Aux Anciens Canadiens specializes in traditional French-Canadian cuisine featuring regional staples such as tourtière, bison, and elk. The menu highlights locally sourced ingredients prepared using classic grilling and slow-cooking techniques that reflect historical culinary practices. Patrons encounter a setting defined by authentic architecture, thick stone walls, and woodwork that creates a dense, rustic atmosphere. This establishment prioritizes rich, savory flavors through hearty meat preparations and classic vegetable pairings characteristic of the surrounding territory. Every dish aims to present the fundamental essence of regional gastronomy with precise attention to traditional seasoning and cooking methods. The consistent focus remains on authentic, robust flavors served within a structural environment that mirrors the heritage of the region through its preserved interior design and consistent, reliable preparation styles.
Aux Anciens Canadiens is widely celebrated for its charming, historic atmosphere and its dedication to traditional Québécois cuisine, with many visitors praising the authentic setting housed in one of the oldest buildings in the city. Guests frequently highlight the attentive and friendly service, particularly when enjoying the popular lunch specials, and many consider the maple syrup pie and various meat dishes to be standout offerings. While the vast majority of diners describe their experience as memorable and delicious, some reviewers note that the food quality can be inconsistent, with a few guests finding certain dishes to be overpriced or underwhelming compared to the historic reputation of the institution.
This restaurant is a must on your visit to Quebec City. What an excellent dining experience. This place is on all the recommended eating lists for a reason. We didn't have a single bad bite the entire dinner. The set menu has so much choice & is very reasonably priced for all that you get. Service was also amazing. We started with red wine which I actually enjoyed & I'm not a wine person at all, followed by apps, my partner ordered the beans, I had the escargot. Fresh, warm buns were brought out quickly each time we asked. Our soups were pea & french onion, both delicious. For our mains, I tried beef Wellington & he got the special of the night which was the turkey dinner. My beef Wellington had some kinda appley sauce that I wasn't sure about at first but everything paired so nicely together. It very much tasted like home cooking but in the best way. Very homey, full of comfort. For dessert we tried the bread pudding & maple creme brûlée. Some of the best creme brûlée ever! I will return on my next visit to the city. Can't say enough good things.
This place is unexpectedly good! I didn't pay much attention & assume this is one of those touristy restaurant. Turned out to be a great night with the onion soup, escargots, seafood platter & lovely dessert!!! Overall, it's a nice dinner we had.
Value for money!!! Spending around CAD50 then you could have a set of French meal including a glass of house wine. Many choices for customers. The appetizer I chose-Wild Meat Cretons was full of meat, pork if I didn't remember wrongly. I liked the taste but couldn't have too much; then the accompanying sauce & the side dish(I guessed it was something like pickles) did a nice touch-lightened the grease. About the main dish, it was interesting! The puff pastry wrapped with salmon so it was crispy outside & soft inside. Nice together & seasoning. The sauerkraut also made the whole dish not too greasy. As for the dessert, I was not a fan of it since it was too sweet🤣 Anyway, I really enjoyed my food & the atmosphere here.
Jan 20, 2024
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Such an authentic little place. Friendly staff & the ambience was very quaint. Settler style. The $39.95 lunch is great value. Leek & Potato soup. Had the Grandma's Treat - meat pie, meatballs & baked beans.& Maple syrup upside down pudding as dessert. Perfect fare for a cold day walking around old Quebec. Thank you for a wonderful experience 🙏🏼
Sam our server is very professionals directing us towards the intricacies of the very traditional local cuisine. I tried the Wapiti mixed with other games in a "crusted pain de viande". Need to try once in your lifetime. The dessert are excellent.
The restaurant is terrific , from the service to the food . We had 2 starters (salad & tourtières ) recommended by our friendly server Sam . Main course was the filet mignon which was delicious & cooked exactly as requested . Desserts were fresh & a perfect size . I'll be returning on my next visit to Quebec City
Fabuleux ! On y retourne à chaque visite de Québec, nous sommes toujours bien reçus. La nourriture est délicieuse, le pain perdu en dessert est un délice. Le personnel est vraiment attentionné, surtout Serge !!
I'm not sure about these other reviews. Is it possible we had a different chef The food was mediocre at best. Salmon & chicken were DRY... way overcooked...pastry was very good. Meat pie w fruit was tasty. Veg sides seemed like a frozen bagged afterthought. Average dessert... service was ok but the waiter did not return to check to see how the food was, I can only assume he knew & didn't want to ask. Felt like'the joke is on you' tourist trap. Onion soup was a letdown & definitely not worth a 7$ upgrade to their set menu. We enjoy good food but would NOT recommend this spot. Hard pass. Plenty of good food nearby.
A must-visit in the center of Quebec City. My party stayed in the city for 2 days, during which we dined at several traditional & First Nation restaurants. This one pleasantly surprised us. Initially, we were unsure about it because the restaurant is often advertised in hotels, which can be a negative sign. However: The staff was genuinely friendly & efficient. We opted for the lunch menu, priced at 40 Canadian dollars, which included an appetizer, main course, dessert, & a glass of wine. We chose to pay a bit more for the meats that are not easily found elsewhere, such as bison, elk, & deer. I wholeheartedly recommend it! These uncommon meats exceeded the quality we experienced at another, more expensive restaurant we visited the previous night. The puff pastry that accompanied the bison was crispy but not dry, complementing the meat perfectly. The sides served with the bison, elk, & deer dish allowed us to pair each meat with vegetables that complemented them well. & the traditional, remarkably simple & warm maple syrup pie was the perfect finishing touch! The staff was always eager to answer our questions, & once they learned that we needed to rush to the train station, they promptly brought the bill, always with a smile. Last but not least, experiencing the ambiance of the oldest restaurant in Quebec City was a remarkable part of our visit. Out of my week-long stay in Canada, this was the first & only place where I was happy to leave a (generous) tip. P.S. - food is larger & more filling than portrayed in the photos attached.
The atmosphere & vibe is really cool! The food is great. I had dinner set which includes a house wine/ beer, an appetizer, a main course & a dessert. The meat pie is highly recommended. It's a great balance between the savory of the meat, the flaky crust & the sweet-ish taste of the ketchup on the side. I had the bison bourguignon for the main course & it was delicious but I was hoping the meat to be more tender as it's a bit dry. For dessert I had the maple pie to go as the portion is pretty generous & I didn't have room for dessert. However, the service wasn't that good & I did not feel welcomed. For example, no bread was served at my table while the rest of the tables were. The waiter was trying to rush through my order/service. The waiter helped the other table packed the to go box but just threw the boxes at me & I had to do it myself. I would not think it would be a big deal if I didn't see how the other guests were treated - well packed & were put in a bags & were ready to do. For me, there is no bags provided & I had to asked for it & was told they may not have bags. It just ruined the whole experience. & that's after I gave 15% tips...
