Tanière³ in Quebec City has two Michelin stars. Chef François-Emmanuel Nicol’s tasting menu doesn’t just feature Quebec terroir – it channels it.Audrey-Eve Beauchamp/Supplied
If your image of Quebec City begins and ends with cobblestone streets and horse-drawn carriages, it’s time for a serious update. The province’s Michelin Guide was revealed today – featuring Tanière³, located in the capital city. The underground fine-dining destination is now the first in the province to receive two Michelin stars, joining an elite Canadian club that includes only Toronto’s Sushi Masaki Saito. And with today’s unveiling, Quebec becomes the first Canadian province to have a Michelin Guide (along with the cities of Toronto and Vancouver).
Tanière³ chef François-Emmanuel Nicol’s tasting menu is both technical and deeply local. From curing their own Gaspé tuna to sourcing scallops from Mi’kmaq fishers in Listuguj to foraging with a Saguenay biologist, Tanière³ doesn’t just feature Quebec terroir – it channels it. Each course feels like a dialogue between nature and craftsmanship, rooted in place yet pushing toward something more.
Tanière³ chef François-Emmanuel Nicol.Audrey-Eve Beauchamp/Supplied
The experience is polished, immersive and quietly radical. It’s a flavourful declaration that Quebec’s cuisine can hold its own among the world’s most refined tables.
Conflicted energy in Quebec kitchens
But while Tanière³’s rise has been met with excitement, the province’s culinary community is grappling with a more complicated mix of emotions. Pride, certainly, but also caution.
The arrival of the Michelin Guide in Quebec stirred both excitement and unease. For many chefs, it was a long-awaited nod to the province’s growing culinary stature. But there were also fears – that the guide’s Eurocentric gaze might gloss over what truly makes Quebec’s food culture distinctive such as its grit, its roots and its refusal to be neatly categorized.
Stéphane Modat, chef-owner of Quebec City’s Le Clan, is an advocate for the province’s culinary identity. With the guide’s release, he said he felt part disbelief, part cautious optimism, part deep-seated pride.
Le Clan in Quebec City earned a spot as a recommended restaurant in the inaugural Quebec Michelin guide.Supplied
There was concern Michelin might lean too heavily into luxury and polish, overlooking the wilder, more rustic but equally meaningful expressions of local cuisine. Still, Le Clan earned a spot as a recommended restaurant in the inaugural guide, along with renowned Montreal establishments such as Toqué, Au Pied de Cochon, Joe Beef and Montréal Plaza. It’s a recognition that, for Modat and others, is as complicated as it is validating.
A strong showing for Quebec City
Le Clan in Quebec City.Supplied
Despite the debate, the province made a splash in this first edition. Of the 102 restaurants recognized – with stars, green stars, Bib Gourmands or recommendations – 20 are in Quebec City. Not bad for a city of about 500,000.
Among the standouts is Kebec Club Privé in the Saint-Roch neighbourhood, which earned one star and saw its chef-owners, Cassandre Osterroth and Pierre-Olivier Couture, receive the Michelin Young Chef Award. Meanwhile, Alentours, in the working-class Saint-Sauveur neighbourhood, earned a green star for its sustainability practices.
Michelin’s arrival is a milestone for Quebec’s food scene. It offers visibility, attracts curious diners and gives chefs a global platform. But it also raises big questions about who gets to set the tone for Canadian gastronomy – and what values we reward. Because Quebec’s food culture has always been about more than just luxury – it’s about connection, memory and a sense of belonging.
