Ginko

Near the Grand’Place, this unobtrusive eatery with a glazed facade is the brainchild of two pals, both of whom boast virtuoso CVs: Valentina Giacobbe was born in Italy and grew up in Asia, graduated in political science before she turned to cooking, training at Gaya with Pierre Gagnaire before working at Rozo and then at SOlange; and Julien Ingaud-Jaubert, who trained as a pastry chef and who has also worked in top establishments (Pierre Gagnaire, Meurin, La Laiterie). Their trendy venue is the picture of a sleek contemporary bistro complete with a red-brick wall, a tribute to Lille. Valentina’s creative, delicate recipes are both distinctive and exquisitely balanced. Her seasonal menu features dishes dominated by vegetables (like green peas paired with nettles or the wild garlic-flavoured hollandaise sauce that accompanies the cod), all of which might feature Italian or Asian accents. A fully vegetarian menu is also available.