10 Best Restaurants in Quebec City, Quebec

Local and regional products are emphasized here, and the food is among the best gastronomical offerings in Québec. Among local celebrity chef Daniel Vézina's creations are crystallized foie gras with truffle snow, and venison tartare. The menu consists of two prix-fixe, five-services experiences; either the "personalized" at C$110 or the "gastronomic" at C$145, both served with remarkable wine pairings (largely private imports) as an option.

Inside the most romantic dining room at Fairmont Château Frontenac, chef Hugo Coudurier has made this one of the city's top gastronomical tables, showcasing unexpected combinations, delicious flavors, Nordic-inspired ingredients (such as wild hare and even Lapland reindeer), and whimsical presentations. Although service can be a bit stiff, the food is anything but, and the rewards on the plate are definitely worth any formality. Reservations are highly recommended. The Sunday brunch is a must, with tons of delicious small bites and more classic offerings.

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.

Named for a 19th-century book by Philippe-Aubert de Gaspé, who once resided in the 1675 house, this establishment has a modern menu and a good wine list, but most people come for the authentic French-Canadian cooking. Servers are dressed in period costume and each of the five dining rooms has a different theme, such as the bright and cheerful vaisselier (dish room), featuring colorful antique dishes and a fireplace. One of the best deals is a three-course meal, starting at C$19.95, available until 5:45 every day.

Steak frites (steak with fries) is on menus everywhere in Québec City and in lots of other places throughout the world, but this popular and lively establishment has a 30-year reputation as the master of the dish—L'entrecôte is a particular sirloin cut, usually long and relatively thin. Diners at this red-and-blue-trimmed house choose between three steak sizes, and each comes smothered in the restaurant's signature peppery sauce with a heaping pile of crispy fries. Other French fare graces the menu, such as tender duck confit and smoked salmon salads. For C$35 and up, depending on the size of the steak, the table d'hôte (prix fixe) is a good value. It ends with decadent chocolate profiteroles, proving that this restaurant is more than just beef.

Next to the cruise terminal in the Old Port, this massive, Parisian-bistro-style restaurant with etched-glass dividers and palm trees has a spectacular view. The outdoor terrace in front overlooks the St. Lawrence River, while the side verrière (glass atrium) looks onto l'Agora amphitheater and the old stone Customs House. The menu, which isn't spectacular by any means but absolutely gets the job done, includes such classics as steak frites, rotisserie chicken, calamari, and duck liver pâté with raisin jam.

At one of the city's most romantic and treasured restaurants, chef Jean-Luc Boulay entices diners with such creations as the Foie Gras experience (with five variations of this French delicacy) and Arctic char with buttermilk sauce and lemon vervain oil. For dessert, try their seasonal hazelnut chocolate crème brûlée. They are also famous for their robust wine cellar, which contains over 15,000 bottles from around the world making it one of the largest in Canada. Paul McCartney and Sting have both eaten (and most certainly drank) here. Sauces are generally light, with no flour or butter. The C$150 discovery menu has nine courses.

Set on the ground floor of the Hôtel des Coutellier, in the Old Port area, Légende is set in a large wood and stone room with plush banquettes and an elegant bar. There are a lot of sharing plates—the smartly prepared fish and seafood board (including things like salmon rillettes and welk salad) is particularly delightful. The menu is highly seasonal, and ingredients are exclusively from Québec, with local meats garnished with foraged wild mushrooms and fish with seaside herbs from the Gulf of St Lawrence. Desserts showcase bright and intense flavors of local fruit, among other things. More than 30 wines are offered by the glass, with a strong emphasis on food pairings. A C$89 tasting menu is available, with an additional C$69 for wine pairings.

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.