A man in a pale shirt leans back on a bench at the right, his body relaxed and his gaze directed outward, raising a glass in his hand. Two other figures sit to the left, one facing outward with a beard and the other seen from behind, her dark blue dress and hair forming a strong silhouette against the lighter tablecloth. The three figures are gathered around a white table set with bottles, glasses, and a dish of fruit, all rendered with loose, fluid brushstrokes that suggest the textures of glass and cloth rather than define them sharply.

Sunlight filters through a trellis covered in green vines and orange flowers, casting a dappled light across the scene and blending the figures into their lush surroundings. Beyond the trellis, the river shimmers in blue and violet tones, where a rower in a yellow boat glides past, and a coxed four speeds by in the distance, their forms sketched with quick, impressionistic marks. The palette is dominated by cool blues and greens, punctuated by touches of red and yellow, creating a sense of freshness and leisure.

The brushwork is energetic and visible, with colors blending into each other at the edges, characteristic of the Impressionism movement. Paint is applied in loose, visible strokes, especially in the foliage and water, where the forms dissolve into flecks of color. A lattice trellis frames the scene along the top and both sides, its blue-green lines curving overhead and anchoring the composition at the edges.

Red and yellow flowers are scattered among the green leaves on the trellis, adding small, bright accents throughout the background. The sunlight falls most strongly on the reclining man's face and shirt, leaving the other two figures partially in shadow. On the table, a green bottle stands near the edge, while two half-filled glasses catch the light and reflect pale yellow tones.

The brushwork in the lower left corner is especially loose, with the woman's skirt dissolving into broad, swirling strokes of blue and violet. Lunch at the Restaurant Fournaise was painted by Pierre-Auguste Renoir in 1875.