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 All the conviviality of the people of Lille can be found in their regional food. Tasty and hearty, these dishes are the result of an outstanding rural region, proudly upheld Flemish traditions and a touch of the French “art of living”.
Amongst the many culinary specialities, three strange-sounding dishes embody all that is special about Lille cuisine. Carbonnade flamande (small chunks of beef stewed in beer), waterzoï (poultry or fish in a creamy sauce, served with baby vegetables) and potjevleesch (literally “small potted meat”, a white meat terrine in aspic). There’s also rabbit with prunes for lovers of sweet-and-savoury dishes, and the famous “moules-frites” (mussels and chips), a culinary symbol of the great September “Braderie”!
This is all usually washed down with a traditional, locally brewed beer. Lager, amber, dark or white, Nord-Pas de Calais’ special beers are typically strong-tasting and have a high alcohol content.
Then, of course, there’s the cheese, especially the “Vieux Lille” (a cousin of the Maroilles cheese), nicknamed the “Lille stinker” for its strong smell.
For the sweet tooth, there is “vergeoise” (light or dark sugar made from sugar-beet syrup), which is found in sugar tarts, crème caramel (custards), the famous "gaufres" or thin, filled waffles, and "babeluttes de Lille" (“vergeoise” toffees).
Finally, all good meals are finished off with a “genièvre”, an eau de vie made from grains and flavoured with juniper berries.
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The flavours of Lille