Indulge in the Best Poutine in Quebec City on National Poutine Day
The year is 1957. Eddy Lainesse walks into Le Lutin qui rit, a quaint restaurant in the small dairy-farming town of Warwick in Quebec, as he regularly would. In a rush and eager to satisfy his growing appetite, he asks owner Fernand Lachance to throw a serving of french fries into a bag for him, along with a handful of the cheese curds that were typically sold separately. As he serves up the concoction in a paper bag, Lachance replies, “ça va te faire une maudite poutine!” (“that will make a damned mess!”).
The combination quickly became a popular request. Each order would continuously leave a mess across the tables at Le Lutin qui rit and so, in 1963, Lachance began to serve the poutine on a plate. Though delighted with the crispy fries and soft cheese curds, there were complaints that the fries grew cold too quickly on the plate. Lachance took a spoon full of hot gravy and doused the two ingredients to keep them warm.
Taking place on April 11, National Poutine Day is the day to devour all of the greasy, delicious french fries you can imagine. Whether you’re looking for the classic or one filled with imaginative toppings, here is where you can indulge in the best poutine in Quebec City on National Poutine Day.
Le Chic Shack
The sheer perfection of Le Chic Shack deserves a moment of silence… mainly because your mouth will be filled with french fries and cheese curds. Known for its gourmet burgers and generous milkshakes, the poutine at this casual spot in Old Quebec is mouthwatering. Each poutine is made with crispy, hand-smashed potatoes and loaded with house made sauces and local cheeses. You can’t go wrong with La Classique and plant-based poutine enthusiasts will be thrilled to hear Le Chic Shack offers a vegan version. If you’re feeling extra hungry, opt for one of their 100% Canadian beef burgers, served on a brioche bun, on the side.
Poutineville Quebec City
Come to this Montreal poutine chain for anything but the classic. Poutineville serves massive poutines loaded with unconventional yet appetizing toppings, each with its own unique flavour combination. What sets the poutinerie apart even more is it gives you the chance to get creative and create your own poutine by choosing from a list of over 40 ingredients, 11 different cheeses, four kinds of potatoes and five kinds of sauces. Poutineville also offers their own poutine creations, including a poutine stuffed with bacon, Italian sausage, seasoned ground beef, house sauce, a fried egg and a touch of hot sauce.
Snack Bar Saint-Jean
The menu at Snack Bar Saint-Jean is a long list of burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and – of course – poutine. They have you covered if you’re looking for slight variations of the classic – like la steak haché et oignons, with french fries, gravy, cheese curds, chopped steak and fried onions. If you like club sandwiches, you’ll love la club poutine, topped with lettuce, white chicken, bacon and tomatoes. The portions at Snack Bar Saint-Jean are generous, so we recommend you opt for the petite or regular unless you’re incredibly hungry or sharing with a group.
Casse-Croute Chez Gaston
Situated in Saint-Roch, on one of the less busy streets of Quebec City, Casse-Croute Chez Gaston offers everything you’d expect from a snack bar. And if you’re after a large, delicious portion of inexpensive poutine, look no further. While there aren’t a ton of different variations, the poutine at Casse-Croute Chez Gaston is well-executed and rich in flavour. Each dish is brimming with crispy french fries, thick sauce and the perfect amount of cheese. One of the best things at Casse-Croute Chez Gaston is la poutine gaston, which comes topped with gravy, cheese curds, minced steak meat, sausage and onion.
Frite Alors!
Frite Alors! makes some pretty good classic, specialty and vegetarian burgers, but it’s the poutine that makes this one of the best places for Quebec poutine in the city. The eatery is known for its crispy, golden-brown french fries that are hand-cut and cooked according to the Belgian tradition. One particularly unique dish here is la générale tao – a poutine with balls of chicken, toasted sesame seeds, shallots and the general’s delicious homemade secret sauce. You can even keep it simple and just order a serving of the delicious fries to dip in one of their 14 sauces. Did we mention all of their sauces are natural and homemade? Whatever you opt for, we guarantee you’ll satisfy your cravings.