10 Best Restaurants in Outside the Old City, Quebec City

Specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza and antipasti, this stylish pizzeria has been on everyone's lips ever since it opened (thanks to crowdfunding). Its beast of an oven weighs 2.5 tons and was imported straight from Italy—and it's worth it: the thin-crust pizzas are cooked in just 90 seconds at 900 degrees. Expect sides of flavorful salads, creamy burrata, charcuterie, and cheeses. Also note the excellent cocktail list. If you prefer to eat in the St-Jean-Baptiste neighborhood, Nina recently opened a second location there.

The culinary genius behind the success of city hotspot Chez Muffy, Chef François Blais, opted for a more casual approach with his own restaurant on Avenue Cartier. This spot, which has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, embraces "market cuisine" that's straight to the point and expertly executed. The entire menu, displayed simply on a blackboard, features a handful of daily changing appetizers, main courses, and desserts. It's particularly famous for its expertly prepared sweetbreads. The C$36 prix fixe for lunch is an absolute steal, offering a compelling reason alone to explore the charming Montcalm area.

This cozy burger joint with brick-and-stone walls has a wide range of topping combinations, daily special burgers, and French fries are served with a dollop of homemade mayonnaise (there are five varieties available) and poppy seeds. Salads, sandwiches, and a daily dessert made fresh by the pastry chef are also available. This original location was so successful that it spawned several other branches, notably in the Vieux-Port area of the Lower Town.

In the bright, light-filled deTerroir café in Saint-Jean-Baptiste, discover a rotating display of local art. Owners Allison and Pier-Paul offer traceable coffees, micro-roasted from the coffee tree to each cup. Enjoy your brew in handcrafted mugs by local ceramicists, perhaps with a delightful "croffle"—a unique croissant-waffle hybrid. It's a truly welcoming respite from the cold.

Everything is homemade in this new neighborhood sandwich shop. Located in the heart of rue St-Jean, Ficelle prepares freshly made dishes of the day, such as sandwiches (baguette or focaccia) with a variety of fillings and soups. The selection varies from day to day depending on what's available. This is a place that is appreciated by the locals for its simplicity and quality. It's the ideal place for an uncomplicated lunch with no compromises.

At this lovely crepe shop, buckwheat-flour crepes are filled with simple ham and cheese or fancier combos like duck confit with onion marmalade, while a wheat crepe with salted caramel and sweet Chantilly cream makes a good dessert. The large shop also has bistro items like cod beignets, charcuterie plates, and cassoulet, and there's a nice selection of ciders and beers.

This busy, noisy Paris-like bistro featuring artwork by its namesake Canadian painter and patios in front and back has been around for more than 40 years and is a big local literary hangout, with a selection of great coffee, tea, and desserts. Open every day from early morning to late evening, Krieghoff serves specialties that include salmon, quiche, la Toulouse (a big French sausage with sauerkraut), steak with French fries, boudin (pig-blood sausage), and la Bavette (hanger steak).

Despite its magnificent beaux arts interior and its reasonable prices, the National Assembly's restaurant remains one of the best-kept secrets in town. Chef Martin Gagné prepares contemporary cuisine with products from Québec's various regions, such as mini-fondues made with Charlevoix cheese to ravioli made from lobster caught in the Gaspé to pork from the Beauce region, trout from the Magdalen Islands, or candied-duck salad. At just C$37, the three-service tasting menu is an absolute steal.

With its fine French cuisine and convenient location in a 95-year-old house on the bustling Grande Allée, this restaurant has long been popular with many of Québec's élite. Dining areas range from the very public summer terrace to discreet second-floor meeting rooms, a solarium with bamboo chairs, and a cozy dining room with exposed stone walls and warm wood accents. Chef Hervé Toussaint's top dishes include seafood such as shelled lobster, as well as fresh pasta and a rack of lamb. With more than 5,000 bottles of wine on hand, nobody goes thirsty, and the owner checks in on diners himself.

Tora Ya Ramen offers a delightful journey to Japan through chef Miyano Sakai's generational expertise. Each ramen comes with a choice of four broths (soy, miso, Korean-style miso, or veggie miso) that are sure to satisfy both small and gargantuan appetites on cold winter days. There are also Tsunamis, traditional Japanese tapas, and a privately imported sake menu. The authentic décor, with its long wooden bar and banquettes, and the pleasant service complete this truly Japanese experience.