Le Clocher Penché represents a refined intersection of traditional French culinary techniques and modern regional influences. The kitchen prioritizes seasonal produce sourced from local growers, ensuring the menu reflects the shifting bounty of the surrounding landscape. Signature offerings frequently showcase elevated takes on bistro classics, emphasizing precise preparation and balanced flavor profiles. Diners encounter a space defined by high ceilings and exposed brickwork, fostering a focused environment conducive to concentrated appreciation of the meal. The kitchen maintains rigorous standards, crafting everything from artisanal terrines to complex sauces from scratch. Every dish serves as a testament to the versatility of core French principles adapted to the ingredients found within the province. This commitment to provenance and technique dictates the cadence of the experience, prioritizing clarity of flavor over excessive ornamentation.
Le Clocher Penché is widely regarded as a standout dining destination in Quebec City, known for its creative menu, professional service, and inviting atmosphere. Guests frequently praise the high-quality ingredients, with many highlighting the hanger steak, homemade bread with compound butter, and inventive desserts as memorable favorites. The restaurant is often noted for its warm and welcoming staff who take the time to guide diners through unique culinary offerings, making it a reliable choice for both special occasions and casual visits. While most visitors leave with high praise for the consistently excellent food and wine selections, a few noted that the intimate space can become warm during peak summer weather, and individual tastes regarding the menu's adventurous combinations can vary.
I came in on a low-appetite day & left having eaten one of the most coherent meals of my trip. The scallop crudo was the best I've ever had - & crudo is unforgiving, since there's nowhere to hide behind heat or sauce. Just precise knife work, candied orange, lemon, poppy, & a tiny kohlrabi (?) brunoise that added a bitter, radish-like crunch. Quietly brilliant.
The fish of the day, cod, confirmed it. A sour sorrel leaf & a knob of lemony maître d'hôtel butter melting over the skin - two different registers of acidity layered on one plate rather than just doubling the same note. I'd nearly written off'catch of the day' as boring; trusting it was the right call.
By dessert the pattern was unmistakable. The roussette - a lacquered spiral of caramelized pastry with candied almonds - sat on a vanilla cream made with cultured, fermented cream, so even the sweet course carried a clean tang that cut the caramel.
That's the thing about this kitchen: acidity & fermentation are its grammar, sour & bitter threaded through every course, savory & sweet alike. It's confident, grown-up cooking that never tips into cloying - & on a day I barely wanted to eat, it's exactly what kept the palate awake. Unhurried service, striking value. I'd come back.
Food was excellent though a bit over priced for the portions but it has a Michelin honor so i can see the pricing. Great wine list, especially the champagne. Service people extremely knowledgeable about the food & the wine. Never have i had someone know intimitely about the wines i was deciding on & that really impressed me. All the food was prepared with precision. It was all perfect. We had oysters with a tomato ice of sorts & i really loved this. It was surprising simple & delicious. I will try to make at home. A dirty martini paired perfectly with it. Comte flan with morels rich & strikingly complimentary to the flan. Fried mushrooms in a type of rice flour tempura (maybe?) were good with the sauce. Looked like the sauce would be spicy but it was not. The star, though, was the beef tongue. If you are eating at this restaurant you probably already eat, & love, organ meats. If not, now is your chance because this is the tastiest, most tender piece of meat we've ever eaten. In a demi-glace sauce that was perfect. The pork belly & lobster was so good we ate it even though we were getting pretty full. Just so delicious, &, again, both lobster & pork so perfectly cooked & a perfectly made sauce as well. So we were so full after that we....... OF course we had dessert! All 3 items. A crueller with creme (anglaise?) sauce, a baked Alaska & a creme brulee with a few candied orange zests. I wish there were more zests! Just fab with that brulee. All 3 were fabulous but the creme brulee was my fave. All in all a great experience we won't forget & hopefully will return to at a later date.
La nourriture est fabuleuse de l'entrée au dessert avec un rapport qualité/prix fort appréciable.
Le service est attentionné & courtois sans être envahissant.
L'ambiance est calme & chaleureuse.
Nous y retournerons assurément.
Jun 4, 2026
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Absolutely loved our experience here. From the moment we walked in when the table was a bit delayed to the final dessert. Everything was performed to excellence. Our table of six enjoyed oysters, tartare, maitake, fois gras, faisselle, crème brûlée, & many more. Cocktails were fantastic & the wine selection super. Service was great, & we felt welcomed by the staff.
We had a wonderful dining experience at Le Clocher Penché during our visit to Quebec City. The restaurant has beautiful interior design & the customer service was warm & attentive throughout the evening.
We ordered the fried mushrooms, bread with compound butter, lion's mane mushroom dish, & the fish of the day, which was halibut. The staff was incredibly accommodating with my dietary restrictions & kindly substituted the nduja sauce with a salsa verde instead. The salsa verde was fresh, vibrant, full of texture, & paired perfectly with the fish. It ended up being one of my favourite dishes from the entire trip.
We also really enjoyed the bread & compound butter along with the lion's mane dish. The fried mushrooms were good, though we felt the batter absorbed a bit too much oil & could have benefited from more crunch to better highlight the flavour of the mushrooms themselves.
For dessert, we tried both the baked Alaska & the salted crème brûlée. Although the presentation of the crème brûlée could have been a bit better, the flavour was excellent. The addition of sea salt gave it a unique twist that made it stand out from a traditional crème brûlée.
Overall, this was a memorable meal with thoughtful service, creative dishes, & a beautiful atmosphere. We would gladly return on a future visit to Quebec City.
A wonderful experience. Our server was knowledgeable & attentive. The food was excellent-thoughtfully crafted with fresh & delicious ingredients. We had the oysters, moussaka & homemade pasta & all of them were superb. Great music, beautiful atmosphere, cozy & convivial. Highly recommend. Note that the expense per person includes two mains, one shared dessert (crème brûlée-excellent) 2 high-quality beers & a glass of pinot noir plus tip.
Nous étions six & avons choisi de commander tout le menu afin de pouvoir goûter à l'ensemble des plats. Résultat: aucune déception. Tout était excellent, bien exécuté & équilibré. Gros coups de coeur pour les pétoncles, le poisson & la moussaka - des plats savoureux & avec de très belles textures. Côté desserts, la tropézienne était délicieuse.
Pour les mocktails: très belle sélection. J'ai goûté au margarita épicé (Rita) - vraiment réussi, bien relevé, exactement comme j'aime. Belle sélection de bières aussi.
Nous étions installés à une grande table près de l'entrée. Ce n'est peut-être pas l'emplacement le plus spectaculaire comparé à la salle principale, mais c'était plus intime.
Notre serveuse était gentille, nous a très bien expliqué le menu, & on s'est senti chaleureusement accueillis du début à la fin.
Nous étions un groupe de 6 & nous avions commandé presque toute les entrées du menu , deux plat principaux & deux dessert que nous avions partagé,tout était vraiment excellent ,on a tous adoré notre soirée.
C'est un beau petit resto & très bien situé.
Définitivement un des meilleurs restaurant de Québec.
We had an amazing dinner! From apps to mains & desserts we were transported on a flavor enhanced culinary journey. One of our best meals out in a long time.
The ambience, service, food & value all exceeded our expectations.
