The best French cuisine restaurants Quebec

One of the trendiest addresses on the Grande Allée, the ambiance and decor already set the tone: raw materials, industrial chic, Edison light bulb ceiling, suspended staircases... all on five levels. L'Atelier is renowned for its excellent cocktails, skilfully assembled by its team of mixologists, and its tasty selection of tapas, tartars and burgers. The trendy and relaxed atmosphere that reigns makes you want to establish your HQ there. We come back without hesitation, for a meal or an aperitif, without forgetting an exceptional terrace to enjoy the summer.

The reputation of Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef Jérôme Ferrer is well established. L'Europea is a fine culinary art with an inventive and intuitive cuisine that takes all our senses on a journey. It's one of the best places to eat in town, and offers a taste experience to match. In the evening, let yourself be tempted by the La Grande Table menu, an epic culinary journey in 8 or 10 courses. The accompanying wine list is a hymn to happiness. A vegetarian menu is also available.

Winner of numerous awards, the Saint-Amour offers gastronomy comparable to the great European restaurants, but for much less money. Jean-Luc Boulay, a Frenchman from the Sarthe region, offers a different, refined cuisine that follows the rhythm of the seasons. The variations of foie gras are to be discovered, as well as the Discovery menu which emphasizes the Quebec terroir in 7 courses. The selected wines are a perfect match for the quality of this great cuisine. The ecstasy continues with the desserts, homemade of course.

If the building where Mélisse is located lacks a bit of charm because of its modernity, the interior is worth a visit. It's simple, but very charming! In the plate, seasonal and local products, all in a healthy way. For lunch and dinner, the menu offers a nice selection of dishes to share (or not!) including crispy falafels with herb mayonnaise, grilled arctic char or the raw of the day. For brunch, we recommend without hesitation the salmon gravlax. There is also a nice selection of organic wines and cocktails.

Nestled in the heart of Old Montreal, the Bonaparte has its reputation to live up to! Open for more than 35 years, this institution offers French-inspired cuisine using local products. The menu changes every day, depending on arrivals and the chef's inspiration. The setting of the restaurant is elegant and the presentation of the table is meticulous. Lobster with vanilla, rack of lamb or duck breast are particularly recommended! The wine selection is impressive and the team is very good at advising you.

This table relies on a great collaboration with local producers in order to offer a French and regional cuisine of great quality. Possibility of food and wine pairing with extra charge (superb wine cellar). They grow their own herbs, smoke their fish, meat and poultry with maple wood, flavour their oils, and create the cold cuts, stocks, chocolates, pastries and vinegars used in their recipes. A place where all gourmet pleasures are permitted.

Founded in 1889, the Boating Club du Vieux-Sainte-Rose is coming back to life! Once an upscale boating club frequented by Montreal's wealthy English-speaking population, the beautiful old house has retained its period cachet with a vintage, nautical twist. Its slogan: "Alcohol & casserole", and needless to say, it is! The Boating Club's gourmet creations are a delight (wood-fired oysters, prosciutto shank, grilled veal chop...), and all backed by a superb wine list. Evening DJ from Thursday to Saturday.

Chef Daniel Boulud is no stranger to the Ritz-Carlton restaurant, celebrated as one of the city's finest. His restaurant Daniel, in New York, is Michelin-starred and world-renowned, in addition to being a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux association. With Maison Boulud, he wanted to take advantage of the fusion of two cuisines, North American and European. A great success. The refinement is in the plates as well as in the dining room, and the service is worthy of top Michelin-starred restaurants. A fine dining experience.

An excellent regional restaurant with a menu that changes with the seasons and promises tasty discoveries. The décor is sleek and freshly renovated, and the terrace overlooks a magnificent garden. A fine bistronomic stopover with a local flavour, with the added bonus of a fine list of spirits, including cocktails that are well worth the detour. For those just passing through, or who'd like to take home some of these quality products, there's an on-site boutique selling some of the menu's specialties, as well as a very wide selection of ready-made dishes.

The Pilsen (also known as Massawippi) was one of the first microbreweries in the province in the mid-1980s. It moved in 1986 and the new owners of the building kept the name of what would become a pub-restaurant. In 2006, three epicureans bought the Pilsen in order to perpetuate the excellence of its table with a well-stocked wine and beer list, to be tasted, if you are passing through this enchanting little village in summer, on one of their magnificent terraces. You can even dock there by boat!

Occupying the premises of the now-defunct Casse-croûte chez Jeanine in the Saint-Sauveur district, Patente et Machin follows in the footsteps of its big brother, L'Affaire est Ketchup. The menu, however, is more elaborate, including the wine list, which will put a smile on more than one's face. The menu features bistro dishes such as whole mackerel stuffed with Nordic shrimps and homemade black pudding, or Wagyu beef rib-eye. The atmosphere is lively and the service is friendly. A great discovery for anyone wishing to get off the tourist gourmet trail in Quebec City.

A real lively and warm French bistro atmosphere reigns in the large dining room of the Petit Extra. The magnificent bar is inspired by the photographer René Jacques. The table d'hôtes changes every day and follows the rhythm of the seasons. The wine list, with its organic and privately imported selections, is excellent. It is also possible to organize receptions in the Lion d'Or adjoining the bistro (superb Art Deco showroom) or in the private lounge, the Lionceau. The restaurant also hosts a few events during the year.

A winning and rather crazy bistro formula for this Quebec City-area restaurant chain. The decor is always neat, friendly and good-natured. The menu features a variety of dishes, from gourmet brunch to cod fish & chips, poutine, tartar, seafood pot-en-pot and black pudding. Maple-smoked pork ribs are renowned for their quality. Desserts are downright decadent, sweet as can be. Three other branches in Quebec City and one in Lévis.

A must-visit restaurant in Baie-Saint-Paul, it had to relocate temporarily after being badly hit by flooding in 2023. Now located in the heart of the village, it retains its charming decor and superb terrace. Owner Thierry Ferré, a passionate cook, and chef Alexis Jegou offer creative bistro cuisine inspired by France, with a touch of terroir highlighting products from the Charlevoix region. Everything is simply delicious, from appetizer to dessert.

Housed in a former presbytery in the Little Burgundy district, Candide is the address of chef John Winter Russell. The concept is simple: a fixed-price menu every evening, including two starters, a choice between two main courses and a dessert or cheese, all varying according to the inspiration of the moment, the season and what's available. Fine food, a warm welcome, pretty, airy premises, a charming, tranquil terrace and an open kitchen where you can watch the cooks at work. A gourmet evening guaranteed.

A highly recommended and critically acclaimed restaurant. On the menu: oysters, fresh fish, game and Quebec cheeses, not to mention the succulent homemade desserts, of course. As a bonus, the courteous and efficient service adds to the good reputation of the place. Another good address is just a few steps away: the team runs a refreshment bar in the adjacent Le Cendrillon, which offers, among other things, appetizers to share, an oyster bar, local wine products and beers from Quebec microbreweries

Café Krieghoff is a small café that can be enjoyed both in winter and summer. A true institution well established since 1977, you can buy homemade coffee, have brunch, lunch and dinner. Krieghoff's specialties include warm duck confit salad, steak frites with pepper sauce, homemade poutine with duck effiloché, fried squid and organic Toulouse sausage. In the winter, it is the call of hot chocolate or a homemade dessert that will get the better of you, and in the summer, it is the salad on the terrace that is essential.

Olivia Lévêque has taken up the torch from her parents and offers a tempting card. You can enjoy good small dishes such as braised lamb shank, a large plate of fish bouillabaisse-style or crispy sweetbread. The house has been specializing in offal for over 40 years. On the sweet side, the choice will be difficult: Chartreuse iced nougat on raspberry coulis, crème brûlée with the flavour of the moment, chocolate temptation and its tarragon parfait... Bonus: all the breads are homemade.