7 unforgettable foodie experiences in Québec City
Take your taste buds on a mouthwatering culinary journey. Drawing from the flavours of its French and Indigenous roots, Québec City celebrates the richness of life through its cuisine with an avant-garde flair. From festive and vibrant to warm and earthy, Québécois artisans create quality terroir that accentuates the farm-to-table lifestyle found throughout the region.
Take your taste buds on a mouthwatering culinary journey. Drawing from the flavours of its French and Indigenous roots, Québec City celebrates the richness of life through its cuisine with an avant-garde flair. From festive and vibrant to warm and earthy, Québécois artisans create quality terroir that accentuates the farm-to-table lifestyle found throughout the region.
From the comforts of poutine and tourtière to the richness of foie gras, weekend brunch, and sweet maple treats, Québec City is a foodie’s heaven. Here are 7 gourmet experiences not to be missed in Québec City:
Experience the hearty embrace of traditional cuisine
Experiencing the warmth of the locals and the earthy traditional Québécois cuisine is the perfect beginning for a culinary journey through Québec City. Traditional cuisine is the epitome of comfort food, telling the story of a city that is over 400 years old. Savour tourtière, created from a 100-year-old recipe. Cozy up with a bowl Sagamité, a First Nations made with hominy, grease and root vegetables. Brunch on wild salmon and local berries.
Trace the roots of traditional cuisine with dishes highlighting the authentic taste of First Nations cuisine, followed by the rugged Nordic wilderness of boreal cuisine, the depth of French cuisine and the influence of cozy British dishes.
Taste the flavours of Québec’s local products
The relationship between farm and table in Québec City is weaved into the roots of its history and culture. Try Québec terroir such as blackcurrant liquor, berry confiture, award-winning cheese and locally cured charcuterie.
Meet cheerful producers and stroll through the sunbathed halls of Québec City's Grand Marché (public market). A short distance from Old Québec is Île d’Orléans, the heart of local terroir and culinary artisans. It is here where chefs and artisans work together; planning and growing ingredients; creating and perfecting dishes that are the heart and soul of local cuisine. Spend a day tasting your way around the island. Devour in all things strawberry and apple and wine. Sip the deliciousness of iced apple cider. Indulge in duck burgers or lobster rolls.
Enrich your taste buds with fine dining
The sophistication of Québec City’s fine dining scene transcends beyond beautifully designed restaurants and crisp white linens. Dishes made with local terroir and prepared with a mixture of traditional and avant-garde cooking techniques are the heart of Québec City fine dining. Take pleasure in artistically presented food crafted with high-quality local ingredients. Renowned chefs command the kitchens of the city’s AAA 4 diamond restaurants, leading to several culinary distinctions.
Indulge in creative foods at neighbourhood gourmet restaurants
Open up to the marriage of flavours and creativity found in the kitchens of gourmet restaurants throughout Québec City. Changing the food and cultural fabric of the city, young emerging chefs are revitalizing once-forgotten neighbourhoods with award-winning micro-restaurants; where booking in advance is highly recommended.
Home to several trendy restaurants, Québec City culture has always been centred around food. From French cuisine to Québécois, vegetarian or Asian, indulge in unforgettable culinary experiences in some of the hottest restaurants in Québec City.
Sample the best of the dining culture by going on food tours
One of the best introductions to Québec City’s culture is through its food. Book a food tour with a local guide and sample the very best of the city’s dining culture. From fine dining to Québécois comfort foods such as poutine and smoked meat sandwiches, Québec City food tours highlight local terroir and add a dash of history along the way.
An Old Québec food tour is the perfect starting point, however, doing a food tour in Saint-Roch or over on Île d’Orléans is also highly recommended. No matter the season, a food tour is sure to open the mind, tease the palate and warm the belly.
Bewitch your sweet tooth with maple-coated delights
A quintessential Québécois experience, maple is used in almost every aspect of Québec’s gastronomy. From maple water to hand-crafted chocolates, sugar, taffy rolled on snow and syrup, maple (particularly maple syrup) is one of the most popular local products in Québec’s traditional cuisine.
In spring, enjoy the tradition and tap your feet to traditional Québécois folk music and warm up with traditional cuisine at a sugar shack. While the tourtière, pea soup and oreilles de crisse will warm the belly, they are significantly better when drizzled with maple syrup made by local artisans.
Quench your thirst with well-bodied craft beers
Relax and quench your thirst at Québec City craft breweries where passionate brewers are obsessed with high-quality hops and incorporating Québec terroir whenever possible. The craft beer scene in the city is growing as brewers create well-bodied micro-brews as well as warm cozy spaces in which to share their creations. Spend an evening in one of Québec City’s craft breweries, meeting welcoming locals and pairing craft beer with gourmet cuisine. A superb way to explore Québec City nightlife while discovering new craft beers and foods.