Quebec: Food Guide - Dining Out

Quebec offers a unique selection of restaurants and dining experiences, which is no surprise as Quebec is Canada's largest French province. Famous for bagels, maple syrup and poutine (french fries smothered in gravy and cheese curds) visitors to Quebec can expect not only fantastic French and Canadian cuisine but also in the cities and larger towns, more so Montreal than anywhere else, a diverse array of other cultures such as Italian, Chinese, Indian, Russian and Thai.

Montreal's and Quebec City's downtown offer first class restaurants as well as some very good and reasonably priced bistros with fixed-price menus. For budget minded visitors Quebec serves sandwiches (the smoked meat such as pastrami or corned beef is a must) and lite eats called casse croute; also check out Montreall's Little Italy or Chinatown. If you're in the mood for something sweet try a queues de castor “beaver tail” (a deep fried pastry in the shape of a heart dipped in cinnamon). Quebec is equally as famous for its sugar shacks which sell maple flavoured goods. Visitors can take tours to the sugar bushes found around the province to learn/taste the process. Quebec, as is Canada, is famous for its ice wines. Pair your wine with cheese as Quebec offers an incredible variety of cheese that cannot be bought outside Quebec. Try the Mimolette Jeune, Valbert St-Isidor, Cru des Erables or Oka.

Restaurants generally serve food until 10 or 11 pm. Quebec's cuisine derives its rich flavour from a blend of influences; it has a solid French culinary base and is enriched by the contribution of the Amerindian peoples and the different cultural communities that have made the province their home.