October 28, 2022

Restaurants in Quebec Canada

Quebec City features a wide array of revered restaurants. (Photo: Hemera Images )

Located in the southern region of Canada's Quebec province, Quebec City lies 155 miles northeast of Montreal. The predominately French-speaking city offers an eclectic collection of global and local cuisine, ranging from casual eateries to upscale gourmet restaurants. Esteemed travel guides like Frommer's, Fodor's and Gayot rank Quebec City's top restaurants based on food quality and ambiance.

Southern Lower Town

Situated inside the upscale Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel, Panache (saint-antoine.com) offers a gourmet French dining experience. Cuisine includes such items as maple-glazed halibut, smoked duck and pan-roasted rabbit, paired with a wide variety of French, German and Austrian wines. The restaurant, housed in a former 19th-century maritime warehouse, features such rustic decor as creaky hardwood floors, stone walls and beamed ceilings. Named by Frommer's as one of the best restaurants in the entire province, L'Initiale (restaurantinitiale.com) lies just three short blocks from the Museum of Civilization. The restaurant's refined interior includes leather chairs, cherrywood-lined walls, fireplaces, original artwork and long, flowing curtains. The menu highlights selections like braised beef, roasted piglet and white asparagus with monkfish. The restaurant encourages formal attire, including jackets for men.

Northern Lower Town

L'Echaude (echaude.com) sits in the Old Port neighborhood, within walking distance of a host of antique shops. The restaurant offers a wide variety of dining spots, including an outdoor patio, stainless-steel bar and a main hall equipped with dark wood furnishings. Hearty entrees include such samplings as roasted duck, grilled salmon with risotto, and calf sweetbreads. The Lower Town-based Laurie Raphael (laurieraphael.com) sits just steps from the water and the Museum of Civilization. Gourmet meals, served on specially designed dinnerware, include such fare as lamb with artichoke puree and duck breast with huckleberry and maple chutney. White linens, fresh flowers and suede chairs grace the upscale interior.

Central Upper Town

Located just steps from the Cathedral of Holy Trinity, Cafe-Boulangerie Paillard (paillard.ca) features an on-site ice cream parlor that serves gourmet gelato and offers display cases filled with various baked goods like croissants and macaroons. Savory selections include different gourmet soups and sandwiches, as well as pizza during the summer months. The casual counter-service eatery features long communal tables, encouraging interaction amongst diners. Situated inside two 18th-century homes, Portofino Bistro Italiano (portofino.triple-y.ca) lies in the heart of Quebec City's Upper Town. The interior design includes earth-tone-colored walls, mural-covered ceilings, bar seating and an exposed wood-fire oven. The restaurant serves up Italian cuisine like risotto with seafood, veal scaloppine with lemon sauce and four-cheese gnocchi, as well as 7, 000 international wines.

Downtown/Western Upper Town

Based in downtown, directly outside the city walls, Versa (versarestaurant.com) offers a colorful setting complete with a back-lit bar, hanging disco ball, candlelight, tiled walls and patio seating. The menu serves up such dishes as seared salmon, grilled beef tenderloin and oysters, as well as the gourmet version of poutine, featuring french fries covered in duck stock and cheddar cheese. Le Saint-Amour (saint-amour.com) offers three upscale dining areas, including an indoor garden outfitted with 35-foot-tall glass ceilings. The extensive wine collection features more than 12, 000 bottles, including 1, 100-plus selections from France alone. The menu highlights entree offerings like filet mignon, Canadian lobster and rack of lamb with pressed potatoes.