3 Best Restaurants in The Outaouais, Side Trips from Montreal

Wonderful homemade pastries such as pear-and-almond tarts, lemon-curd doughnuts, and chai scones have brought renown to this little place (only 11 seats), but there's more to it than that. Breakfast and lunch are always busy, and weekend brunch, served until 2 pm, brings a line out the door. Favorite dishes include the Dutch baby pancake topped with aged cheddar, pork belly, and maple syrup, and potatoes in brown butter. For lunch, try the paninis, soups, and salads. Note that Edgar may close for a week or more in summer.

If you're looking for elegant dining keep on going, but if you're after a bit of local color, a cold beer, a good burger, a steamie (hot dog), or maybe a sample of Québec's famed poutine, then La Belle Bédaine (which translates as "the happy belly") is just the place. Its good and basic menu comes with a terrace overlooking the river.

In what is basically a one-street town, this restaurant's reputation for serving outstanding food at affordable prices stands out, and the knowledgeable, personable waitstaff does, too. Though the cuisine is primarily Italian, some Mediterranean, French, and Québécois influences are also in evidence, backed up by a fairly extensive and reasonably priced wine list. In the warmer seasons, you can eat out on the covered terrace, while the fireplaces inside makes those colder, harsher evenings downright cozy. Lunch is only available in the summer.