There’s more to Québec’s culinary scene than poutine and Montréal-style bagels. In fact, there’s about two centuries worth of culinary culture swirling around the region, covering Indigenous, French and American cuisines. Where should you venture for a good dining experience in Québec?

© La Traite

La Traite, Wendake, Québec

Situated within Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations de Wendake, Canada’s first Indigenous hotel, you’ll find La Traite. This restaurant, led by Chef Marc De Passorio, aims to introduce guests to cuisine inspired by Canada’s indigenous lands. Dishes highlight fresh and local products from hunting, gathering and fishing. Try the bison tartare, lobster cooked in wild blueberry gin, or Oushata smoked salmon and foie gras terrine. In fact, Chef Passorio traveled around Canada to cook with various communities to understand the different indigenous nations and their cultures.

© Les Botanistes

Les Botanistes, Québec City, Québec

In the heart of Québec City, three chefs’ specialties and skills come together through innovative flavors representing the plant kingdom. Arnaud Marchand, Jean-Luc Boulay and Emeline Péro created a menu playing into the restaurant’s greenhouse aesthetics with dishes like seared char fillet with pan-fried cauliflower and dukkah spices, O’Champignons mushroomed-filled Agnolotti and more. The restaurant adjoins Floralies Jouvence Garden Center.

© O.Noir

Onoir, Montréal, Québec

The first restaurant in North America to invite guests to dine in total darkness, Onior seeks to show diners what it’s like to be blind, a reality the restaurant staff lives every day. Blocking out the sense of sight heightens the body’s other senses, allowing guests to better appreciate the scent and flavor of food. Starters include roasted scallops served in a creamy pinot noir sauce, Asian-style tuna and thin au gratin Jerusalem artichoke tart. Moving onto the main courses, guests can expect pan-fried royal sea beam fillet, duck roulade with walnuts and cranberries, or slow-cooked roast beef scoter. End on a sweet note with Onoir-style cheesecake, cardamom-infused coconut milk flan or a surprise dessert.

© Oasis Surf

Oasis Surf, Brossard, Montérégie

Immerse yourself in the surfing atmosphere within Canada’s first indoor surfing center with a meal at on-site restaurant Le Turf, which overlooks the surf simulator. This trendy restaurant serves small bites like poke bowls, jerk chicken, lobster rolls and fish tacos. Each dish draws inspiration from surf destinations around the world like Oahu, Jeffrey’s Bay and the Gold Coast.

© Au Pied De Cochon

Au Pied De Cochon Sugar Shack, Mirabel, Laurentides

Sugar season is officially underway Feb. 22–May 12, and there’s perhaps no better place to indulge in a gourmet yet hearty sugar shack-to-table dining experience than at Au Pied De Cochon. Focusing on natural resources and local products, the menu adjusts to the season, with every dish incorporating maple syrup. Classic dishes include ham in maple broth, potato and apple cake, pancakes in syrup cooked in duck fat, bacon baked beans, and maple and apple mousse. Become part of the action by reserving a kitchen table to see the chefs at work up close. There’s also the Osmose private room for a more intimate experience.