The story
Ginko is a modern cuisine restaurant at 70 rue de l'Hôpital-Militaire in Lille, France, and it holds one Michelin star (2026). Chef Valentina Giacobbe and pastry chef Julien Ingaud-Jaubert run the kitchen, across the street from the Saint-Étienne church.
Giacobbe, of Italian origin, trained in Pierre Gagnaire's starred kitchens before helping Rozo in Lille earn its first star. At Ginko, peels, stems and trimmings become butters, vinegars, broths and powders. The seasonal menus lean on vegetables, with organic and permaculture growers supplying much of the produce.
Le Fooding reviewed a €40 prix-fixe menu on one visit. It opened with a meagre tartare over tangy chickpea cream, with radish and citrus. Pearly cod with beurre blanc followed, alongside butternut squash and spaghetti squash. The meal ended with rice pudding, barley caramel, quince compote and an almond crisp. The Végétal menu is fully vegetarian and can be made vegan on request. The signature Figue et Feuille cocktail uses a spirit and vinegar made from fig trimmings.
The space was once the Le Vinci bistro, and architects Pollux renovated it with raw oak floors, walnut tables and soft fabrics. Original red Lille brick remains on the walls. A communal table for six to eight sits opposite the open kitchen, suited to family dinners or private meals. The ceramic tableware is made to order by Charlotte Caulliez in Wambrechies.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
After playing hide-and-go-seek on Rue de l’Hôpital-Militaire, Ginko says peek-a-boo from behind a mysterious nameless windowed storefront, across from the Saint-Étienne church. The former Le Vinci bistro filled with regulars has made way for a detail-focused fine dining spot run by Valentina Giaccobe (former sous-chef at Rozo) and Julien Ingaud-Jaubert (former pastry chef at the Clarance), who met at Gagnaire’s Gaya. In a Japanese-inspired ambiance with soulful vibes, the duo sure stand out from the crowd in Lille. Just consider the €40 prix-fixe menu we had the day we went, where the catch of the day was spot on: to cast off to sea, a meagre tartare served with a tangy chickpea cream dotted with radish and citrus fruits – best sponged up with the good bread from the neighboring bakery, served with whipped vegetable peel butter; then some excellent pearly cod with beurre blanc sauce, a slice butternut squash cooked with a bit of bite, a quenelle of tender spaghetti squash and a sprinkling of fresh herbs; and for your return back to dry land, a comforting rice pudding topped with barley caramel, quince compote and an almond crisp. // Line Dema
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