The story
Söma is a modern bistro at 9 place Saint-Paul in Lyon's Vieux Lyon, and Le Fooding listed it in 2026. Chef Sarah Hamza cooks in an open kitchen, and the short menu changes with the season, so the cooking sits close to the tables.
Söma is Sarah Hamza's first restaurant. She draws on the Mediterranean spices and flavours she knew as a child, and the menu follows what is fresh and in season. Before opening Söma she worked at Mory Sacko's restaurant, a link Le Fooding noted when it reviewed her kitchen.
On the lunch visit Le Fooding described a cod roe taramasalata with black lime and crisp, cheesy tapioca. Another plate was orzo in a smoking broth with homemade harissa, clams, sea beans and trout roe. The chicken cordon bleu is wrapped in fried angel hair pasta and set on a broad bean and carrot mousseline, with pistachio and mizuna. Dessert was Greek yogurt with pomegranate molasses, fresh strawberries, halva and crushed pistachios.
The dining room is small and intimate, with sky blue tiling and a framed photograph of the footballer Zizou on the wall. Guests sit within view of the open kitchen. The space has air conditioning, and the restaurant also offers outdoor seating and suits solo diners.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
The Saint-Paul watchmaker better watch out: Söma is about to stop the clock! At this miniature bistro on Place Saint-Paul with sky blue tiling and a framed photograph of French soccer player Zizou on the wall, local chef Sarah Hamza (who we previously noticed at Mory Sacko’s restaurant) brings a touch of youth to the Vieux-Lyon neighborhood with her generous Mediterranean dishes. Making their way out of the open kitchen the day we went for lunch: a decadent cod roe taramasalata, served with black lime and crispy-cheesy tapioca; a comforting bowl of orzo bathed in a smoking hot broth with homemade harissa, clams, sea beans and trout roe – or a tender chicken cordon bleu, wrapped up in fried angel hair pasta and placed atop a broad bean and carrot mousseline, all enhanced with a pistachio condiment and mizuna (Japanese mustard greens); before some deliciously comforting Greek yogurt covered in pomegranate molasses, fresh strawberries, halva and crushed pistachios for dessert. A chef at the sömmit of her talent! // Eddie Muffin
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