Ombellule

The story

Ombellule – Michelin-Starred Fine Dining in Lyon by Chefs Tabata & Ludovic Mey

Ombellule

In the heart of Lyon’s 6th arrondissement, Ombellule is a Michelin-starred restaurant born from the vision of chefs Tabata and Ludovic Mey. The name refers to the delicate stem of an umbel—a flower within a flower—symbolizing how each creation stems from accumulated knowledge and is meant to be shared. This is a place where art, craftsmanship, and nature converge.

Tabata and Ludovic Mey met at Marguerite Restaurant in Lyon. Their path took them around the world, working with renowned chefs such as René Redzepi at NOMA in Copenhagen, Alex Atala in Brazil, and Tiago in Belém. In 2016, they opened Les Apothicaires, also in Lyon’s 6th, which earned a Michelin star and a place in the 50 Best Discovery list before they closed it voluntarily in 2023. After months of searching, they found a new home at 34 and 36 Cours Franklin Roosevelt, where they now operate two distinct venues: Ombellule, a gastronomic restaurant, and Brasserie Roseaux, a traditional French brasserie.

Tabata Mey, originally from Brazil, trained at the Institut Paul Bocuse and with Michelin-starred chef Nicolas Le Bec. In 2014, chef Paul Bocuse entrusted her with the reins of Marguerite Restaurant, where she met Ludovic. Ludovic Mey, from Savoie, began cooking with his grandmother in a family of epicureans, later apprenticing with chef Patrick Turpin in Chambéry, working in Paris, spending two years alongside chef Christian Têtedoie in Lyon, and then joining Marguerite.

At Ombellule, the chefs orchestrate a cuisine that is both poetic and identitarian, with singular accents. They describe their food as “lisible et libre”—readable and free—drawing from classical foundations while working with creativity and a deceptive simplicity. The menu changes with the seasons, offering a tasting menu as well as à la carte options for both lunch and dinner. For lunch, a shorter menu of three or four courses is also available. Each meal can be paired with a carefully considered wine or alcohol-free accompaniment, highlighting a diverse wine list featuring contemporary winemakers and old-world selections.

The dining room is an intimate setting, designed to reflect the harmony between the elegance of nature and human craftsmanship. As Tabata and Ludovic say, “Every detail of the room, every detail of the menu, represents the sum of all our choices and all our experiences, which bloom together.” The restaurant welcomes guests for lunch Monday through Friday (except Tuesday midday) and dinner Monday through Friday, and accommodates dietary restrictions with advance notice.