13 Best Restaurants in Upper Town, Quebec City

Chefs Jean-Luc Boulay and Arnaud Marchand, who are both revered in this town, delight patrons with elegant interpretations of cuisine inspired by northern Québec and made entirely from local ingredients, including reinvented classic desserts, such as iced nougat with cloudberries. A mix of locals celebrating special occasions and tourists fresh from shopping rue St-Jean dine in this elegant dining room on bison tartare, braised beef ravioli with candied red cabbage, and salmon in a flavorful cranberry glaze. The somber color scheme, rustic-meets-modern graphics, and dark wood trim make this one of the more sophisticated bistros in the neighborhood.

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.

Sun-drenched, open-space corner bistro, complete with black and dark wood accents for a profoundly Parisian flair, serves local fare in a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. From game meat to seafood (try the gin sauce scallops), from fresh pasta to revisited classics (try the Brussel sprouts Ceasal), along with a string of vegan options, Alphonse certainly aims to please. Their cocktail menu is an absolute must, and their wine list features some of the strongest winemakers in Québec.

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.

Owned by Yves Simard and his wife, Rebecca, this bakery, pastry counter, sandwich bar, pizza shop (summer only), and ice-cream parlor is known for its selection of nouvelle French pastries, whole grain breads, gourmet sandwiches, and artisanal gelato. Long wooden tables, designed to get customers talking to each other, create a convivial atmosphere.

This simple, busy café-style restaurant serves crepes in generous proportions with a variety of options---from a menu of more than 20 fillings, pick your own chocolate or fruit combinations or design a larger meal with cheese, ham, and vegetables. Tables surround four round griddles at which you watch your creations being made. Crepes made with two to five fillings cost less than C$12.

As far as fast food goes, nothing is more Québécois than poutine, that rough-and-ready dish made of fries, cheese curds, and gravy. In Québec City, this regional chain, founded in 1969, is the local favorite for hurried lunchers and late-night snackers. Also well worth trying here is a hot-dog du lac, a "steamie" (steamed hot dog) with mayo, cabbage, and a few fries on top.

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.

At this refreshing alternative to the Old City's ubiquitous white-linen bistros, you can get fast food that's also high quality. Burgers made from grass-fed cattle served on soft artisanal brioche buns make this a prime locale for lunch goers. With long tables, red accents, and paper-towel rolls in place of napkin holders, the interior has a retro touch without feeling overly folksy or forced. Save room for dessert, which includes heavenly dark-chocolate milkshakes, chocolate ganache, or peanut-butter ice-cream sandwiches.

The premise already has foodies salivating: "anthropomorphic universe" of local and organic cuisine. Chef Stéphane Modat, whose fame on this side of the pond is largely due to his masterful time in the kitchen of the Fairmont Château Frontenac, surrounds himself with precious collaborators (the name of the restaurant, "the clan," is by no means a coincidence) and brings his characterful verve to boreal gastronomy. Back in his open-plan kitchen, Modat can't be bothered by decorum; dress in slacks or in shorts, dress however you like, just show up and enjoy the ride. This is the kind of place where it's best to just trust the process—and savoir-faire—and enjoy every miraculous bite. The menu is not posted online and changes daily according to market arrivals (the geographical coordinates of each producer and gardener are listed on the menu), but the mussels, harvested in the icy and remote waters of Côte Nord, are certainly among the best in the world.

If Québec City had a dining hall of fame, Le Continental would be there among the best. Since 1956 this historic spot, steps from the Château Frontenac, has been serving solid, traditionally gourmet dishes, such as tableside-prepared orange duckling and filet mignon, which is flambéed in a cognac sauce and then luxuriously covered in a gravy seasoned with mustard and sage. Try the truffled sweetbread ravioli or the foie gras with vegetable confit.

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.

The menu at this Italian-leaning restaurant with an industrial-cool feel is satisfying, with a number of imaginative pizzas, pastas, salads, and such. Try the fried mozzarella or the chef's risotto, which changes daily. The space, which features stone walls and steel chairs as well as a great, somewhat secluded terrace in the summer, is open late for drinks and snacks. A second location has recently opened in Petit Champlain.