It has probably happened to all of us that we have had a bad gastronomic experience in a hotel restaurant: impersonal and poor service, poor quality of the food, an atmosphere that leaves something to be desired … Fortunately, for several years we have been experiencing a Wind of change in the hotel industry. Hoteliers put a lot of energy into expanding the guest experience in the dining room — or in the guest room — while attracting outside customers.
Our hotel dining scene might not be as developed (and popular) as some major cities around the world, but that doesn’t stop Quebec from having some great restaurants that don’t have to be ashamed of those of our southern neighbors , or our cousins from the east. Here are some hotel restaurants worth visiting even if you’re not staying there!
Auberge Saint Mathieu du Lac
Photo courtesy of Samy Benabed
The year 2023 marks a change at the Auberge Saint-Mathieu du Lac – or rather, a breath of fresh air for the 10 rooms renewed to better accommodate the guests staying there and a new playground (a brand new kitchen!) for the youth chef, tomorrow’s talent Samy Benabed, as well as a youth treatment in the dining room. This work was carried out to preserve the soul of the inn, built in the traditional way by the parents of one of the owners. In the restaurant, every dish tells a story and reflects a great deal of research, both in terms of ingredients, flavor combinations and technique. We go there for the grand tasting menu that will surely be a journey through the chef’s mind!
*The restaurant is not exclusively reserved for hostel guests.
▸ Hostel-st-mathieu-du-lac.com
▸ 2081 Main Street, Saint-Mathieu du Parc, Quebec
Yama (Hotel Vogue Montreal)
Photo courtesy of Audrey-Eve Beauchamp
After acquiring Hôtel Vogue in 2020 and investing a few millions to restore the reputation of this 5-star downtown Montreal property, we are entitled to a restaurant worthy of the investment. It is the admirable Chef Antonio Park who will have the task and honor of making the city of Montreal shine nationally and internationally. Restaurant Yama celebrates the chef’s Korean and South American roots by combining the purity and ferment of Asian cuisine with cooking over the embers and warmth of South America. By uniting these two cultures, Antonio wants to offer his best to Montreal, his adopted home.
▸ hilton.com/en/hotels/yulmqqq-vogue-hotel-montreal-downtown/dining/
▸ 1425 rue de la Montagne, Montreal
Le Bistango (Alt Quebec Hotel by Le Germain)
Photo courtesy of Le Bistango
The Bistango restaurant at the Hôtel Alt Québec is truly a paragon of Quebec hotel dining. Did you know the restaurant is about to go into quarantine? It is thanks to constant questioning and the constant search for innovation that this table remains one of the best in Quebec today. Local customers and hotel patrons take turns enjoying a gastronomic experience of discovery, where French and Italian classics go hand in hand. The production of the plates illustrates the work of a technician that leaves no one indifferent. An artistic work that pays tribute to Quebec products in a magnificent way: it’s up to you to discover it!
▸ lebistango.com
▸ 1200 Germain-des-Pres Avenue, Quebec
Chez Muffy (Auberge Saint Antoine)
Photo courtesy of Auberge Saint-Antoine
A member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux family, Chez Muffy at Auberge Saint-Antoine prides itself on offering farm-to-table cuisine, cleverly combining environmental responsibility and gastronomy. Chef Alexandre Bouchard combines vegetables (from his own vegetable garden on Île d’Orléans) with traceable proteins, together with wild berries, boreal herbs or verjuice from Quebec’s most prized Pinot Noir to create dishes of apparent gluttony that are utterly faithful to warmth stay and historic charm of the place. The inn’s wine cellar is also one of the best stocked in the province.
▸ saint-antoine.com/fr/chez-muffy
▸ 10 rue Saint Antoine, Quebec
Maison Boulud (Ritz Carlton Montreal)
Photo courtesy of Maison Boulud
Chef Romain Cagnat seems to have found real success with the humble and skilful management of the Maison Boulud restaurant at the (very) chic Ritz-Carlton Montreal. Its rigor and ability to guide the team in the kitchen make this table one of the most enduring and graceful in the city. We are not daring, but in the implementation of a new cuisine based on their model, in which noble, seasonal and Quebec ingredients are always brought together in such a way that they border on perfection. With the addition of a professional service in the art and a wine list that will delight all connoisseurs, Maison Boulud is one of the first destinations that comes to mind for celebrating all grand occasions.
▸ maisonbouludmenu.com
▸ 1228 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal
The Hatley (Manoir Hovey)
Photo provided by Yanick Tendon
Refined cuisine dictated by the seasons, flavors inspired by the rich Estrie terroir, all presented in magnificent creations as aesthetic as they are delicious, revealing an honorable know-how and know-how. The constant questioning of chef Alexandre Vachon means that he always offers his customers the best, making his table both dynamic and lively. The most unusual ingredients from the region always find their way into the kitchen. The atmosphere is particularly serene and calm, perfect for a meal for two. If you’re not lucky enough to stay the night there, it’s worth arriving a little early and visiting the garden, which offers great views of Lake Massawippi. During your stay, why not take the opportunity for a drink in the bistro Le Tap Room?
▸ manoirhovey.com/fr/restaurant-le-hatley
▸ 575 rue Hovey, North Hatley
Champlain Restaurant (Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac)
Photo courtesy of Champlain Restaurant
Due to Fairmont Le Château Frontenac’s size and reputation, the house’s gastronomic offerings have never been taken lightly. The mission of Restaurant Champlain has always been to share Quebec’s gastronomic heritage in a sophisticated, trendy and upscale way. In the last few weeks, Gabriel Molleur-Langevin, a young chef straight from the kitchens of the Mousso restaurant in Montreal, will ensure the continuation of this excellence. Backed by years of experience at some of the world’s leading tables – notably at Noma and Fäviken, which rank among the world’s finest restaurants – it was time for the chef to invest in his own cooking and strive for excellence.
▸ fairmont.com/frontenac-quebec/dining/champlain/
▸ 1 rue des Carrieres, Quebec
Tommy Dion is a columnist/food critic and founder of the web platform and gourmet guide www.lecuisinomane.com