Nancy’s Québec City Restaurant Guide
Welcome, fellow food lovers! ❤️⚜️
One of the best parts of visiting Québec City is discovering its food — but the “best” restaurant isn't necessarily the most expensive or the most famous. It's the one that feels right for you.
Maybe you're dreaming of traditional Québec cuisine in a historic setting. Maybe you're looking for a romantic dinner, something healthy and fresh, a casual meal with the kids, a great vegetarian option, wonderful seafood, or one unforgettable dinner to celebrate something special.
That's why I created Nancy's Québec City Restaurant Guide.
I've put together restaurants we've researched for travellers in our Québec City community, with information to help you decide what fits your trip — including what to expect, approximate prices, location and direct links where you can learn more.
So... what are you hungry for? 😊
💰 Affordable & Casual
❤️ ❤️ Cozy & Relaxed
⚜️ ⚜️ A Taste of Québec
🌿 🌿 Healthy & Fresh
❤️🍷 ❤️🍷 Romantic & Foodie
More recommendations are coming! ❤️
I'm continuing to add new discoveries to this guide, including seafood, vegetarian-friendly restaurants, family favourites, special-occasion dining and more.
Can't find exactly what you're looking for? Come ask me in our Québec City travel community. Tell me where you're staying, who you're travelling with, roughly what you'd like to spend and what kind of meal you're dreaming about — and I'll help you narrow it down. ❤️⚜️
💰 Affordable & Casual
Looking for something delicious without turning lunch or dinner into a big splurge? These are great choices when you want a relaxed atmosphere, good food and an easy stop during a day of exploring Québec City.
🍔 Le Chic Shack
Old Québec • Burgers • Poutine • Casual
Right across from the Château Frontenac, Le Chic Shack is a fun, relaxed choice when you're craving Québec comfort food without a formal restaurant experience.
You'll find burgers made with Canadian meat, creative poutines made with cheese curds and house sauces, salads, homemade sodas and milkshakes. It's especially convenient for families, couples or anyone who wants to grab a satisfying meal in the middle of sightseeing.
💰 Expect: approximately $20–35 CAD per person for a typical meal before alcohol and tip.
📍 15 rue du Fort, Québec City
👨🏽👩👧👦Great for: Families, casual lunches, quick dinners and first-time poutine explorers.
🌱 Good to know: Vegetarian and vegan choices are available, as well as a gluten-free bun option. If you have serious food allergies, check directly with the restaurant—the kitchen specifically warns about possible contact with several common allergens.
🌐 Menu & Official Website:
Visit Le Chic Shack
🍕 Nina Pizza Napolitaine
Saint-Jean-Baptiste • Neapolitan Pizza • Casual
Sometimes after a long day of sightseeing, a really good pizza is exactly what you want. ❤️ Nina specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza with that wonderful combination of a soft, chewy crust and wood-fired char.
This is a lovely choice when you want something casual but still feel like you've discovered a neighbourhood restaurant rather than simply grabbed fast food. It also works beautifully for couples, families and friends who want to share pizza over a relaxed meal.
💰 Expect: approximately $20–30 CAD per person, depending on what you order.
📍 764 rue Saint-Jean, Québec City
🏘️ Great for: Casual date nights, pizza lovers, families and travellers who want to venture just beyond the most touristy streets of Old Québec.
🌱 Good to know: Vegetarian and vegan options are available. For allergies or strict dietary requirements, confirm directly with the restaurant when ordering.
🌐 Official Website:
Nina Pizza Napolitaine — check the current menu and restaurant information before your visit.
❤️ Nancy's little tip: Don't feel that every meal in Québec City has to be fancy. Sometimes a burger and poutine after hours of walking—or a pizza with a glass of something nice—is exactly the meal you'll remember.
❤️ Cozy & Relaxed
Looking for somewhere warm and inviting where you can slow down over a good meal? These are lovely choices for couples, friends and travellers who enjoy smaller restaurants with plenty of character.
☕ Chez Temporel
Old Québec • French Bistro • Cozy & Historic
Tucked away on quiet rue Couillard, Chez Temporel has been part of Québec City's restaurant scene since 1974. It's a charming alternative when you want to stay in Old Québec but step away from some of the busiest tourist streets.
The menu has a French-bistro feel and changes with the seasons, with dishes such as French onion soup, croque-monsieur, salads, risotto, salmon and classic desserts. It's a particularly nice choice for a leisurely lunch or cozy dinner.
💰 Expect: approximately $25–50 CAD per person, depending on lunch or dinner and what you order.
📍 25 rue Couillard, Québec City
❤️ Great for: Couples, friends, leisurely lunches and travellers looking for a cozy neighbourhood-bistro atmosphere.
🌱 Good to know: Vegetarian choices are available, and the current daytime menu includes a vegan option. A children's option is also available.
🌐 Official Website & Menu:
Visit Chez Temporel
🍷 Bistro St-Malo
Old Port • French Bistro • Québec Terroir • Cozy
Hidden away on rue Saint-Paul in Québec City's Old Port, Bistro St-Malo is a small French-style bistro with a warm, intimate atmosphere.
Its cooking is rooted in the French bistro tradition while incorporating fresh Québec terroir ingredients and Mediterranean influences. This is a lovely place to linger over dinner and wine rather than rush through a meal.
💰 Expect: approximately $35–60 CAD per person for dinner before alcohol and tip, depending on what you order.
📍 75 rue Saint-Paul, Old Port, Québec City
❤️ Great for: Couples, date nights, friends and anyone who loves cozy French-bistro dining.
👨👩👧 Good to know: Families are welcome and a children's menu is available. Because the dining room is small, reserving ahead is a good idea.
🌐 Official Website & Menu:
Visit Bistro St-Malo
❤️ Nancy's little tip: Some of Québec City's loveliest meals happen away from the busiest streets. Don't be afraid to turn down a quieter side street or wander into the Old Port — sometimes that's exactly where you'll find the atmosphere you were hoping for.
⚜️ A Taste of Québec
Want your meal to be part of discovering Québec itself? These restaurants offer very different ways to explore the province through food — from traditional French-Canadian favourites to First Nations gastronomy and contemporary boreal cuisine.
🏠 Aux Anciens Canadiens
Old Québec • Traditional Québécois Cuisine • Historic
If you're visiting Québec for the first time and want to experience some of its traditional flavours, Aux Anciens Canadiens is a wonderful place to start.
The restaurant is located inside historic Maison Jacquet, dating from the 17th century, and specializes in classic Québécois cooking. Expect dishes such as tourtière, meatball ragout, game meats and maple-inspired desserts. This is as much about experiencing a little piece of Québec's culinary heritage as it is about having dinner.
💰 Expect: approximately $50–75 CAD per person for a typical meal, although specialty game dishes can cost more.
📍 34 rue Saint-Louis, Old Québec
⚜️ Great for: First-time visitors, history lovers and travellers curious about traditional Québécois food.
🌱 Good to know: There are vegetarian and vegan possibilities, so non-meat eaters don't necessarily have to miss the experience.
🌐 Official Website & Menu:
Visit Aux Anciens Canadiens
🪶 Sagamité
Old Québec • First Nations Gastronomy • Cultural Experience
For travellers interested in discovering First Nations flavours and culinary traditions, Sagamité offers something quite different from the typical Old Québec restaurant experience.
Its menu incorporates ingredients such as bison, elk, deer, wild rice, berries and maple. One of its signature dishes is Sagamité soup, made with the “Three Sisters” — corn, beans and squash — along with game meats. There are also pizzas, pasta, fish and more elaborate experiential meals.
💰 Expect: approximately $35–70 CAD per person for a typical meal. Signature experiences can cost considerably more.
📍 68½ rue Saint-Louis, Old Québec
🪶 Great for: Curious travellers, food lovers and visitors interested in experiencing First Nations gastronomy alongside Québec history.
👨👩👧 Good to know: There is a children's menu, including smaller pizza, chicken and game-meat choices.
🌐 Official Website & Menu:
Visit Sagamité Old Québec
🌲 Chez Boulay – Bistro Boréal
Old Québec • Boreal Cuisine • Contemporary Québec
What does modern Québec taste like? Chez Boulay offers a completely different answer.
Its boreal cuisine combines French culinary techniques with ingredients inspired by Québec's northern landscape — wild berries, forest mushrooms, game, freshwater fish, herbs and other flavours from the boreal environment. The result is contemporary and creative while still being deeply connected to Québec's terroir.
The menu changes with the seasons, so part of the fun is discovering what's being served when you're in town.
💰 Expect: approximately $45–75 CAD per person for dinner before alcohol and tip, depending on what you order.
📍 1110 rue Saint-Jean, Old Québec
🍷 Great for: Foodies, couples and travellers who want to experience a more contemporary interpretation of Québec cuisine.
🌱 Good to know: Vegetarian dishes are available, and some dishes can currently be prepared gluten-free. Because menus change seasonally, check the current menu before visiting.
🌐 Official Website & Menu:
Visit Chez Boulay
❤️ Nancy's little tip: If you're curious about Québec food, don't feel you have to choose between “traditional” and “modern.” Try something rooted in history one day and something completely contemporary the next. Food is one of the nicest ways to understand how a place has evolved. ⚜️
🌿 Healthy & Fresh
After a few days of rich restaurant meals, sometimes your body starts whispering, “Nancy... please find me a vegetable.” 😂❤️
These two places are wonderful choices when you're looking for fresher, vegetable-forward food — whether you want a peaceful healthy lunch or a more refined culinary experience.
🌿 Le Vivoir — Le Monastère des Augustines
Old Québec • Healthy • Mindful Eating • Peaceful
Hidden inside the beautiful Monastère des Augustines, Le Vivoir is quite different from a typical Old Québec restaurant. The emphasis here is on mindful eating, local ingredients and balanced meals in a calm, restorative atmosphere.
You'll find plenty of vegetables and vegetarian and vegan choices, alongside fish and meat. It's especially lovely when you've been travelling for several days and are craving something fresh, nourishing and peaceful.
💰 Expect: Prices vary depending on whether you visit for lunch or the evening experience.
📍 Le Monastère des Augustines — 77 rue des Remparts, Québec City
🌿 Great for: Healthy eating, vegetarians, vegans, quieter meals and travellers wanting a break from heavier restaurant food.
🌱 Good to know: Gluten-free and lactose-free dishes can be offered on request. The kitchen notes that meals may contain allergens.
Important: Lunch and dinner work differently here. Public daytime food is available through the Monastère's counter, while the evening meal requires a reservation. Check the current offering before your visit.
🌐 Official Website & Dining Information:
Discover Le Vivoir
🌱 L'Orygine
Old Québec • Québec Terroir • Plant-Forward • Foodie
L'Orygine is proof that eating fresh and vegetable-forward doesn't have to mean giving up the fun of a special restaurant experience.
Chef Sabrina Lemay and her team create colourful dishes that change with Québec's seasons and local harvests. The restaurant is particularly interesting for groups with different eating preferences because its philosophy brings vegans and omnivores together at the same table, rather than treating plant-based dining as an afterthought.
There's a six-course discovery experience as well as à-la-carte selections designed for sharing, making this a beautiful choice when you want healthy-minded cooking but still want dinner to feel special.
💰 Expect: $$$ / special-meal territory. Your final cost will depend considerably on whether you order à la carte, choose the discovery experience or add wine or cocktails.
📍 36½ rue Saint-Pierre, Old Québec
❤️ Great for: Couples, foodies, vegetarians, vegans and mixed-diet groups who want a more refined evening.
🌱 Good to know: The menu changes with the seasons, so check what's being served close to your visit.
🌐 Official Website & Current Menu:
Visit L'Orygine
❤️ Nancy's little tip: Québec City is famous for rich comfort food, but you don't have to eat heavily at every meal. Mixing a few indulgent Québec classics with something fresh and vegetable-forward can make several days of restaurant exploring much more enjoyable. 😊🌿
❤️🍷 Romantic & Foodie
Looking for somewhere special for date night, an anniversary, a celebration — or simply one really memorable dinner while you're in Québec City? These three restaurants combine wonderful food with the kind of atmosphere that can turn dinner into part of the vacation itself.
🕯️ Chez Rioux & Pettigrew
Old Port • Seasonal Québec Cuisine • Romantic • Foodie
Set on beautiful rue Saint-Paul in Québec City's Old Port, Chez Rioux & Pettigrew combines creative seasonal cooking with a wonderfully warm, vintage atmosphere.
The restaurant takes inspiration from Québec's seasonal ingredients while bringing in flavours from elsewhere. You can choose from the seasonal à-la-carte menu or put yourself in the chef's hands with the secret Pettigrew Experience.
💰 Expect: $$$$ / splurge. The final price varies considerably depending on whether you dine à la carte, choose the chef's experience or add wine pairings.
📍 160 rue Saint-Paul, Old Port, Québec City
❤️ Great for: Romantic dinners, anniversaries, celebrations and food-focused travellers.
🍷 Good to know: This is somewhere I'd allow plenty of time for dinner rather than trying to squeeze it between activities.
🌐 Official Website & Menu:
Visit Chez Rioux & Pettigrew
🍷 Le Clocher Penché
Saint-Roch • Contemporary Bistro • Date Night • Local Favourite
Want a special dinner away from the busiest streets of Old Québec? Head into Saint-Roch for Le Clocher Penché.
This polished but relaxed bistro focuses on seasonal, market-driven cooking and Québec ingredients. It's a great choice for travellers who care about food but don't necessarily want a formal fine-dining atmosphere.
💰 Expect: $$$ / special dinner, depending on how many dishes, drinks or wines you choose.
📍 203 rue Saint-Joseph Est, Saint-Roch, Québec City
🏘️ Great for: Couples, foodies and travellers who want to explore a neighbourhood beyond Old Québec.
🍸 Good to know: The wine and cocktail program is part of the experience, so this is a particularly nice choice when dinner itself is your evening activity.
🌐 Official Website:
Visit Le Clocher Penché
🥂 La Planque
Limoilou • Seasonal Cuisine • Local Neighbourhood • Foodie
If you want to leave the tourist centre for an evening and eat somewhere that feels rooted in a Québec City neighbourhood, La Planque is a wonderful choice.
Located on 3e Avenue in Limoilou, the restaurant serves a frequently changing menu built around seasonal and local products. The atmosphere is lively and relaxed, and dishes are perfect for couples or friends who enjoy ordering several things and sharing.
💰 Expect: approximately $50–75 CAD per person for a fuller dinner before alcohol and tip. The menu and prices change seasonally.
📍 1027, 3e Avenue, Limoilou, Québec City
🏘️ Great for: Date nights, adventurous foodies and travellers who want to experience Québec City beyond Old Québec.
🌱 Good to know: The restaurant specifically welcomes vegetarian/vegan diners and people with food intolerances or allergies; speak with the team about your needs.
🌐 Official Website & Current Menu:
Visit La Planque
❤️ Nancy's little tip: A romantic dinner doesn't necessarily mean white tablecloths and formality. Sometimes it's sharing dishes in Limoilou, discovering a little bistro in Saint-Roch, or lingering over wine in the Old Port. Pick the atmosphere that feels like your kind of evening. ❤️
❤️ Still not sure where to eat?
You're among friends. 😊
Tell me what kind of meal you're dreaming about, who you're travelling with, roughly what you'd like to spend, and where you're staying in Québec City.
Maybe you're looking for a romantic little restaurant, somewhere easy with the kids, vegetarian food, a memorable splurge, traditional Québec cuisine — or simply “somewhere good near my hotel!” 😂
Come join our Québec City travel community and ask me. I'll be happy to help you narrow it down.
Welcome to Québec City — and bon appétit! ❤️⚜️
— Nancy
Last updated: September 2026