Arsenic

Arsenic, Lyon: Quick Verdict

Arsenic sits at 132 Rue Pierre Corneille in Lyon's 3rd arrondissement, a neighbourhood that has been quietly producing some of the city's more interesting contemporary dining over the past few years. With no published price range in our current data, budgeting ahead requires a direct call or check of the current menu — but contextually, creative modern restaurants in this part of Lyon typically run €40–€80 per head for a multi-course format, before wine. If Arsenic operates a tasting menu structure (which the address and category positioning suggest), expect to be in that range or above. Confirm before you go.

What to Expect

The address puts Arsenic a short walk from the Parc de la Tête d'Or side of the 3rd, away from the more tourist-heavy Presqu'île. That geographic choice tends to signal a restaurant aiming at a local, repeat clientele rather than passing trade — which, for a returning visitor to Lyon, is a positive indicator. Restaurants that survive in residential corners of Lyon's 3rd typically earn their keep on quality rather than footfall.

Our data does not include confirmed details on the current chef, tasting menu structure, or room layout, so what follows draws on the broader context of Lyon's creative dining tier. Lyon remains one of France's most serious restaurant cities , home to institutions like Paul Bocuse - L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges and the legacy of La Mere Brazier , and the mid-tier creative segment has become increasingly competitive, with venues like Le Neuvième Art and Takao Takano raising the bar for what a progression-led meal looks like in this city.

If Arsenic is working within a tasting menu format , and the name, positioning, and neighbourhood all suggest a chef-driven project rather than a brasserie , then the structure of the meal matters as much as any individual dish. In Lyon's creative tier, the better rooms tend to move through four to seven courses with clear intent: a visual logic to each plate, a progression from lighter to more assertive flavours, and a wine pairing that earns its price. Whether Arsenic delivers that arc is something we'd want verified data on before making a stronger claim.

For a returning Lyon visitor who has already eaten at the city's more established names, Arsenic is the kind of address worth investigating precisely because it sits outside the usual circuit. That said, go in with managed expectations: without confirmed awards, verified ratings, or a published chef profile in our database, this is a reconnaissance booking rather than a guaranteed destination meal. The risk is low if you treat it as discovery dining; the risk rises if you're anchoring a special occasion around an unknown quantity.

For context on the broader French fine dining tier, venues like Mirazur in Menton, Flocons de Sel in Megève, and Troisgros - Le Bois sans Feuilles in Ouches set the benchmark for tasting menu architecture in France. Arsenic is not in that conversation yet , at least not based on available data , but Lyon's 3rd has produced credible additions to the city's creative dining tier before.

Practical Details

Address: 132 Rue Pierre Corneille, 69003 Lyon. Reservations: Easy , no evidence of significant booking pressure, though calling ahead is advisable for dinner. Budget: Not confirmed; expect €40–€80+ per head in this category and city tier, before wine. Dress: No formal dress code confirmed; smart casual is safe for Lyon's creative dining rooms. Groups: Seat count not published , contact the venue directly for parties of four or more. Solo dining: Lyon's smaller creative rooms often accommodate solo diners at the counter or bar; worth asking when booking.

Pearl Picks: More Lyon Dining

• Le Neuvième Art , Contemporary French tasting menus with serious technical polish
• Takao Takano , Creative French with a precise, progression-led format
• Au 14 Février , Creative cooking in a more intimate setting
• Burgundy by Matthieu , Modern cuisine at a slightly lower price point
• La Mere Brazier , Lyon's historic anchor for classic French cooking

Explore More in Lyon

• Our full Lyon restaurants guide
• Our full Lyon hotels guide
• Our full Lyon bars guide
• Our full Lyon wineries guide
• Our full Lyon experiences guide

FAQ: Arsenic, Lyon

• Can I eat at the bar at Arsenic? Bar seating is not confirmed in our data. Lyon's smaller creative rooms sometimes offer counter seats , call ahead and ask specifically, as this can be the leading option for solo diners or spontaneous visits.
• What should a first-timer know about Arsenic? Go in knowing that our published data on this venue is limited. It sits in Lyon's 3rd arrondissement away from the main tourist circuit, which in this city usually signals a locally-oriented kitchen. Budget €40–€80+ per head, book ahead, and treat it as a discovery meal rather than a guaranteed destination.
• Is Arsenic good for a special occasion? Without confirmed awards or a verified tasting menu format, we'd steer special occasion bookings toward Le Neuvième Art or Takao Takano where the track record is clearer. Arsenic is a better fit for an exploratory dinner than a high-stakes celebration.
• What should I order at Arsenic? Menu details are not in our current database. If a tasting menu is offered, that format will give you the clearest picture of what the kitchen is doing. For à la carte, ask the server what's been on the menu longest , those dishes tend to reflect the kitchen's actual strengths.
• What are alternatives to Arsenic in Lyon? For confirmed quality at a similar creative tier: Le Neuvième Art for the most ambitious tasting format in the city, Takao Takano for precise contemporary French, and Burgundy by Matthieu if you want to spend less. La Mere Brazier is the right call if classic French cooking matters more than contemporary experimentation.
• Can Arsenic accommodate groups? Seat count is not published. For groups of four or more, call the venue directly before booking online , smaller Lyon creative rooms sometimes have a single private space or a maximum party size that isn't listed anywhere obvious.
• Is Arsenic good for solo dining? Lyon's creative dining scene is generally solo-friendly, and smaller chef-driven rooms often have counter seating that works well for one. Ask specifically when reserving , a counter seat at a creative kitchen in Lyon's 3rd is a good evening regardless of the specific venue.
• What should I wear to Arsenic? No dress code is confirmed. Smart casual is the right call for Lyon's contemporary dining tier , not a jacket requirement, but not trainers either. If you're coming from a hotel in the Presqu'île, what you'd wear to dinner there will be fine here.