eating kidneys of smaller animals where only the outer portion is finely sliced & fried). The portion was large & it was a bit of a struggle to finish this dish - but we did our best! Overall - we had a very nice experience & highly recommend this restaurant when in Lyon. A nice gesture, as we were unable to finish our petit fours & madelines at the end, they made a little take away bag for this. The price point for a 2 Michelin starred restaurant is reasonable & reservations are essential as it seats at max 20 customers.

Aaron Goh

Google

Truly excellent meal - elegant, and impeccable cooking (a standout was the chawanmushi sardine starter - perfectly executed, subtle but with the fatty sardine-ness shining through). Wonderfully reasonable markups on a lovely wine-list as well. Really friendly and warm service.

Gilberto Gastelum

Google

One of my best meals ever. The Japanese French mix reeeeally works when in capable hands like the ones of the chef here. Amazing place, amazing food, amazing service. Worth every cent, especially for the longest menu where the kitchen really pulls the big guns in creativity and, especially, complexity. It takes talent to make such complex dishes work!

JP B.

Yelp

Don't risk a special night on this place. Absolute WORST fine dinning experience I've had thus far. I RARELY leave bad reviews unless I really feel it is necessary. We left 10 minutes into being seated. It was a special birthday dinner so we called ahead to ask about food preferences and see if they could accommodate certain dietary preferences..... they agreed it wouldn't be an issue. When we arrived they told us this is the menu and no changes can be made and we all needed to order the same thing. Very different story than what the "chef" told us on the phone. So of course we had to leave since my mother on her birthday wasn't able to order something from a menu that wasn't even presented to us until arrival..... We were told in front of the whole restaurant that we were lucky they don't charge us 150 euros per head and that the chef doesn't want people in his restaurant that don't appreciate his food which was not the case. So instead of the chef aka the owner coming out and asking how he could help his clients. We were scolded in front of other guests. Here is the kicker... once we left the restaurant the chef ran after us on the street to tell us we disrespected him and physically got in our face. Real classy.

Frederick M.

Yelp

It's no overstatement when people say Lyon is the gastronomique capital. There were literally countless options during our visit. This chef is from Japan and his wife shared that they've made Lyon their home for 15 years. The food was delicate, complex but simple and offered just a hint of Japan. The lunch menu we had was our best meal during this visit to France. It's 2 stars are well-deserved.

Ronald W.

Yelp

Excellent 2 star Michelin meal. Reminds me of Nikki's cuisine from Peru. After gorging myself on the Paul Bocuse Menu at Auberge the night before at , the 3 course 45 EUR Takao Menu available for weekday lunch was perfect. Each course was bright and delicious. Beautiful plating and wonderful service. Loved the young pork main and the fish starter in particular. Yes you can just ask for tap water.

Raymond T.

Yelp

Walking into the store the vibe is way fancier than we were expecting. There were only 10 tables in the restaurant but at 3 waiters on the floor. The service is excellent, they explained every dish in english and conversed with us as well. They also have quite the extensive wine list which is weird since you don't see any wine from where we sat. I ordered the five course meal for 55 Euro and my group ordered the three course for 25 euro. I will say I did not eat any of the bread and I left at a pleasantly full (although I was hoping to be stuffed after 5 courses) I think this nice of a meal is better saved for dinner, and it was a little pricey, but definitely worth the cost if you can afford it.

Jennifer S.

Yelp

One of the best meals I've ever had for this 2019 two star Michelin restaurant. It was a great experience. Everybody there is ready to give you excellent service. Come and reserve a spot in this intimate place. We rushed through out meal and left 3.5 hours later.

Marilyn T.

Yelp

We came here for our last dinner in Lyon. It's located in a relatively quiet neighborhood. The space is open with lots of light wood in the decor - simple and elegant, and I really liked their furniture (especially the chairs). They had only 7 tables in the dining room. We did the menu partage (the full tasting), which was €130. They also had a shorter version available for €90. Amuse: Chawanmushi with mackerel, shiitake mushrooms, and eggplant Tasting: 1. Stewed abalone with white beans, green garlic, shallots, and a Thai crawfish broth. The crawfish broth reminded me of the classic lyonnaise Nantua sauce but with an Asian kick to it 2. Mushrooms saltimbocca with truffles and a coffee foie gras sauce 3. Red mullet with red bell pepper piperade, uni, cuttlefish, and a piperade sauce 4. Seared veal: served with a garlic cream sauce and a warm Caesar salad with artichokes, crispy bread, and Parmesan cheese discs. The original menu was for veal sweetbreads, but they were kind enough to substitute this with veal for me since I just can't do sweetbreads 5. Cheese course: with oak honey and raspberry jam, as well as a walnut bread. The cheese cart was a really nice set up with 15-20 options (French, Swiss, and Italian options) 6. Pre dessert: Orange mousse with yuzu sorbet, grapefruit, and a biscuit. This was light and a good transition to the other dessert 7. Chocolate tart with tonka bean ice cream: the tart shell was impressively thin. The inside of the tart was warm and molten chocolate, great with a light brûléed sugar topping and the ice cream on top To finish: - Vanilla madeline - Warm peanut butter cookie Like most other Japanese French food, everything was less heavy than standard French food. I was happily surprised that the chef actually did introduce some Asian elements into the food (like the Thai broth and the chawanmushi). Service was as you would expect for a restaurant of this level.

Ads D.

Yelp

Outstanding value for a weekday lunch. We ordered the 33euro and the 55 euro set courses. The 33 euro was 3 courses, with larger portions and very solid. My 55 euro was five courses and slightly smaller portions. The seared fois gras with consume was probably the best dish, and the pork and beef entrecôte were excellent as well. Two of those things were on the 33 euro menu so that's the one to go for! I ordered a bottle of wine for 45 euros which was good, but not excellent. Cheeses were ordinary but both the desserts were superb. Service and ambience first class! Go for the weekday lunch, the menu changes seasonally.

Peter N.

Yelp

One of our best-ever meals in France -- or anywhere! Every dish was exquisite, with enough novelty and creativity to be interesting without shouting, "look, Ma, I'm innovating!" There were some Asian elements and ingredients, but the cuisine was not strictly fusion. Service was well-paced, and the servers friendly, responsive, and largely English-speaking. The tables were spaced well apart (unusual in France) and the decor simple, modern, and elegant. The meal was expensive, but excellent value for the quality and far less than expected for a Michelin 2-star restaurant.

Bryan D.

Yelp

A group of us were lucky enough to get a table at Takao Takano on its first night being open. I have to say this really is a great restaurant. A five course meal, perfect portion sizes and truly wonderful dishes. There is a choice for more courses if you are up for it. A great entree of foie gras, a second dish of very well prepared cod, lamb tat was perfectly tender with a great sauce, cheese and desert.

Didier C.

Yelp

We were in Lyon for a few days this past week and decided to give Takao a shot for Saturday lunch. Upon entering the restaurant we were pleasantly surprised at the zen-like atmosphere and decor. There is only a handful of tables so if you're wanting to go for dinner a reservation is highly encouraged. The menu included a 29, 48 and 78 euro per person option (exclusive of wine and beverage). Keep in mind the 29 euro menu for lunch is only available from Tuesday to Friday, so if you are here on the weekend for lunch your choices are relatively limited. The wine list is very extensive and a lot of the selections are reasonably priced. We chose the 48 menu since the dishes sounded very appealing. Of the 5 dishes we each got, every single one was fantastically flavored. Some people have mentioned the portion sizes being a little small but I would disagree since you are getting multiple dishes and the purpose is to cherish the mix of flavors. We had an asparagus dish that was absolutely amazing and the fish was great as well. I am a chocolate lover and the chocolate cake at the end of the meal was delectable. Service was very attentive and everything was smooth in our experience. I would definitely return here if I am ever in Lyon again, it's a Michelin star well earned for the chef!

The 24 Best Restaurants In Lyon 2024

Takao Takano

Takao Takano - Review - 6th Arr. - Lyon - The Infatuation

Asian Chefs Shine in the Record-Setting MICHELIN Guide France 2018

"Japanese-born Chef Takao Takano has been the toast of Lyon for a while, thanks to his long-standing commitment to French gastronomy as well as his passion for his adopted hometown." - Colin Ho

7 Michelin-Starred Restaurants In France That Are Led By Asian Chefs