The best French cuisine restaurants Quebec

Those who knew the Café Champêtre in Percé will now find a gourmet address in its former premises. Four young entrepreneurs from the region started this snack bar in the middle of a pandemic with the desire to offer small and large dishes with resolutely local flavors. And it's hard to beat that when you know that the team calls on a picker to harvest, among other things, berries and wild mushrooms. Nice selection of cocktails and wines too. A great address for brunch, lunch, dinner or an aperitif.

Located in the heart of the Drague complex, Restaurant Elli's design immediately catches the eye, blending noble wood, brick and concrete with the black and white hues of the premises. It serves succulent bistro dishes inspired by international cuisine, to share or not: tasting platter, veggie or non-veggie agnolotti forestier, beef tartar, duck confit salad, poutine steak and smoked gouda cheese, tacos al pastor, etc. And when the restaurant closes for the evening, it transforms into the Drague cabaret.

If the place serves as a take-out counter during the day, it becomes a gourmet table in the evening. A single large table, which can seat up to 14 guests, sits in this small restaurant that makes you feel like a guest in the chef's home. On the menu, a 5-course meal that changes with the months and seasons and features products from Quebec artisans and producers, all meticulously selected by the team. Bonus: a list of organic and natural wines as well as Quebec spirits.

SAINTI is first and foremost a restaurant that showcases the tasty gourmet products of the Charlevoix region, notably the cheeses, charcuterie and market garden produce. To support this, the restaurant offers a private wine list, mostly organic or from sustainable agriculture, not to mention Quebec spirits. Bonus: a superb view of the St. Lawrence River from the dining room and the terrace. The team also runs Le 362, located on the same site and offering rooms and rental condos.

The Hotel Le Bonne Entente is renowned for its gastronomic offerings, including the MC Lounge. In summer in the gardens, in winter by the fireplace, the restaurant's varied menu is fine-tuned according to the season and even the guests' desires: oysters, pan-fried foie gras, fresh fish, lobster bucatini, Nagano pork belly, sea scallops... To round off the meal, we recommend the Quebec cheese platter and garnishes. An excellent wine list, winner of awards of excellence.

Right in the heart of the Île-des-Moulins historic site, this restaurant occupies a period building on the banks of the Rivière des Milles-Îles (its terrace offers a superb view). The menu follows the bistronomy concept with an international touch (naan crab and shrimp, bao bread with crispy pork, linguini with jerk chicken, etc.). On Sunday mornings, the place attracts brunch enthusiasts, and we recommend the "Festin brunch" menu for two or more people. A fine selection of beers, wines and spirits from Quebec.

In the heart of Wakefield village, facing the Gatineau River and boasting a lovely terrace, Le Hibou offers cuisine inspired by the four corners of the world: ferme aux saveurs des monts' butter chicken poutine with home fries, tandoori chicken sausage, cheese curds, cilantro and red bell pepper; fish taco with fried cod, red coleslaw, pickled onions and cilantro; or Ferme Hale's sirloin burger with Jarlsberg cheese, double bacon, maple barbecue sauce and chipotle.

A newcomer to the Tadoussac gourmet scene, Le Bar Rayé is housed in a charming ancestral home with a breathtaking view of the marina, bay and St. Lawrence River. The watchword in the kitchen: source locally to offer the best the Côte-Nord has to offer. And there's something for everyone on the slate, especially fish and seafood, the hallmarks of this maritime region. We sampled a lobster guédille with a house cocktail, followed by a succulent cheesecake with homemade camerise syrup. Top-notch!

Greenery is at the heart of the concept, from the decor to the plate, where plants are the stars of the place. This restaurant is another project by renowned chefs Jean-Claude Boulay, Arnaud Marchand and Pierre Joubaud, who are not new to the business (Emeline Péro succeeded Pierre Joubaud at the helm of the kitchen in 2021). In addition to greenery, proteins are also on the menu, whether they are animal, vegetarian or vegan. In the glass, a nice selection of cocktails, Quebec beers and even botanical lemonades.

Éric Garand, creative chef, and Jinny Dufour, sommelier, are not at their trial run. This gourmet project has been attracting crowds to the heart of Magog since it opened in 2017. And they insist: everything here is cooked homemade with local and seasonal products. Smoked pork from Ferme Lennon de Compton, cheeses from Coaticook, organic vegetables from Ferme Les Vallons Maraîchers de Compton, 1855 beer dishes - the official beer of the restaurant brewed by Boréale - are just a few examples of the products used in cooking. It's fresh, it's generous and it's local!