21 Best Restaurants in Quebec City, Quebec

Seafood lovers, rejoice: Québec City now has its very own ocean-based restaurant, and a great one at that. Helmed by a team of seasoned chefs, this gourmet restaurant provides diners with flavorful, flawless, and generously sized dishes of anything from scallops to clams and marlin tatakis, all nicely complemented by delicate side dishes such as lentils, sorbet (yes, ice cream for dinner!), and edible flowers. It is a light-filled, beautifully appointed venue.

Chef Guillaume Saint-Pierre's love for authentic Italian cuisine led him to open this popular 25-seat restaurant, located off the main Saint-Roch thoroughfares, where he can fully concentrate on that passion with gusto and skill. Italian tradition (there's arancini and vitello tonatto) blend with local flair (there's cacio e pepe with Swiss chard, and scallop crudo). The restaurant has been a huge hit, which means you should reserve weeks in advance, especially on weekends.

Expect the usual crowd of students, freelancers, and others toting laptops at this third-wave café that has thoughtfully selected beans roasted on-site. Even so, the contemporary, all-white café is a welcome respite from the cold in wintertime—and the doughnuts alone are worth a visit.

La Boîte à Pain makes it a point of honor to serve fresh products prepared on site every day. In a convivial atmosphere, this European-inspired bakery has been making gourmet and artisanal products for more than 20 years. Breads, pizzas, sandwiches, pastries, and cakes are displayed on the large counter and are nothing short of convincing, if not plainly irresistible.

The high ceilings and imposing vault door give away the fact that this was once a bank, but an amiable staff and inventive bistro cuisine (without pretentious fluff) make this establishment a local favorite who munch on well-prepared shareable plates of seasonal, creative, flavorful shareable plates like smoked aubergine with romesco sauce or veal tartare with lemon and fiddleheads. Wine lovers, this restaurant recently hired the best sommelier in Québec City.

Specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza and antipasti, this stylish pizzeria has been on everyone's lips ever since it opened (thanks to crowdfunding!). Its beast of an oven weighs 2.5 tons and was imported straight from Italy—and it's worth it: the thin-crust pizzas are cooked in just 90 seconds at 900 degrees. Expect sides of flavorful salads, creamy burrata, charcuteries, and cheeses. Also note the excellent cocktail list. If you prefer to eat in the St-Jean-Baptiste neighborhood, Nina recently opened a second location there.

It's worth heading to the outskirts of the St-Roch Downtown district for this unique dining experience, inspired by the French bouchons (as bistros are called in the city of Lyon). "In the pig, everything is good": so goes the French adage that advocates responsible, farm-to-table gastronomy. This is precisely what drives Pied Bleu: every week, the chefs receive a whole pig and come up with proven, creative ways to serve it (the charcuterie plate is a must). Also offered is Le tour lyonnais, a tasting menu for two including six courses, salads, cheeses, and desserts. While there are a few vegetarian options, this is primarily a place of communion for hardened carnivores; they've actually won prizes all over France for their excellent boudin (blood sausage). The wine list is largely European, but reserves a special place for Beaujolais vineyards.  The brunch menu is equally gargantuan and tasty, with a dreamy smoked-fish sandwich and a large rib steak with béarnaise sauce for big appetites.

The trek to Limoilou is worth it, if it's to dine at ARVI. Local critics have deemed ARVI an unforgettable gourmet experience, and it was selected as one of Canada's 35 top restaurants by Air Canada's in-flight magazine. The restaurant's signature open-plan kitchen right smack in the middle of the tastefully designed space guarantees diners unobstructed views of the chef at work. Food-wise, the prix-fixe tasting menu is a steal at just C$88; expect seasonal fare inspired by local terroir.  If you're into wine, fork out the extra C$55 for the wine pairings.

Behind the success of city hot spot Chez Muffy (formerly Panache), Chef François Blais decided on a more casual approach, including having a simple interior, when he opened his own restaurant on avenue Cartier. The "market cuisine" is straight to the point and well executed, and the whole menu fits on a blackboard, with a handful of appetizers, main courses, and desserts that change daily.

La Buvette Scott is an unpretentious address that pleasantly surprises with its attractive menu and impeccable service. Located in the heart of St-Jean-Baptiste, it's quickly been adopted by locals who have made this place their favorite neighborhood hangout. The warm wooden décor creates a friendly, almost family-like atmosphere. Waiters have complete control over the music and are more than happy to accept suggestions and blast that one-hit-wonder on the record player. Food-wise, La Buvette Scott offers a dozen small and medium-sized seasonal dishes mainly consisting of seasonal vegetables and seafood.

One of the newer additions to the St-Jean-Baptiste neighborhood, Cantook is a micro-roaster that is more traditional than trendy, but no less excellent. Visit for a cappuccino, a good conversation with the owner, maybe even both.

This cozy burger joint with brick-and-stone walls has a wide range of topping combinations, daily special burgers, and French fries are served with a dollop of homemade mayonnaise (there are five varieties available) and poppy seeds. Salads, sandwiches, and a daily dessert made fresh by the pastry chef are also available. This original location was so successful that it spawned several other branches, notably in the Vieux-Port area of the Lower Town.

Spectacular views of the whole city are not the only reason to climb up to this rotating restaurant with unobstructed, panoramic views. The service here is friendly and well-managed, and the food is unfussy, creative, and delicious—try the roasted Arctic char with lemon gnocchi and shiitakes or something from the solid brunch menu (on weekends).

Small dishes served in the purest tradition of izakayas (Japanese taverns) in a venue that's flooded with light and minimally decorated with birch and green plants. On the menu, just classics: yakotori (mini skewers), sashimi, okonomiyaki, and dumplings, as well as a tataki that changes daily. The cocktails are as pretty as they are tasty (case in point with the Japanese Eyeball), but the real star here is the list of imported sake. If it's particularly cold outside, why not try your luck at Ramen Honō next door for a comforting soup.

At this lovely crepe shop, buckwheat flour crepes are filled with simple ham and cheese, or fancier combos like duck confit with onion marmalade, while a wheat crepe with salted caramel and sweet Chantilly cream makes a good dessert. The large shop also has bistro items like cod beignets, charcuterie plates, and cassoulet, and there's a nice selection of ciders and beers.

This busy, noisy Paris-like bistro featuring artwork by its namesake Canadian painter and patios in front and back has been around for more than 40 years and is a big local literary hangout, with a selection of great coffee, tea, and desserts. Open every day from early morning to late evening, Krieghoff serves specialties that include salmon, quiche, la Toulouse (a big French sausage with sauerkraut), steak with French fries, boudin (pig-blood sausage), and la Bavette (hanger steak).

Despite its magnificent beaux arts interior and its reasonable prices, the National Assembly's restaurant remains one of the best-kept secrets in town. Chef Martin Gagné prepares contemporary cuisine with products from Québec's various regions, such as mini-fondues made with Charlevoix cheese to ravioli made from lobster caught in the Gaspé to pork from the Beauce region, trout from the Magdalen Islands, or candied-duck salad. At just C$37, the three-service tasting menu is an absolute steal.

With its fine French cuisine and convenient location in a 95-year-old house on the bustling Grande Allée, this restaurant has long been popular with many of Québec's élite. Dining areas range from the very public summer terrace to discreet second-floor meeting rooms, a solarium with bamboo chairs, and a cozy dining room with exposed stone walls and warm wood accents. Chef Hervé Toussaint's top dishes include seafood such as shelled lobster, as well as fresh pasta and a rack of lamb. With more than 5,000 bottles of wine on hand, nobody goes thirsty, and the owner checks in on diners himself.

Another five-star coffee shop to visit in St-Roch, either for a roasting lesson or a warm macchiato respite from the Quebec winter. Known for its ecological and humanist approach, Nektar works closely with its fair trade producers in Brazil to produce their Para Ela blend, which means "for her" and is harvested by hand and processed exclusively by women who are paid 50% more than the regional average. With its beautiful packaging, Nektar's coffees are a also perfect travel gift for yourself or for friends.

This fun and friendly place has a menu with terrific meats, grilled cheese, and whimsical ideas, like the use of guinea fowl wings in lieu of chicken wings. The food here has personality, humor, and . . . lots of butter. Sit at the varnished plywood counter, have a glass of tasty organic wine, and watch the kitchen run in a way that seems a tad chaotic but always delivers. Its twin restaurant, L'Affaire est Ketchup, is a little farther east on rue St-Joseph.

A living metaphor for a can of sardines, with its small, cozy space (only about 20 seats) and its explosion of flavors, Sardines is a must stop for foodie travelers. Upon entering, the display case features the chef's bakery creations, including his famous baguette. Food-wise, plates are modest in size but perform splendidly with taste buds. Vegetables are central to the chef's expertise and come straight from his garden; an ambitious, innovative constraint that forces Sardines to respect the rhythm of the seasons. As for the libations, the menu mostly offers excellent locally produced beers as well as a few carefully selected wines.