The rumors are true: When you step into Old Quebec, you feel like you’ve teleported to another time and place somewhere in Europe. But the city is still uniquely Canadian and Québécois. It’s also a dream come true for foodies!

We arrived on a snowy late-November day over the American Thanksgiving break. Although it was cold, we bundled up and wandered the streets within the beautiful walled old city. We stayed in a spacious and trendy Airbnb next to the Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel (which has a great bar and appetizers) and mostly spent our time wining and dining—Quebec has some fantastic (but expensive) restaurants!

Here’s a list of our favorite spots.

1. Ophelia

This restaurant features land and sea items in a swanky setting. We probably had the best seats in the house at a table for two on the upper level overlooking the bar and first floor dining area. The service was great and the seafood tower was memorably delicious.

2. Chey Boulay

This is another great spot for a sophisticated dinner in a cozy environment. The Arctic char was outstanding, as was the foie gras. It’s funny, we went to Cancun a month later and sat next to a couple from Quebec at the bar. They know the owner of Chey Boulay and apparently it’s a hit with locals, too.

3. La Buche

We didn’t have time on this trip to visit a traditional sugar shack outside of town, so we decided to hit up this rustic spot in town that features hearty Québécois classics. I had French toast drowning in maple syrup 😋 Also, you have to check out the bathroom. Super cool.

Our server was so friendly and gave us a ton of great recommendations on where to dine (including Ophelia).

4. Bello Restaurant

This restaurant was a pleasant surprise. We tried to go to the bar at the Fairmont for a pre-dinner cocktail but the place was too packed. So we wandered around a bit and found this super cute spot. We sat at the bar, but the restaurant’s alcohol license requires patrons to have food as well as drinks, which we didn’t mind once we saw the wood-fired pizzas baking. In addition to the delicious pizza, the seafood risotto was outstanding.

5. Pub des Borgia

This place is located in the heart of the tourist district, but it’s a simple spot with heavenly onion soup—a perfect remedy for the cold weather. We were also introduced to maple whisky here. After trying a sip, we understood why locals say they put it on their pancakes! Sweet, warm and delicious.

Bonus: Café La Maison Smith Notre-Dame

We enjoy a cafe latte and a croissant in the morning—so it’s worth mentioning that this cafe does a fine job of getting your day started. They also make very temping sandwiches and baked goods, but we stuck to the croissants.

Well, this is just a small sample of the outstanding dinning options available in Quebec City. The area is known for its cuisine and top-notch restaurants. Many of the most popular spots were closed during our quick Sunday-Wednesday trip during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we were absolutely impressed with the options that were available and highly recommend all these spots.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Quebec? Let us know in the comments.