3 Best Restaurants in Gaspe, Quebec

Entrées are as colorful as this complex’s buildings, and the deck is the best place to sit on a sunny day. Dishes are all over the map: French onion soup, pepperoni pizza, grilled merguez sausage, barbecue ribs, fish-and-chips, New York–style cheesecake. Poutines are just as varied—one is made with shrimp, another with lobster, yet another with spaghetti sauce; special poutines might feature smoked salmon sausage or General Tso’s chicken. Stick around for live music. Emerging talents, some of whom have gone on to fame, take the stage year-round, usually on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

The magnificent patio, with its view of the ocean, is the place to sit while enjoying regional specialties. Sample seafood the way locals eat it, say codfish brandade, codfish balls, smoked fish or sausage, and seafood gratin. Flank steak and rabbit tartare are other possibilities. Desserts are homemade. Blond wood panels the open-space dining room, making for a cozy setting where the whole family feels welcome. The attached, nonprofit Centre culturel Le Griffon works to preserve local maritime culture.

Sip a house-roasted coffee or nibble a bright shrimp salad while pondering art that decorates this colorful café at the heart of the town. The owner's intention was to create a delicious place that helped support local artists. Paintings, stained glass, and other objects decorate the sunlit space, where timbers support high ceilings. Generous salads and sandwiches characterize the menu. Homemade soups and desserts are available, too. For a nightcap, try a spiked coffee.