The Lowdown on All Nine of Quebec’s MICHELIN-Starred Restaurants

Adam Bisby May 16, 2025

More than eight months after the MICHELIN Guide’s incognito inspectors began fanning out across La Belle Province, the 102 establishments included in the venerable culinary guidebook’s first-ever Quebec edition were revealed on May 15.

Unlike the 2022 launch of the MICHELIN Guide Toronto, which took place at a glamorous gala, little fanfare accompanied the Quebec announcement. This is not to say that the MICHELIN Guide Quebec is not worthy of some serious attention. Indeed, it has doubled the size of Canada’s two-Star roster with the addition of Tanière³ in Quebec City — prior to the Quebec launch, only Toronto’s Sushi Masaki Saito had earned more than one Star — while adding eight more starred eateries to a Canadian total that now stands at 35. (Earlier this week we interviewed some of the province’s top chefs to get their predictions, and it seems only a few were spot-on with their respective guesses.)

MICHELIN’s inspectors “were thoroughly impressed with their dining experiences across the entire province of Quebec,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide. “The selection boasts a wide array of distinctions and cuisine types…all highlighting unique regional ingredients and extraordinary techniques.”

While the Quebec launch failed to give Canada its first three-star eatery, it should be noted that out of 17,000-plus listings spanning dozens of countries, the MICHELIN Guide currently gives its highest rating to just 151 restaurants.

Here’s how Quebec’s starred selections break down:

Two Stars: Tanière³, Quebec City

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Cuisine: Creative

Inspector notes: “This ‘den’ has, beneath its ancestral vaults, a series of four rooms, one of which affords views of the brigade at work, plus a counter surrounding the open kitchen. In what might be described as his gastronomic research laboratory, avant-garde Chef François-Emmanuel Nicol explores all the nuances to be derived from the immense terroir of Quebec’s boreal zone. Sophisticated cooking methods, succulent sauces and a rigorous balance of flavors make this cuisine a resounding triumph: think matured tuna, pickled matsutake slices, sunflower cream, or Quebec Wagyu tataki, wild rose, morels, and roasted onions. The pastry chef proposes a woodland-inspired autumnal dessert with a mushroom-infused millefeuille.”

One Star: ARVI, Quebec City

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Cuisine: Modern/Creative

Inspector notes: “In the neighborhood of Limoilou, on bustling Third Avenue, ARVI is the stomping ground of Chef Julien Masia, originally from Lyon, who cut his teeth in kitchens in the Alps. The chefs move between the kitchen and tables, with a trendy playlist setting the mood. Over the course of the single set menu (available in “regular” and vegetarian versions), ingredients from Quebec’s terroir enjoy their moment of glory: fresh tuna is accompanied by mint and watermelon, halibut from the Gaspé Peninsula with carrot and agastache, and eggplant with basil and hay.”

One Star: Jérôme Ferrer – Europea, Montreal

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Cuisine: Modern/Creative

Inspector notes: “Housed in an ultra-modern architectural setting, this restaurant offers diners a wonderful view of the team at work in the glass-paned kitchen. The chef has stylishly carved out his niche in the Belle Province. Fusing French culinary traditions with the riches of Quebec’s terroir, his menu celebrates local ingredients: lobster from the Magdalen Islands, king crab, Appalachian red deer, scallops, and caviar. Fragrant consommés, velvety creams, and complex sauces point to great culinary expertise. The meal is also infused with nostalgia: crispy pork rinds are served with the aperitif; the maple pre-dessert is a nod to the traditions of North America’s sugar shacks.”

One Star: Kebec Club Privé, Quebec City

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Cuisine: Creative

Inspector notes: “Cassandre and Pierre-Olivier are a gifted young couple. Originally from France and Quebec, respectively, they went on to transform this hairdressing salon with an industrial vibe into a unique table d’hôte. The concept: to welcome 10 guests at a fixed time, in a friendly atmosphere, around a majestic central table. Their cuisine, strictly Quebecois, showcases local ingredients with astonishing simplicity. The dishes are a testament to precise cooking, whether the marinated cod in smoked oil, the scallops in a herringbone jus, or the roasted quail breast. Foraged herbs — fresh or dried — and smoky notes underpin every dish. This is an artisanal endeavor, in which the ingredients reign supreme without unnecessary frills.”

One Star: Laurie Raphaël, Quebec City

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Cuisine: Modern/Creative

Inspector notes: “Located in Old Quebec, alongside the Old Port, this restaurant exudes an elegant contemporary style. This is the Vézina family establishment, and it is Raphaël, the founder’s son, who now holds the reins. This seasoned chef showcases seasonal produce and ingredients from Quebec’s terroir (bison, scallops from the Magdalen Islands, etc.) in modern dishes that often demonstrate a hint of creativity: spot prawn and pear marinated in wild ginger and burnt citrus; buckwheat tartlet with foie gras and Jerusalem artichoke, Quebec hazelnut praline. Certain French dishes are given a twist—for instance tartiflette or kugelhopf, the latter prepared using Alpine sweetgrass.”

One Star: Légende, Quebec City

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Cuisine: Creative/Regional cuisine

Inspector notes: “Elliot Beaudoin, a former associate of the restaurant Tanière³, serves up a cuisine that is rooted in Quebec’s terroirs. This establishment sets itself apart by using only local ingredients and eschewing exotic ingredients such as chocolate, pepper, citrus fruit, and vanilla. The menu celebrates little-known indigenous ingredients, which are put to clever and creative use. Each dish is thoughtfully composed, demonstrating the chef’s keen sensibility in putting the elements together: butter-fried halibut coated in vegetable charcoal, accompanied by a white butter sauce with fermented cherries; venison heart, marinated and then smoked, placed on a delicate tartlet and served with emulsified and candied shiitake mushrooms. The remarkably tender bison hanger steak is elevated by a boreal spice broth and fresh gremolata.”

One Star: Mastard, Montreal

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Cuisine: Modern cuisine

Inspector notes: “Quite a way off the beaten track, Mastard is led by Chef-owner Simon Mathys. The contemporary space, designed for around 50 diners, is organized around a bar-counter. The chef devises a resolutely original carte blanche menu centred on local ingredients. Every dish is made with quality produce and executed in a modern and trendy style that won’t fail to make an impression. The scallop, prepared with almost scientific precision, is served on a salsify purée with a texture that is second to none, while a crab emulsion with complex marine aromas and a parsley sauce are juxtaposed with spinach infused with a reduced jus… an absolute treat!”

One Star: Narval, Rimouski

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Cuisine: Modern/Creative

Inspector notes: “Helmed by Chef Norman St-Pierre, Narval is located in downtown Rimouski, just a stone’s throw away from the boardwalk along the St. Lawrence River. The location is discreet – almost hidden – you might walk right past it without noticing. The small spot is only open three evenings a week, led by a humble chef who welcomes guests like friends – personally involving himself in the reception and service and passionate about showcasing Quebec products he carefully selects. Offering a single fixed menu which changes every two months, the cuisine is thoughtfully creative, technically executed and invites diners on a journey, with dishes inspired by the chef’s travels around the world.”

One Star: Sabayon, Montreal

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Cuisine: Modern

Inspector notes: “The chef has taken an atypical route to this kitchen, having trained in pâtisserie before turning his hand to cooking. Patrice Demers creates vivid, accessible, and unpretentious dishes that allow the Quebec terroir to shine. Fruit and vegetables reign supreme, especially in the summer, when the menu is almost entirely meat-free. His signature dish is wood fire-grilled mushrooms, topped with a delicate, crispy arlette and accompanied by a bay leaf and juniper-infused sabayon. Dessert remains one of the chef’s main strengths. Add to that the smooth and elegant service orchestrated by Marie-Josée Beaudoin but bear in mind that getting a table here is no mean feat!”