Bierbuik, 19 Rue Royale, Lille, France
Beerstro Taverne Moderne, 10 Rue du Pont Neuf, Lille, Frame
Au Boudin Bar, 6 Place Maurice Schumann, Lille, France
L'Intervalle Bar, 23 Rue Léonard Danel, Lille, France
La Taverne Flamande, 15 Place de la Gare, Lille, France
Hein Estaminet, 13 Place Saint-Hubert, Lille, France
Beer Square, 3 Place Gillesan, Lille, France
La Capsule, 25 Rue des Trois Mollettes, Lille France
In March of this year I took a short holiday in France, starting in Reims, famous for its champagne, and ending in Lille, which is currently known as France’s beer capital. The day after I visited the location in Reims where, in 1945, the Armistice that ended World War II was signed, I was due to arrive in Lille by train in the early afternoon. Unfortunately World War II, which we all thought was well over, intervened when an unexploded bomb was found on the tracks outside Gare du Nord and my connecting train was cancelled.
After a major detour around Paris, involving two Metro lines and another train, I finally reached Lille by evening. By that time I was quite hungry and desperately in need of a pint, so I took off from my AirB&B and walked around the corner and through the buzzing Friday night crowds to Bierbuik.
With a name that seems to translate as “beer belly", this brewpub offers a more atmospheric estaminet upstairs, but I was happy with the brightly-lit minimalist setting of the downstairs brewpub. I sat at a tall table and ordered a pint of the brewery’s IPA (7.0% ABV, Bierbuik, Lille, France) which was surprisingly the lowest ABV available in a pale ale. My server described it as a very fruity IPA, so I figured I’d give it a try. Brewed with Target and Cascade hops, this coppery golden IPA was actually quite good: bitter with a nice suggestion of pine resin, along with a very tasteful amount of European malt. The brewery’s beers are all based on hops from Mont des Cats, which is a small hill near the town of Gode Waersuelde in France. There’s an Abbaye up on Mont de Cats, so they also grow hops for the Trappist breweries. I like to think that the cats would add a special quality to the hops crops; but in this case, the derivation of "Cats" comes from Chatti, a Germanic tribe who lived in the area in the 5th century, and not our furry friends.
To tone down that high alcohol content a bit, I had an equally surprisingly good veggie burger, served with lovely little frites and proper Belgian-style mayo. Bierbuik’s website describes its menu items as 100% local street food, and along with burgers there are flamiches, meats marinated and cooked over a wood fire, salads, and waffles--in other words, a lot of Flemish-style dishes. It’s a really appealingly casual place.
The next day, after first finding an electronics shop where I could buy a replacement European USB charger for the one I stupidly left in Reims, I walked around exploring the city. And after spending some time checking out the uniquely interesting Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral, I was pretty much ready to find a place for lunch and my first beer of the day. So I decided to check out Beerstro, and I'm really happy I did.
This gastropub features a bistro and bar inside, but it looked like most of the action was outside on the covered terrace. So I went out there and sat at a small tall table on the side. The person who seated me informed me that my table was Number 70, and the card sitting on my table that was printed with a large "70" was so that I could go serve myself whatever beer I’d like, and however much I wanted as well. Above the outside bar were six beer tap stations, with about eight more inside. Basically, the display on each station tells you the name of the beer, the ABV (designated with a degree sign in France), and a description in French of what the beer is like, along with symbols telling you just how strong, bitter, and sweet it is.
After taking a mini-tour around all of the options, I decided on the Poule Moulilée (6.5% ABV, Brasserie Tandem, Wambrechies, France), which was described as a very hoppy and aromatic blonde with a perfect balance. I took a glass, stuck my card into the slot under the description, and dispensed just as much as I wanted, which was about half a pint. Then, as I am a small eater, I just ordered a starter: the Gravlax with Espelette pepper, lime, and rum. My meal was unbelievably delicious: three thin strips of the tenderest, most gorgeous salmon gravlax, accompanied by a simple green salad dressed with the most heavenly vinaigrette-style dressing I’ve ever tasted, and that’s saying quite a lot. If this was an example of what the rest of the food is like, this is truly an amazing place.
My beer was really good, too, hoppy and perfect. In fact, I would happily have gone and poured myself some more; but the day was still young, and I had other fish to fry, so to speak, and other beers to sample. And I could easily pay my bill by scanning the QR code on the table, because it knew what table I was sitting at, so my beer and food were all there. Easy-peasy!
While I was busy rhapsodising, I noticed there was a table football game inside, and I was to see many more of these all around Lille. But on this sunny, mild day, the place to be was definitely out on the covered patio. And the large snake of hi-tech aluminium ducting that stretched across the ceiling made me think fondly of the 1985 film Brazil. I suppose it’s just a nostalgic association for me and my punk generation, not to mention my eclectic Unkletom.
Beerstro also offers bottled beers, and the simple cuisine is created using fresh local produce.
The next afternoon was sunny and temperate, so I decided to take a stroll around the Canal de la Moyenne-Deûle and the Quai du Wault. Unfortunately thousands of other people and their children all had the same idea, so it turned out to be a bit of a battle working my way through the throngs of bodies. By late afternoon I was getting hungry, so I decided to stop at Au Boudin Bar, because I'd read a review of the place that said it has good beer, and they do small plates. The place was very crowded and loud like a sports bar, and although there were quite a few beer taps over the bar, the bar staff didn’t speak any English at all. And I couldn’t see any sign of food anywhere. But it was obviously a very busy weekend day, not to mention the fact that a Lille-v-Montpellier football match was being broadcast on the screens (Lille won 1-0), so I suppose the emphasis at that moment was on serving lots of beer.
So I decided to just drink a pint and then find food elsewhere. The beer I chose was Queue de Charru Poegsteert Blonde (6.5% ABV, Brouwrij Vanuxeem, Comines-Warneton, Région Wallonne, Belgium). This was a bit sweet to my taste, but it was a good, proper Belgian blonde otherwise. When the TV in the room in which I was sitting was finally turned off, I’m assuming that the match had ended, because the bar immediately calmed down. And one thing I did like about the place were the classic car grills hanging here and there, and anything classic-car-related always appeals to me. The music, on the other hand, was very loud and frankly pretty crap. So if you’re visiting Lille I wouldn’t really recommend this place, unless you happen to be a 21-year-old male who loves getting pissed with his mates.
The first night I arrived in Lille, through a complete twist of fate which involved trying to find my AirB&B apartment’s lock box, I discovered a great little live-music bar only a few steps away. So later on that same night, after finding a place to have dinner, I decided to check out L’Intervalle Jazz Bar, where I ordered a glass of wine and enjoyed the evening’s jazz combo. It was such an enjoyable experience that I returned the next night to check out the very entertaining You Rascal Band, featuring an excellent sax and clarinet player, a great trumpet player who sings just like Louis Armstrong (with a French accent), and a very solid backing section. I started with one of the owner’s cocktail creations, which was quite nice. And then I finished the evening with a pint of Moulíns D’Ascq IPA (5.5% ABV, Brasserie Moulíns D’Ascq, Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France). This was a really nice modern IPA, not very Belgian, and perhaps a good example of what makes France now a world contender in craft beer brewing. It was dry and bitter with a bit of incense and smoke in the essence. It was very nice, and I could easily have had another pint, but sadly the band had finished playing for the night, as all good things must end.
L’Intervalle features all different types of live jazz, from swing and Django Reinhardt to bebop, Monk, New Orleans, experimental, chanson, Brazillian…but this is a beer column, not a music or food column, so I really shouldn't digress. But if you ever visit Lille and you like music, whether you drink beer, wine, or cocktails, this place is an absolute must.
On my last full day in Lille, I made a firm decision to find some proper moules et frites for lunch. As I was walking through town I was nearly tricked by the gastronomic allure of a West African restaurant--but then I slapped myself in the face, yanked myself away from the tempting menu displayed outside, and continued on in my quest. When I got to the square just opposite Lille-Flandres train station, I saw a couple of restaurants that I had on my list of potential beer-tasting venues. It was another nice day, and both beer gardens were packed with diners and drinkers, most of them obviously tourists. At first La Taverne Flamande struck me as a bit too Belgian in its appearance; but because I really wanted some mussels, combined with the fact that I was drawn in by two people in the garden who were dressed in bright jester costumes, I decided to try it.
I took a seat inside, in a cosy booth by the front door, so that I could enjoy a pleasant breeze and the sound of the crowds outside without having the bright sunlight cooking my skin to sun-cancer crispiness. I quickly perused the food menu, which featured a lot of fish and seafood, and then I settled on my goal: a bowl of moules marinière, which is the classic preparation of the dish, and also the first way I experienced them years ago. My mussels, which were tender and delicious, were served with excellent Belgian-style frites with homemade mayonnaise, along with a basket of fresh bread to dip in the mussel juices. To accompany all this I had a glass of JIPA (6.8% ABV, Brouwerij Huyghe, Melle, Belgium), which was very satisfactory. This beer was named for Joris, the master brewery who created it.
Obviously the front beer garden of La Taverne Flamande is the place to be on a sunny day, but the inside is pleasant as well: all brick walls, wood-vaulted arches, and plenty of Leffe and other Belgian beer decor everywhere, and the bar and espresso bar are in plain view. I ended up eating only half of the mussels, which was still a lot for me, so this would have been a perfect meal to share with one or two other people--or, more perfectly, 1.5 other persons. Or just one big eater. While I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch, I also enjoyed the good tunes that were playing--especially Muse’s “Uprising", which seems particularly appropriate to 2025 and the Republic of Donald).
On the afternoon of my final full day I decided to visit the Musée de L’Illusion, which was a bit of an illogical move on my part as a person travelling solo. But never mind, I did enjoy it, and I even managed to take a few photos of Myself with Me. When I had my fill of the museum, I walked through the Matisse Park and around to Hein Estaminet, another outpost of the Brique House Brewpub chain that I first discovered in Bordeaux last year. I was surprised to find that even though the Sunday afternoon was mild and very sunny, and this pub is situated between Lille’s two train stations, both the interior of the pub and the sunny front garden were completely empty. At first I thought it might be closed, but when I walked in, the woman behind the bar was friendly and welcoming. As I would be having more beer later, I decided on just a half of Shiny Hoppy (6.0% ABV, Wall of Brique, Bordeaux, France), the same beer I’d had at Brique House in Bordeaux, and it was nice and refreshing. I sat on one of the sofas by the large windows, with my back soaking up the warm sun. Just as I was getting ready to leave, some other people started to show up, including what appeared to be a family who proceeded to have a great time playing doubles at table football.
My half of Shiny was good; but it wasn’t until later that I noticed the “Experimental" menu. Seeing as how I was risking a 6% beer, I could have tried the Death Valley NEIPA (5.2%) or the Superdelic Wanderlust (6.5%), or even the Accord Blanche (5.0%). Oh well, perhaps there will be another time. Again the music being played, mostly African style, was really enjoyable.
When I walked back up toward the Old Town, I decided to check out Beer Square. I had first stopped here around noon a couple of days earlier, after walking through the nearby Cathedral. On that occasion I had intended to have a beer and one of their savoury waffles for lunch, but the place was crowded and there had been a very long queue at the bar. So as it was now a Sunday at 5:00 in the afternoon, the crowd looked much more manageable, and because of the sunshine most of them were sitting outside-- but I was quite content to be inside. I stood at the bar and scanned through the menu, and I told the barmaid that I’d like an IPA-type of beer that wasn’t too strong. She immediately pointed to the Vents Solairis, an Imperial double IPA, but she said that it was 8.0% ABV. She then pointed to Drunk, a NEIPA, but laughed that it was only 1.5% ABV. So I compromised and went for a pint of Bellerose NEIPA (6.5% ABV, Brasseries des Sources, Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, Haut-de-France), which was described as an Oatmeal NEIPA Florale ale. And it was really decent: hazy but with distinctly audible hops, and nicely bitter with suggestions of tropical fruits and citrus.
There’s an interesting story behind the brewery of my beer. Brasseries des Sources was originally called Brasserie des Amis Réunis, named after the filming of the movie Germinal. (I've never see the film, but I loved the book.) Apparently actors Gérard Depardieu, Renaud, Miou-Miou, Claude Berri, and Jean-Pierre Coffe all wanted to thank the people of the North with this brewery, and it’s currently the most awarded brewery in France.
I took my pint and sat at a tall table near the open door so that I could enjoy both the fresh air and the view. My stool was surprisingly comfy, and once again the music was great. And again the table football in the front corner was occupied with players leaping about aggressively and having loud and wonderful fun. Watching them reminded me of when, about ten years earlier, I was at a party hosted in Club 60, the secret underground club beneath Shalesmoor in Sheffield, and I recall playing with a friend at a table situated under one of the curved archways, and we were both leaping about and laughing wildly. It is a brilliantly fun game. I would love to have played it in Lille; but like table tennis, you can’t really play it by yourself. It’s like football being played with one side and not the other.
For my final beer in France on this trip, I stopped into La Capsule. This is a small place, basically a long bar on one side with stools and even under-the-counter hooks for coats, and there are a few little tables on the other side. I took a stool at the far end of the bar, as I was probably the only person in the place over 28 years of age, and I didn’t want to scare anybody. I told the barman I’d been drinking IPAs this afternoon but I felt like maybe a sour as my final Lille beer. So he gave me a taste of Shorba (4.2% ABV, Piggy Brewing Company, Liverdun, France), described as a Framboise sour. It wasn’t very sour at all, so I decided on a small glass of Retrofutur IPA (5.8% ABV), also by Piggy Brewing. This was brewed with Centennial and HBC 1019 hops, which are terms I can wholeheartedly understand--and obviously it was described on the menu as an American IPA. I have to say that this was definitely the best beer I had that afternoon, and probably the best beer of my entire Lille visit. I really liked this place: the snugness, the feel, the dedication to keeping and serving good beer. I felt very comfortable here. I even had the nerve to take Plastic Doug out of my handbag and photograph him with my beer. (Doug is a little plastic cat figurine that my adopted brother gave me. I enjoy taking photos of him standing in front of a good pint. Perhaps one day I’ll display a Plastic Doug gallery on Pint Pleasures. But not today...)
I really feel that I succeeded in my quest to see if Lille truly is the beer capital of France. But perhaps I need to go more often to do further research…
Related Links
- And there are many reasons for me to do further research: a Map to All of Lille’s Brasseries, Breweries, and Bars (Lille Metropolitan Tourist Office)
- All about cathedral Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille (Wikipedia)
- All about self-pour beer wall systems (Pour My Beer)
- Emile Zolas classic Germinal, the 1993 film version and the 1885 novel