Nine restaurants earned new MICHELIN Stars tonight in the inaugural Québec selection, including one Two-Star awardee, Tanière³, the restaurant of avant-garde alchemist François-Emmanuel Nicol.
The Belle Province is home to a formidable gastronomic scene, firmly rooted in its territory, which embraces all avenues of creativity and talent. At Jérôme Ferrer - Europea, traditional French culinary traditions and Quebec's finest terroir (Magdalen Islands lobster, king crab, Appalachian red deer, scallops and caviar) merge into a single melting pot. This richness of the terroir is systematically honored in the fine tables selected. This is the case at Sabayon, Elliot Beaudoin's Légende, and Laurie Raphaël - all of which have been awarded a MICHELIN Star for the first time, including several others.
Tonight, three restaurants also received a Green Star in recognition of their commitment to eco-responsible cuisine.
Below, find our Inspectors’ takes on each of the newest Star recipients in Québec.
Two Star
Québec
Tanière³
Cuisine: Creative
This "den" (tanière) 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 of the nuances to be derived from the immense terroir of Québec's boreal zone. All the ingredients are sourced from small-scale producers. Mushrooms, herbs, plants, and roots are an integral part of this creative cuisine. 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 Québec Wagyu tataki, wild rose, morels, and roasted onions. The pastry chef proposes a woodland-inspired autumnal dessert with a mushroom-infused millefeuille. The remarkable work of the mixologist and the sommelier complete this memorable journey.
One Star
Montréal
Jérôme Ferrer – Europea
Cuisine: Modern
Housed in an ultra-modern architectural setting with towering windows bathing the interior in light, this restaurant offers diners a wonderful view of the brigade at work in the glass-paned kitchen. The chef, the son of farmers from France, has stylishly carved out his niche in the Belle Province. Fusing French culinary traditions with the riches of Québec'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 suffused 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. Silver service brings a pleasant theatrical dimension to your table.
Mastard
Cuisine: Modern
Quite a way off the beaten track, Mastard rests on the broad shoulders of Chef-owner Simon Mathys. The space, designed for around 50 diners (reservations required; only five services a week), is organized around a strategically placed bar-counter that affords a clear view of the kitchen. The chef devises a resolutely original carte blanche menu centered 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!
Sabayon
Cuisine: Modern
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 Québec terroir to shine. Working in partnership with the province's best producers, he elevates each ingredient with formidable precision. Fruit and vegetables reign supreme, especially in 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. But dessert remains also one of the chef's main strengths. Add to that the smooth and elegant service orchestrated by Marie-José Beaudoin but bear in mind that getting a table here is no mean feat! Every month, slots made available for bookings are snapped up within seconds.
Québec
ARVI
Cuisine: Modern
In the neighborhood of Limoilou, on bustling Third Avenue, ARVI is the stomping ground of Chef Julien Masia, a Frenchman (from Lyon), who cut his teeth in kitchens in the Alps. As for the decor, urban edginess meets contemporary design (exposed bricks and concrete) in this open-plan space. 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 by carrot and agastache, and aubergine by basil and hay. This is modern and refined cuisine in which each ingredient is given its due.
Kebec Club Privé
Cuisine: Creative
Cassandre and Pierre-Olivier are a gifted young couple. Originally from France and Québec, respectively, they met at restaurant Laurie Raphaël. 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 Québécois, showcases local ingredients with astonishing simplicity. The dishes are a testament to precise cooking, whether of the marinated cod in smoked oil, the scallops in a herring bone 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. For a perfect evening, opt for the wine pairing, which includes cocktails, Québec wines and ciders, and even a digestif.
Laurie Raphaël
Cuisine: Modern
Located in Old Québec, alongside the Old Port, this restaurant exudes an elegant contemporary style thanks to a palette of beige tones, bubble-shaped pendant lights, and leather-covered tables. This is the Vézina family establishment, and it is Raphaël, the founder's son, who now holds the reins. This seasoned thirtysomething showcases seasonal produce and ingredients from Québec'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, Québec hazelnut praline. The interplay of shapes, textures, and cooking methods, always on point, is a feast for the palate. Certain French dishes are given a twist—for instance tartiflette or kugelhopf, the latter prepared using Alpine sweetgrass.
Légende
Cuisine: Creative
In a contemporary setting characterized by clean lines, Elliot Beaudoin—once a finalist of TV's Les Chefs! and former associate of the restaurant Tanière³ —serves up a cuisine that is rooted in Québec's terroirs. This establishment sets itself apart with its strictly locavore approach, which sees it 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. Excellent wine list, including nice wine pairings. A legend indeed!
Rimouski
Narval
Cuisine: Creative
Opposite St. Germain Cathedral, a stone's throw from the St. Lawrence River, this discreet restaurant has an intimate feel. In a refined and warm setting with an open kitchen, chef Norman St-Pierre welcomes his guests as if into his own home. He treats diners to a personal cuisine that is draws on his travels: Madeira-inspired milho frito with local beef tartare and fermented apple gel, or a new spin on ricotta gnudi that uses fresh cheese from Baie-des-Sables and an almogrote sauce from the Canary Islands. Everyone is welcome to bring their own bottle of wine.
Green Stars
Related Read: All the 2025 Québec MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmands
Related Read: The 2025 Québec MICHELIN Guide Special Awards
Hero image: Jérôme Ferrer - Europea
