7 Québécois Comfort Food to Enjoy in Québec City

A trip to Québec City without poutine is out of the question, because it is the national signature dish. Poutine is the mother of comfort foods, traditionally made with crispy French fries and fresh cheddar cheese curds covered in hot gravy. Almost every restaurant in the city has a poutine option with several serving truly original breakfast versions. Indulge yourself at the very best poutine restaurants. 

Traditional Québecois cuisine is rooted in our British heritage, featuring hearty dishes made with game meat, the hungry man’s shepherd’s pie, pork stew with meatballs and Cipaille (or Tourtière, depending on which region of the province the cook hails from), a slow cooked meat and potato pie.

After a day of walking along the narrow cobblestone streets of Old Québec, what better way to warm your heart than with a cup of hot cocoa? Like a warm blanket for your heart, there are countless recipes of hot chocolates to choose from and make you feel like you are right at home.

Sometimes, all you need to warm your soul is a soup. The French onion soup is the cure to any ailment with its thick layer of gruyère cheese grilled atop a rich and hearty onion broth. A lighter, more fragrant bouillon will open your heart to foreign cultures, but it’s those with zesty sweet and sour aromas that will give you all the energy you need to climb the city’s many staircases. Here are my favourites spots to have a soup:

• Soupe & Cie
• Café-boulangerie Paillard
• Café Buade
• Les Frères de la Côte
• L’Oncle Antoine
• Restaurant Wong

Live the romance thanks to Swiss traditions with a cheese fondue, where every food is dipped in hot melted gruyère. True cheese fanatics prefer to have raclette, one slice of melted cheese at a time. Paired with fresh vegetables and crisp white wine, it is a meal filled with warmth. You can enjoy a decadent cheesy meal at:

• La Grolla
• Le Petit Château
• Le Petit Coin Latin

Waking up to a colour-filled dish with a great coffee is an excellent remedy to winter’s crispy air. Make it a day to remember with sweet and savoury dishes that will brighten your palate and open your eyes to all the beauty of a winter’s day.

Traditional French food recipes scream comfort with their rich and creamy slow cooked flavours. Dive in a velvety veal blanquette or a rich crème brûlée to face winter stomach on. Or how about a delicious flambé? It’s THE fire to embrace winter.